Friday 25th May 2012

Renault Reveals Alpine A110-50 concept car

Mid-engined V6 racer-derived gets debut in Monaco

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Renault has finally unveiled the Alpine A110-50 at the Monaco GP, to celebrate 50 years since the appearance of the first car to wear the Alpine badge - the Berlinette.

As we've previously reported, the new car uses the 400hp mid-mounted V6 from the Megane Trophy racer, linked to a semi-automatic six-speed sequential gearbox, as well as a twin-plate clutch that can be controlled using either the clutch pedal or a paddle on the steering wheel.

The concept also uses a chassis derived from the Megane racer, meaning tubular steel spaceframe construction, and fully adjustable double wishbone suspension all round.

The carbon fibre bodywork, meanwhile owes more than a little stylistically to the DeZir concept car from a couple of years ago, but features a 'new shade of blue which refreshes and reinterprets the famous original Alpine Blue'. It also features an adjustable rear wing that produces up to two thirds of the car's downforce, along with ground effect from the rear diffuser and front splitter that creates the rest.

"Developing this concept car was a great adventure. It was a catalyst for creativity," says Axel Breun, Concept and Show Car Director. "We wanted to make a Berlinette that was of our time, and which boldly embodies Renault's passion for motorsport. We were guided by our hearts and emotions."

All very nice, but will Renault actually make it? Our colleagues over at Autocar have been told that Renault is hopeful: Speaking to Autocar at the Geneva motor show, sales and marketing boss Stephen Norman said: "[We will] do everything we can to make it [the Alpine] work for production. If we could make the sums work, which we are desperately trying to do, we could do it in 30 months."

 

[Bahnstormer]

Quite cool !

Looks like there could be a bit of Exige 'design-DNA' in there somewhere !!!!

[Greg 172]

Cor, quite like that. Needs some light coloured wheels like the mocked up image shows though. Also nice to see some less offensive LED running lights than is usual nowadays (I'm assuming that's what the Twingo-like circles are?)

[jpf]

Mitsubishi Eclipse on steriods with the engine in the back?

Clean up the design, price it right and it will sell.

Leave it as it is and price above 50K pounds and this dog won't hunt.

[BBS-LM]

Loving that, lets hope it goes into production in some form similar to the concept.

[KTR]

So its basically a Megane Trophy race car with a different body on it.

[veevee]

KTR said:

So its basically a Megane Trophy race car with a different body on it.

Same as any other two cars on the same platform then?

[C.A.R.]

KTR said:

So its basically a Megane Trophy race car with a different body on it.

Yes, but seeing as you can't actually 'buy' one of those for road use this is still pretty cool...

[LaurasOtherHalf]

oh yes

[KTR]

C.A.R. said:

Yes, but seeing as you can't actually 'buy' one of those for road use this is still pretty cool...

Agreed, very cool and I would actually buy one (depending on price of course), but I was expecting and hoping for a bit more than just a re-skinning excercise. I for one hope they get it into production.

[peter450]

I think the basic shape is quite nice, but it's overstyled with creases here, and overdone detail there

The badge in the middle and two circular things each side look particularly naff, unfortunatly this kind of overdone styling seems to be in vogue at the moment

[Mintyhit]

It has got a certain je ne sais quois... as Thierry Henry would put it!

[dublet]

That looks like it should have an ASBO or CPI.

[JLJ11]

R8 + Mclaren + Exige.
kinda cool. i imagine they will price well north of 50 tho

[RenesisEvo]

KTR said:

So its basically a Megane Trophy race car with a different body on it.

Much like the Mazda Furai concept car was based on a Courage.

[C.A.R.]

KTR said:

Agreed, very cool and I would actually buy one (depending on price of course), but I was expecting and hoping for a bit more than just a re-skinning excercise. I for one hope they get it into production.

Well, hopefully re-skinning will make it more likely to actually happen rather than the GT by Citroen which was the last wacky French car we saw...

[subaqua]

Like.

Says the guy with the S1 Exige

[Renomaxi]

Good noise...think that would make it past the suits? or would it get silenced and synthesised

God bless Renault, I may be biased but they have balls of steel when it comes down to releasing wacky road cars...we should embrace them and their onions

[subaqua]

Just noticed... do you think the production version will need a windscren wiper??

[SSBB]

peter450 said:

I think the basic shape is quite nice, but it's overstyled with creases here, and overdone detail there

The badge in the middle and two circular things each side look particularly naff, unfortunatly this kind of overdone styling seems to be in vogue at the moment

The two circular things are the ghostly outlines of the lamps of the original Alpine. A wonderfully subtle homage that will be missed by a few people here no doubt...

[edinph]

THIRTY MONTHS! THIRTY MONTHS! Puleese!