Alpine A110
First introduced in 1961, the Alpine sports car was an iconic vehicle. The sporty lightweight Berlinette style body and racy engine made it a multiple winner at the World Rally Championships in its short lived life. The Alpine was to be discontinued in 1977, five years after it was bought by Renault.
Fast forward to 2012, when Renault began its quest to raise the once famous Alpine sports car from the grave. The A110-50 concept car, named to pay tribute to the original A110, was fittingly unveiled at the Monaco Grand Prix. 2015 saw the Alpine Vision Grand Turismo and Celebration Concept revealed, and last year, 2016, yet another concept Alpine was unveiled, the Alpine Vision.
The 2016 Alpine Vision, which was put in the same league as the Porsche Cayman and the Alpha Romeo 4C, is Renault’s hat in the ring, so to speak, in the premium sports car market. The French car company announced that the Alpine will go into production, and will be available worldwide in 2018. As if this wasn’t good news in its own right for sports car enthusiasts, the news gets better! South Africa has been selected as one of the countries where the limited edition modern icon will be available.
Particular care was taken during the design stages of the Alpine to produce a modern sports car that benefits from all the technological development that have occurred over the last 70 odd years. The chassis and panels are made of lightweight aluminium to reduce the overall weight, making it faster than ever. The 4 cylinder turbocharged engine is said to reach 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds.
That being said, special attention has been paid to the design the ensure that the modern Alpine stays true to its roots: the front of the car is reminiscent of its older ancestor with prominent fog lights and the very distinctive nose ridge, while inside the dials are a throwback to yesteryear with chronograph style stopwatch and speed dial. The interior is luxurious, more so than other competitors is this sector, and while modern really does pay tribute to the Alpines of the past.
The first run of cars, the Premiere Edition, will be limited to a run of just 1955, to commemorate the first year that the original Alpine went into production. So, while it will be available here, the numbers will be limited, making it the hottest ticket on the track. Follow Us on Facebook for more news to follow.
