At first glance, this matchup seems like an uneven one and not in the way you might imagine. On paper, the BMW M2 CS spanks the Alpine A110 S. The former is considerably more powerful, it’s faster in a straight line, as more cylinders, an additional turbocharger and faster track times. However, the Alpine A110 is quite possibly the best driving car for the money at the moment. So, at first glance, you’d think that this comparison test was over before it started.
However, these two cars aren’t their standard versions. The BMW M2 CS is the more powerful, fastest and most aggressive 2 Series variant ever made and the Alpine A110 S is the more powerful, sharper and more capable version of the standard A110. So which car is actually better?
In this new intra-Speed Week matchup from Top Gear, we see the M2 CS take on the Alpine A110 S and the results are rather surprising.
The Alpine A110 S is a brilliant sports car, one that’s surprisingly fast, incredibly well balanced and great to drive. However, adding power and capability seems to have ruined a bit of the magic that made the standard car so brilliant. On the flip side, the BMW M2 CS is a raucous, soulful machine that seems to find even more magic than its M2 Competition sibling has.
While the Alpine is a wonderful car, it’s just a bit too serious now, whereas the standard car was a bit purer of heart. So it’s actually the BMW M2 CS that TG preferred to drive more often, which is surprising given how many times the standard A110 crushed the M2 Competition in comparison tests,
Personally, I still think the M2 Competition with some mods is the better buy but, after having spent a ton of time in the M2 CS, I can absolutely say that it’s the best driving BMW on sale.
[Source: Top Gear]
