In this world of excessively large SUVs and utes that seem to dominate the streets, manufacturers seem to be increasing the size of their small models, slapping a 'Crossover' label on them, and watching them sell like hotcakes.
Unfortunately, what we'd like the definition of 'Crossover' to be, and what the reality of the word is are two different things. But French brand Alpine looks to be on the right path with the A110 SportsX.
To throw it back to their rallying roots, Alpine decided to build the rallied-out version of the A110 to display at the International Automobile Festival in Paris, where it was a strict "styling exercise".
According to Alpine, this SportsX was a joint creation between the company's design and engineering teams. This is evident by the form and functionality of the tasteful modifications scattered around the place.
A larger set of fenders trimmed in black are used to contain the Michelin all-terrain tyres, and the front and rear bumpers have been revised to allow for increased ground clearance.
Thanks to the beefier wheel and tyre combo, the SportsX sits 60mm higher and 80mm wider than its standard counterpart. As 180kW is more than enough in this small chassis, the 1.8-litre turbo engine remains completely standard.
Literally topping off the SportsX is a rear-mounted roof rack that can hold two sets of skis — not that the two-seat sports car would need to hold any more than that.
You'll notice that the rear badging has been updated with a blueprint-style design, which doesn't exactly add anything to the functionality of the car but we absolutely love.
As we've grown to expect with showcases like this, Alpine has no plans to put the A110 SportsX into production, so it'll be up to A110 owners to start cutting up their coupes if they're planning on leaving the tarmac.
