Have You Heard of Alpine Cars?
Carlos Kirby
· 4 min read
The brand, Alpine cars, was on the brink of obscurity when its parent company, Renault, ceased the production of their models in 1995. However, the French
car brand
was given a new lease following the relaunch of the Alpine A110 in 2017. Renault further confirmed its commitment to popularize the lesser-known brand by announcing that its Formula 1 team will be racing under the Alpine moniker for the 2021 season going forward. The yellow and black colors synonymous with Renault have also been replaced by red, white and blue.
The origin of Alpine cars
Alpine was established in 1955 as Societe des Automobiles by Renault's official dealer in Dieppe, Jean Rédélé. The young Frenchman was a car dealer and a rally driver who believed that motorsport offered the best way to test production because people wanted to associate with brands that won races.
Before founding Alpine, Rédélé competed in many races, including the inaugural Rallye de Dieppe, which he won while racing in a Renault 4cv. His experiences in racing provided insights into improvements that could make his 4CV more competitive.
He thus ordered a lighter version of the Renault 4cv from Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. The Renault 4CV special sports body was made of aluminum, making the car lighter and more aerodynamic.
Michelotti was, however, late in delivery, but this did not deter Rédélé, who still competed in several races in the company of his friend Louis Pons. With whom he funded the development of a new five-speed gearbox to replace the original three-speed unit.
The invention proved pivotal in achieving a record-breaking win in their class at the Mille Miglia.
After acquiring the Renault 4CV special sport in 1953, Rédélé won the Rallye de Dieppe that year and secured victory at the Mille Miglia for the third time before emerging first in the Coupe des Alpes.
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Alpine's racing history
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Alpine has had impressive racing performances down the years. In 1971, Alpine won the International Championship for Manufacturers title before emerging victorious in the World Rally Championship two years later.
Alpine then managed third place in the 1975 championships after being unable to place a podium finish the previous year. The French automaker also proved capable in endurance racing, securing a performance Index victory at Lemans in 1964 and 1966 before securing glory at the Lemans 24 Hours in 1978.
They clocked a then-record of 210 Kph, according to
Alpine
. In 2013, Alpine returned to the track after 35 years of absence to win consecutive European Le Mans series crowns in 2013 and 2014 before winning the 2016 24 Hours Le Mans. Alpine cars that are in production
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Alpine's only model currently in production is the A110, a throwback to the Alpine A110 Berlinette produced between 1961 and 1977. The lightweight, mid-engine sports car, which was launched in 2017, is considered a rival to the 717 Cayman, according to
Motor Authority
.Despite having a sole model presently in production, Alpine is renowned for its classic cars that caught the eye in the years gone by. The A106 was the company's first car, with three models painted blue, white, and red respectively, launched at the Paris motor show in 1955.
The A108 was touted as the A110's replacement, with 236 models built between 1958 and 1965. But perhaps the manufacturer's greatest masterpiece was the Alpine A110, launched in 1961. This model dominated the track, most notably the 1973 championship.
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