Wednesday 28th January 2015

Alpine creates Vision Gran Turismo concept

And yes, there is still a road car coming. Really [updated with video]

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Though they have all been interesting in their own way, there's special importance attached to the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo car. Because while a 500hp Golf cabriolet or a 600hpSubaru sports car probably aren't set for production, we are still anticipating a new Alpine road car.

Now that's an air brake!

Indeed Alpine knows many people have been waiting a while. The press material begins with "The Alpine of the 21st century is creeping gradually closer", makes frequent references to 2015 being the 60th anniversary and also mentions an Alpine that will "see the light" in 2016. Just as a final tease, there are details in this car "directly inspired" by the roadgoing Alpine.

But it's simply the Vision Gran Turismo car for now. The road car will have to wait. Looks rather wild, doesn't it? Alpine deliberately highlights the "spectacular rear-end design" as well as the the interior for an obvious reason: that's where gamers spend the most time looking. So while there are nice references to the A110 at the front it's impossible to draw yourself away from the back. It's very exposed, much of the car's floor visible and with a pair of wings too; the lower one "links wheel arches to the stern" and the higher one for downforce. Obviously there's an air brake for maximum drama, but the Alpine's extends from the side of the car rather than the top. Madness.

Front rather more restrained

The interior is very much the sportscar racer with a covered passenger section, tiny windscreen and digital instruments. Like the best concept cars the mirrors have gone in place of a rear-view camera.

It's claimed that the Vision GT car bridges the gap between the road car and the A450 LMP2 car in terms of dynamics and performance. It weighs only 900kg (thank the carbon monocoque for that) and is powered by a 450hp V8. Lightness was said to be a key guiding principle which certainly bodes well for the road car. Don't expect a sequential 'box and 200mph though...

Until the production car there will be a full-size replica of the Vision GT to see. It will be shown at the Festival Automobile International in Paris at the end of this month before going to Retromobile at the start of February. The actual Gran Turismo car will be available in the game from March. Then we're back to longing for a road car once more...

Alpine Vision Gran Turismo launch video.

 

See all the Vision Gran Turismo cars here.

[Source: Autocar]

 

 

[n4aat]

As a youngster I remember catching people on the pavement with a well directed windscreen washer jet. Those airbrakes would take the jape to a whole other level.

[P4ROT]

n4aat said:

As a youngster I remember catching people on the pavement with a well directed windscreen washer jet. Those airbrakes would take the jape to a whole other level.

"Man murders pedestrians with air brake"

[alexpa]

Yes please. Minus the air brake.

[chickensoup]

bit aero seven

[daveco]

Interesting how some manufacturers attach themselves to Gran Turismo.

A game more synonymous these days with great graphics, crap/fake sounds, and a lack of any real world feel to the whole experience must be a big draw for some car makers

[BogBeast]

Wonder if you took air from those front ducts how many psi you could generate at speed....

[Claudia Skies]

chickensoup said:

bit aero seven

Yes, it makes you wonder whether this is Alpine's reaction to the failed co-operative venture between Caterham and Renault. My suspicion when that came apart was that Tony Fernandes had talked a good game but had very little he could bring to the party.

[stephen300o]

Amazing the influence of gran turismo, to get designers to design these cars, some manufacturers lacked imagination, such as BMWs effort, but many have let their hair down and gone for it, which is a fun diversion.

[Oily Nails]

Ahhhh Alpine, todays automotive industry version of the 1990's Jaguar company.

"LOOK AT OUR CRAZY CONCEPT!!!! The production car will look like it...honest....when it is launched.....[cough].....next year.....[shuffle shuffle]....errrr yes!"

Remember all those concepts from Jag, every year and nearly none came to anthing like a road car.

Sorry, I like Alipne's history and car record, but this "NEW" Alipne is just frustrating.

[soad]

I like this view:

[redroadster]

Flippers ,great until Renault electrics throw a wobbly and only one flips out then u have a very sharp u turn at 100 mph !

[TurboBlue]

Here's one they made earlier

[DannyScene]

Looks fking stupid doesn't it

[stephen300o]

DannyScene said:

Looks fking stupid doesn't it

It's a concept car, ou don't find the ordinary here.

[danp]

Glad to hear that there will still be an Alpine road car, sounds promising.

[bobberz]

Hmm, Imagine those airbrakes in an actual race. Comes to a corner, airbrakes flap out, car slows abruptly. Meanwhile, competitor's car (which doesn't have airbrakes) brakes long, tearing the airbrake off the Alpine!

I'll be interested when there's any actual news about the road car (even though I know its chances of reaching US shores is nil).

I just want a version of Gran Turismo for the PS4! I sold my PS3 in the Summer of 2013, assuming that GT6 would be a PS4 launch title. Oops. I'm sure GT7 will come out a few weeks before the PS5 ships...

[bobberz]

TurboBlue said:

Here's one they made earlier

That's a fantastic car! Personally, I've always wanted an A110 road car. Such a beautiful machine, especially in that ubiquitous blue.

The one that's selling at Artcurial's Retromobile sale on the 6th has an estimate of €80,000-€100,000. I had no idea they'd gotten so expensive! Granted, it is the 1974 Paris Salon show car, so maybe that explains the price?