Automotive

Renault reinterprets the Alpine A110 to commemorate its 50th Birthday

Renault reinterprets the Alpine A110 to commemorate its 50th Birthday
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The original Alpine A110 was one sweet handling automobile - as soon as it was homologated, it began winning all over the world
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The original Alpine A110 was one sweet handling automobile - as soon as it was homologated, it began winning all over the world
The original and the modern interpretation
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The original and the modern interpretation
The specifications of the new Renault Alpine A110-50
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The specifications of the new Renault Alpine A110-50
The Renault Alpine A110
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The Renault Alpine A110
The dyno charts for the Renault Alpine A110-50
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The dyno charts for the Renault Alpine A110-50
The Renault Alpine A110-50
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The Renault Alpine A110-50
The Renault Alpine A110-50 and the Renault Alpine A110
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The Renault Alpine A110-50 and the Renault Alpine A110
The Renault Alpine A110-50
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The Renault Alpine A110-50
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View gallery - 49 images

It's fifty years ago since the Renault Alpine A110 Berlinette was introduced as one of the most beautiful road cars of its time, embodying light weight and sweet handling and furthering the long and successful Renault motorsport heritage by winning rallies all over the world.

Not surprisingly, such a memorable automotive birthday has precipitated a very appealing concept car.

The Renault Alpine A110-50, is a reinterpretation of the original Alpine's key features in a thoroughly modern way. It has focussed on the most characteristic design features of the original A110 with newly sculpted flowing bodywork.

Some of the other design features you can see carried across include the half-domed lamps becoming full LED yellow lighting and the 3D rear window which reveals the mid-rear engine.

Air intakes on each side echo the ducts on the rear wheel arches of the original Berlinette.

The right-hand duct is for gearbox cooling, the left for the engine bay.

Produced by Faster, the carbon-fibre bodywork features a new shade of blue which refreshes and reinterprets the famous original ‘Alpine Blue’.

One of the most interesting aspects of the reinterpretation is the shape - unlike the original which was built before ground effects design was invented, the aerodynamic efficiency of the A110-50 is largely generated by ground effect.

At the front, a splitter hidden in the bumper generates low pressure, which results in significant aerodynamic downforce.

At the rear, a diffuser accelerates air flow beneath the floor. Ground effect therefore accounts for more than one-third of the car’s downforce, with the rest coming from an adjustable rear wing.

The research and design of this air flow was conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamics, a cutting-edge technology used particularly in F1. CFD involves studying movements of a fluid, or their effects, by resolving digitally the equations which govern the fluid.

This technique was used by Renault Sport Technologies primarily in order to fine-tune the aerodynamics and study the behaviour of the New Mégane Trophy as a function of air flow.

Every opening panel does so with dynamics worthy of the finest GTs, with the bonnet hinged at the front and the engine bay cover opening towards the rear. The doors feature a scissor motion.

The dyno charts for the Renault Alpine A110-50
The dyno charts for the Renault Alpine A110-50

Produced with the renowned expertise of Renault Sport Technologies, the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car is imbued with the world of motorsport.

It benefits from the experience gained from the racing Mégane Trophy by using the same technical platform.

The original and the modern interpretation
The original and the modern interpretation

Developed on the same technical platform as Mégane Trophy, the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car also boasts the same chief technical characteristics.

The Renault Alpine A110-50
The Renault Alpine A110-50

It runs the Renault V4Y engine block, a 3.5 litre 24-valve 400hp V6 mounted in a mid-rear position.

The crankcase (semi-wet), moving parts (pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft), valve train (camshafts and valve springs) and exhaust system are specific compared to the version featured on productions models.

The specifications of the new Renault Alpine A110-50
The specifications of the new Renault Alpine A110-50

View gallery - 49 images
10 comments
10 comments
WorknSurf
Is it available for purchase, and if so what is the price?
socalboomer
I can't help thinking that the original A110 wasn't anywhere near as exotic or expensive as this GORGEOUS piece of kit will be. . .
Yes, it's stunningly beautiful.
But then the original was as well, but since it was a rally car, I can't help but think that it would have been much less expensive. Most rally cars are adaptations of "normal" cars, even going back (with a few exceptions). It's just a shame that we take great cars that weren't overly expensive and recreate them making them astronomically expensive and exotics. . .
Jetwax
Great looking vehicle. The one thing I see being a prob, is the small fuel tank. 30 litres in this vehicle won't last long d'-)
robinyatesuk2003
Wow! This is indeed a lovely looking car.Great article Mike, thanks for bringing this prototype to us mere mortals
Riaanh
It is VERY sexy....
Good thinking on Renault's part to even include a permanently attached tow hitch to the front.
Jérôme Dumais
To respect the past, the Alpine should look more like a rally car than a asphalt race track one. The head lights are really too small compare to earlier models. Looks like japanese design mix american design mix with german design... It looks nothing... no identity, it looks Korean.
Ray Sandom
Hmmm Looks familiar,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK5ya6fjL18&feature=fvwrel
but I don't like the addition of those half doomed lights on the front, spoils the sleek lines. Get rid of the those Renault please!
A'Tuin
Whilst this is little more than a rebodied Megane Trophy, the engine/transmission/running gear are identical to the single make circuit racer, I have to admit that it's an incredible piece of styling.
This is described as a concept car but, with the popularity of the World Series by Renault, it is one that I could see going into limited production as an additional class in the series. The towing ring suggests that it might - needed to get cars out of gravel traps, or off the circuit in a hurry.
Whether a road-going version for sale to the the general public, or at least that proportion of the public with large enough wallets, ever materialises remains to be seen. It would be a shame if it didn't.
fatalflaw
Eye of the beholder....I think it's ugly. Way too busy!
Harold Thompson
Nice Ride!!