Renault TV posted these official videos in celebration of their history and the resurrection of the Alpine marque. Car videos are mostly uninspiring, materialistic nonsense–but these Alpine A110 videos are out of this world….maybe because the car is out of this world?
Best part….it’s in English! So my rudimentary and primitive French translation doesn’t have to be challenged like it normally does with Alpine videos.
I was expecting an announcement for 2014 Le Mans, but Renault has somewhat surprised everybody by announcing that there will be an Alpine badged car racing the LMP2 class in THIS year’s Le Mans. Wow. They’ve also released the ‘teaser’ pic above (tastefully tweaked by yours truly).
Here are some quotes directly from Renault:
“Today, another important step has been taken with the announcement that an Alpine prototype is to race in the competitive 2013 European Le Mans Series endurance racing championship (ELMS), as well as at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours (June 22-23).
The decision to compete at Le Mans fits perfectly with the brand’s heritage, since Alpine contested the famous 24-Hour race 11 times between 1963 and 1978, running a total of 55 factory cars. In addition to its successes in the ‘Energy Index’ classification in 1964, 1965 and 1968, as well as in the ‘Performance Index’ classification in 1968 and 1969, its efforts harvested seven class wins in total and, above all, outright victory in 1978 with the Alpine A442B prototype shared by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. The two Frenchmen were joined in the top four by the A442 of Jean Ragnotti and Guy Fréquelin.
For its return to Le Mans, Alpine has joined forces with Signatech. The Philippe Sinault-run team will enter an Alpine LM P2 prototype with an Alpine chassis powered by a 500hp Nissan engine for the five rounds of the ELMS, including the opening race at Silverstone, England (April 13). The drivers will be Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues.
The highlight of the season will naturally be the Le Mans 24 Hours. The name of the third driver who will join the team for the world’s most famous endurance race will be announced when the car is officially presented at Le Castellet, France, on March 24.
Said Carlos Tavares, Chief Operating Officer, Renault: “Alpine’s return to the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours in 2013 marks the beginning of a new adventure which is set to last. The passion that drives us is matched only by the humility and careful attention paid to costs that epitomise this comeback which itself has been made possible thanks to the involvement of our partners and supporters who I would like to thank formally here. Together, step by step, we will do our very best to write another exciting page in the history of Alpine, a truly outstanding name in the world of French sports cars.””
I AM SO EXCITED.
src: renault press services
An announcement is expected Friday to hear Renault introducing the plans for their return to endurance racing! LMP2 is surely expected by the 2014 racing season with possible LMP1 ambitions as well, and the engines are expected to carry the ALPINE badge! Renaultsport (which evolved out of the original Alpine after it stopped making cars 20+ years ago) will be tuning them and involved with the engine construction. All of this seems consistent with the Renault plan to resurrect one of the finest racing and rallying marques ever! I wonder if the cars themselves will be badged “Alpine-Renault” like the old days.
IEDEI is, of course, devoted to Alpine news and will offer updates as they come in. My biggest issue is going to be whether I root for Audi or Alpine? I have stayed up to watch almost all Le Mans races for the past several years….and am a die hard Audi fanboy. If Alpine makes it to LMP1 against Audi…..it will be very very tough for me to root against the boys in blue.
Exciting news.
BTW, to fuel the imagination, here is an interesting ‘re-interpretation’ (rendering) of the glorious Alpine A220 by Racing Emotion found at le Blog Auto. Obviously this is not a realistic vision, but still entertaining to look at!
src: racecarEngineering
This thing is out of this world. Quite honestly one of the most stunning race cars i’ve ever seen. One of 2 surviving Alpine A220 V8 prototypes developed, but never raced. On display now at Retromobile 2013. Currently privately owned, according to Renault Classic.
src: Renault Classic
well at least in my head.
taken at the recent Monte Carlo Historique.
(click to enlarge)
src: renault classic
Epic!
src: Renault
One of THE coolest automobiles ever made, obviously. The Alpine A310.
For many of the new readers, you should know I am *obsessed* with the Alpine A110 (and Alpine as a marque in general). that is all. My general interest in automotive topics continues to wither and fade, but Alpines and Audis seem to be completely immune to this destructive force.
src: renault classic
(above and below renderings by Volatile Vertex)
A press conference has been scheduled for November 5th (Monday) to be co-hosted by Renault and Caterham to discuss the details of the upcoming Alpine project. Very exciting news indeed.
Here are some of the ideas being thrown around: Weight of a little over 1 tonne (!!), target launch 3-5 years from now, 200-250hp, less than 4.3 meters long, and that it will “look like the A110 Berlinette”. 5,000 to 10,000 units per year. Target price of 35k-40k Euros. Very exciting.
There are some questions over what the functions of the original Dieppe Alpine factory would be, if the entire task of the new Alpine’s construction and engineering are left to Caterham. More details as they evolve, obviously.
(above photo via Renault Sport’s FB page)
UPDATE: Renault and Caterham have revealed that they will both get a version of the upcoming Alpine. Theoretically the car will likely be a roadster for Caterham and a coupe for Alpine (sounds right!). Prices will be low (under 40k Euros), and most interestingly—-Caterham now will take a 50% stake in Alpine as a marque! I find this last sentence very interesting.
Just a few days ago, I speculated that Lotus was a possibility for co-developing the new Alpine Berlinette after Carlos Tavares’ statements in Autocar. A few days later, Autocar is reporting that Caterham will indeed be the expected partner to develop the new Alpine! Great news for those of us who have been awaiting news that this will be a lightweight true hommage to the original A110. The concept A110-50 stayed true to those beliefs in being lightweight and performance-oriented; and it seems the production Alpine will as well.
Apparently Caterham will also develop their own model alongside the new Alpine. Should be very interesting to see what comes out of this relationship. Here’s hoping for a lightweight, technologically advanced interpretation of what came before.
More news as it comes. Thank you to Michal and CollaVerglas for the tip to this update!
(below: chassis testing of the A110-50 concept)
Before the fantastic Renault Alpine A110-50 put on its futuristic body, it underwent testing! As we know, the A110-50 is based on the Megane Trophy, and has been adapted and tweaked into the A110-50. It’s pretty wicked to watch the skeleton going around the track…courtesy of the excellent Type 01
I had read several months ago what the UK show Wheeler Dealers was going to do an episode about the Alpine A310—–and i’ve been looking very forward to it for a while! A couple of reasons why: (A) there really isn’t too much in terms of videos, information, or documentation of the A310, at least not in english anyways, (B) the A310 is on my list of cars I want to own in the next 20 years, so i’m super interested, and (C) because I usually enjoy Wheeler Dealers anyways, and putting an Alpine on there is just icing on the cake!
Here’s the full, nearly 44 minute episode!
The Citroen DS4 Racing is scheduled to be shown at the Geneva Auto Show. There isn’t a week that goes by where I am NOT envious of my european friends and how they have such fantastic ‘hot’ hatchbacks to choose from and buy!!! Americans simply do not understand hatchbacks; which is why we have 5 on the market here or something like that. What choices do we have in the US for ‘hot hatches’? VW GTI, Audi A3, Ford Focus, Mini Cooper, and some weird 3-door Hyundai Velociraptor Roster Foster Pentacoster….
For the love of god, SOMEBODY buy PSA (Peugeot/Citroen/etc) and bring us these french hot hatches! Ford maybe? Buy PSA! Nissan, stop diddling around with the miserable current lineup you have in the US and bring us some Renault Meganes and Clios! VW, hurry up and buy Alfa Romeo so you can bring us theirs as well as the Audi A1, S3, RS3! Suzuki, bring us the Swift!
oh and the Citroen DS4 looks pretty damn wicked from where i’m seeing it. 1.6 liter 256hp mini-rocket (256hp out of 1.6L? wow).
src: Top Gear
Most people don’t realise just how SMALL the Alpines are, until they either see one in person or see pics of it next to other ‘small’ cars….as most of you know, the BMW 2002 is not exactly a large car….but the Alpine makes it look pretty tall!
The A110 makes any car look huge….but even the A310 is tiny in real life. The first time I saw these cars in real life, i was amazed at how efficiently small they are in person.
src: JB Hilversum
the badass Alpine-Renault A310 in rally spec.
These are just some amazing videos…..everytime i see the race-prepped Alpine screaming down regular streets as shown in the 1963 video, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! even though we can’t hear them, they just look epic cruising with regular traffic. Some wonderful behind-the-scenes footage in this videos as well, of the construction and of the founder of Alpine, Jean Redele.
video heaven…for me. my broken french skills help me understand some of these…..as they are both in french.
illustrated by Guy Allen. see more pics and link to more info at Motoring Con Brio
Europeans are so lucky….they get so many small, quick cars at their disposable. I’ve always admired the small hatchbacks like the Peugeot GTIs, Renault Clio 172 and RS, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Polo GTI, Swift Sport, Focus RS etc…..but one hatch has really caught my eye lately even though it is not being produced any longer (thanks for the correction, Rob) it is reaching the end of its production; Renault Megane R26R. I honestly think it’s like a low-budget Porsche GT3 RS. If i was living in Europe, i would surely have one hidden away in my garage. It’s ugly as f*ck, with it’s heinous rear pillar and odd shaped window treatment; and the front end reminds me of some 2nd rate Oldsmobile from the 70s or 80s. But as a package, it is weird and cool, and over the top. In black with some vulgar red stickers; yes please.
ok, so this video might make you a bit dizzy……BUT THAT SOUND. I could listen to that sound ALL DAY.
My favourite car on my favourite track…with the worst cameraman in the world!
1974 Alpine A310.
IEDEI 
