The same weight as a Mazda MX-5 yet 67kW more powerful, Alpine’s mid-engine go-kart is set to reestablish its sports car acclaim, although we might not get it down under.

ALPINE HAS UNVEILED the A110 at the Geneva Motor Show which draws inspiration from the original sports car, and we now have a bit more information on what to expect.

Underpinned by a lightweight chassis forged from 96 per cent aluminium it weighs just 1080kg. That’s the same weight as the current Mazda MX-5 but its mid-engine rear-wheel drive layout will provide a disparate driving experience to the Japanese roadster. Bar expensive and high-performance cars, affordable mid-engine sports cars are few and far between.

The Renault-Nissan alliance designed 1.8-litre turbocharged engine produces 185kW at 6000rpm and 320Nm of torque, and will accelerate the A110 0-100km/h in 4.5sec. The respectable figures and mid-engine layout should provide for an engrossing and perhaps more intense driving experience than most current FR sports cars provide, but there’s no manual transmission on the cards. Instead, the A110 will feature a paddle-shift dual-clutch automatic which is undoubtedly an omission in some driver’s minds.

There has been no confirmation if the car will arrive in Australia yet although it has been confirmed to arrive in right-hand drive for the United Kingdom and Japan. Only a low-volume of cars have been reserved for the two countries so it’s possible that if Australia does receive the car it will be quite rare indeed.

The top-spec Premiere Edition (pictured) is expected to go on sale in Europe later this year for about €58,500, or a little over A$80,000, so if the A110 does make it here it may cost around six-figures.