Earlier today we looked at some leaked pictures and then some official videos of the long-waited Renault Alpine. Now brace yourselves for the official materials. Built as a concept prototype to celebrate 50th anniversary of the original Alpine A110, this gorgeous machine is Renault’s latest attempt at making a proper sports car. They do intend to make it, but it’s a long way away from production.
Renault has tried and failed a number of times before to make a sports car worthy of competing with rivals like Porsche Boxster or Lotus Elise. This time around they decided to utilize Renault Sport’s experience in racing and making fine hot hatchbacks. They’ve got a bit carried away though, as the new Alpine is a full-on race car.
With an loud and powerful 400-hp V6 mounted in the middle, a carbon body and a tubular chassis, as well as track-spec suspension and bakes, plus an F1-style transmission and a Magnetti Marelli a long way away found only in racing cars, the Alpine A110-50 does not look at all like something you can expect to see on the streets tomorrow, or the day after that. But someday…
We should also mention the car weighs 880 kg, has a compact size (Length/width/height: 4,330mm / 1,961mm / 1,230mm) and a 30-liter fuel tank. A proper track toy in other words.
Visual features:
– the sculpted forms of its elegant, flowing bodywork, enhanced by lights over which air seems to flow effortlessly.
– the half-domed additional lamps, with a technical but nostalgic interpretation, thanks to full LED yellow lighting – as it should be!
– a characteristic 3D rear window, which reveals the mid-rear engine.
– air intakes on each side echo the ducts on the rear wheel arches of the Berlinette. The right-hand opening is for gearbox cooling, the left is for the engine bay.
Interior features:
– the driver’s seat features embroidered ‘Renault Alpine A110-50’ badging, Sabelt full harness belts and different, attractive shades of blue.
– the dashboard is particularly uncluttered. The Renault Design-created steering wheel incorporates a colour screen and houses the same technology as a Formula Renault 3.5 single-seater to provide drivers with all the information they need.
– Racing driver equipment is provided by Sabelt and the helmet is created by Ruby.
