Alpine
French Lightweight Agility: From Dieppe to World Rally Glory
Introduction
Alpine’s story is one of passion triumphing over budget. Founded by Jean Rédélé, a Renault dealer and rally driver, the brand was born from a desire to build lighter, more agile cars from readily available Renault parts. The name ‘Alpine’ was inspired by Rédélé’s successful rally drives in the Alps. These lightweight, rear-engined coupes quickly made a name for themselves in competition, culminating in a historic victory at the World Rally Championship. After a long hiatus, the brand was revived by Renault to once again deliver a pure, lightweight sports car experience in a modern context.
| Detail | Information |
| Founded | 1955 (by Jean Rédélé) |
| HeadQuarters | Dieppe, France |
| Parent Company | Renault |
| First Car | Alpine A106 (1955) |
| Founding Philosophy | Lightweight agility over brute power |
| Racing Legacy | 1973 World Rally Championship Winners |
Iconic Alpine Engines
- Renault Gordini Inline-4 (1960s-1970s): The classic rally heart. A tuned version of Renault’s inline-four engine, used in the original A110 Berlinette for rallying and road use.
- Renault PRV V6 (1980s): The larger GT engine. A 2.6L V6 used in the Alpine A310, providing more power and a grand touring character.
- Renault 1.8L Turbo I4 (2017-Present): The modern heart. A turbocharged 1.8L four-cylinder from the Renault Megane RS, used in the modern A110. It provides a perfect blend of power and efficiency for the lightweight chassis.
Legendary Alpine Models
- Alpine A106 (1955-1961): The first Alpine. Based on the Renault 4CV, it was a lightweight fiberglass coupe that set the brand’s design and engineering template.
- Alpine A110 Berlinette (1961-1977): The icon. The beautiful, lightweight coupe that became a rally legend and won the inaugural World Rally Championship for manufacturers in 1973.
- Alpine A310 (1971-1984): The successor. A more modern, wedge-shaped coupe that initially used a four-cylinder engine before adopting the PRV V6.
- Alpine A610 (1991-1995): The final classic. A modernized GT with a turbocharged PRV V6, representing the end of the original Alpine era before its revival.
- Alpine A110 (2017-Present): The modern revival. A faithful spiritual successor to the original, focusing on lightweight construction, agility, and driving purity over outright power.
The Giant-Killer Philosophy
Alpine’s entire ethos, established by Jean Rédélé, was to use intelligence and agility to defeat more powerful and wealthy competitors. Instead of developing expensive all-new components, Alpine cleverly used robust and readily available Renault parts, mounting them in a lightweight fiberglass body. This philosophy reached its peak in the early 1970s when the small, rear-engined Alpine A110s, often with engines of less than 1.8 liters, defeated far more powerful cars from Lancia, Ford, and Porsche to win the first World Rally Championship. This proved that driving enjoyment and success come from low weight and balance, not just horsepower.