Wednesday 28th January 2015

Alpine creates Vision Gran Turismo concept

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

---

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.