1962 ALPINE A110 Berlinette 1.3L 5MT (120 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The second generation of the Alpine was introduced in 1961 and it was mainly based on the existing Renault Gordini. It was introduced as a coupe (Berlinette) and after that as a convertible.

The Alpine was for Renault what was the Shelby for Ford. It wasn’t a special department, but a different company. It was independent until 1973 when the state-owned Renault car-maker bought the small manufacturer and transformed it into the Renault-Sport department.

The A110 was largely based on its predecessor, the A108. It was designed by Giovanni Michelotti, who also worked for Ferrari, Maserati, BMW, or Triumph, to name just a few. The four-headlamps installed on the front were one of the main characteristics of the car. Since the engine was mounted in the back, there was no front air-intake to cool it. The short greenhouse featured a raked rear window. Behind, a short engine-compartment lid was placed between the two large air-scoops on the quarter panels. The bodywork was made out of plastic materials.

Inside, the two bucket seats were placed low on the floor. The instrument panel featured five dials, with a large tachometer on the left and the speedometer on the right. Under the dash, in the middle, there were pull-buttons for a few other functions of the car: two for ventilation, one for the fan, and the rear window defroster. The floor-mounted gear-stick for the 5-speed gearbox featured an aluminum ball.

The Alpine A110 was offered with few engine options, between 1.1-liter and 1.6-liter ranged between 55 hp and 140 hp. The light bodywork and the independent suspension in all corners made the car very nimble. And that’s how the French brand has beaten Porsche and took 6 overall victories in the 1973 World Rally Championship, including the famous Monte Carlo and Sanremo races.