The Alpine A110 became infamous for being a tad too warm during a review by a famous motoring show. While being filmed, the car started getting a bunch of electrical gremlins that led to quite a spectacular fire. But no other A110 has burned to the ground ever since, and as the car’s toasty reputation cooled down, Alpine engineers thought of making things heat up once again with the new A110S.

Making the Alpine A110S tick under the hood is a reworked version of the 1.8-liter turbocharged engine found in the regular A110. Boost pressure is up by 0.4 bar, which bumps the power figure to 288hp from the standard version’s 249hp. This performance gain is accessible by spinning the engine up to 6,400rpm—400rpm more than in the pedestrian model. Coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, this powerplant should make the car entertaining to drive on mountain roads.

Speaking of entertainment, stiffer springs and revised dampers work with the more rigid stabilizer bars to improve cornering speeds from entry all the way to exit. The A110S also sits 4mm lower, with the reduced ride height restricting body roll and inertia from lateral weight transfers. Wrapping the staggered-width 18-inch wheels are high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires.

Alpine has thoughtfully adorned the A110S with a color accent that symbolizes things being on fire—orange. The French flag in the standard A110’s B-pillar has been replaced by a carbon-fiber-and-orange banner. The interior, trimmed in special Dinamica suede, is complemented by orange stitching. Fortunately, the A110S’s special grayish Gris Tonnerre hue in a matte finish doesn’t come with optional flame decals.

The Alpine A110S, with a base price of €66,500 (P3.89 million), is now a more potent track weapon. We hope that the increased performance and the updated looks make it hot for the right reasons.