Thursday 7th December 2017

Renault Alpine A310 V6 Widebody: Spotted

As PH finally gets behind the wheel of the new A110, one of its forebears pops up in the classifieds...

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The engine's positioning in the old Renault Alpine GTA might have been deliciously wrong in theory, hung way out as it was over the rear axle, but we wouldn't have had it any other way. That car, in turbocharged form, and later in A610 form, was the very definition of a sensible supercar. It was fast, fun, lively and wonderfully sleek. Find a good one now and you'll enjoy a thing of beauty.

It evolved from some smaller Alpines that could trace their lineage back to the humble Renault Dauphine, in much the same way that the 911 can trace its roots back to the Beetle. The tiny two-seat Alpine A108 of 1958 was a pretty and well-behaved thing, if rather short of puff, and it set the trend for future Alpines by sporting a lightweight fibreglass body on a steel backbone chassis. The raucous A110 that replaced it was a highly successful rally car, but it was this handsome two-plus-two A310 of 1971 that first really caught the UK enthusiast's imagination.

It was initially propelled by a slightly lacklustre twin-carb 1.6-litre four-pot, but in 1976 it was uprated in body - by Robert Opron, no less - and, most pleasingly, in engine - with the Douvrin PRV 148hp 3.0-litre V6 squeezed in and the top speed increased to a healthier 137mph.

This particular V6 example dates from 1978, and it looks absolutely stunning in white, although as you might expect of a car of this age it has a somewhat limited history. Inside it has engine fire extinguishers, stop watches and timing equipment, so if you like the thrill of a hill-climb, or just want to time your journey home down the A3, this could be the car for you. It comes with a new MOT and a full service too, and if the price now being commanded by those earlier Alpines is anything of a guide (there's an A110 up in our classifieds for £60k at the mo) its asking price of £25,995 is respectable, even if it's not exactly being given away.

Alas, Alpine petered out soon after the GTA/A610, but, two decades on, it's back, revived by Renault and armed with a new and nimble sports car called the A110, which has its engine.........oh, in the middle.

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SPECIFICATION - RENAULT ALPINE A310

Engine: 2,664cc, V6
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 150@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 150@3,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1978
Recorded mileage: 55,000miles
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £25,995

See the original advert here

Mark Pearson

[HeMightBeBanned]

The last one of these that I saw disappeared in a cloud of its own steam at Prescott hillclimb.

[Lordbenny]

Ruined by an awful bodykit

[angelicupstarts]

Lordbenny said:

Ruined by an awful bodykit

is the wide body not standard factory work ?
but anyway ...love these cars !
maybe even more then the original a110 ?

[unpc]

Lordbenny said:

Ruined by an awful bodykit

Quite. I always lusted after one of these as a kid. Preferably with standard bodywork.

[ChrisPackit]

I think the Alpines (GTA / A310 / A610) are one of the last true bargain supercars, that have not quite exploded to the heights of the 911 and the like. Considering there are only a few hundred left, they're rare, fast, and I'm sure people will catch on soon and snap them all up whilst they're relatively cheap.

Superb cars...

[cookie1600]

Or how about the even rarer 'V6 GT Pack Kit Boulognes' (1983-1984) inspired by the Group 4 A310 racing cars. Only 27 were built and the PRV-V6 was bored out to a 2.9 and fitted with three Weber 42DCNF carburetors pushing power to 193 hp



I'd prefer one in traditional Alpine blue:

[Evilex]

Lovely, lovely cars. Widebody or not.

[John-o23yr]

The wide body kit was available as a factory option called the 'GT Pack' although this term also included twin triple choke carbs which pushed output to about 180 bhp. Take a look at the standard car (preferably in the metal) before you dismiss it.

Late model GTAs came with a similar wide body treatment - the Le Mans - 26 RHD cars were made along side 299 LHDs and they are now highly prized.

[s m]

cookie1600 said:

I'd prefer one in traditional Alpine blue:

I do like that a lot

Used to enjoy seeing the Alpines at the local hillclimb

[ChocolateFrog]

They look to have doubled in price since Wheeler Dealers restored one. I think they may have even lost money trying to sell it.

With such limited numbers they've got to be a sure fire investment.

[rowley birkin]

It looks like the b'stard child of a De Tomaso Pantera and a Vauxhall Firenza droop snoot.

[aston addict]

Had a 1:43 model of a blue one as a kid - always thought they were a handsome motor...

Kind of reminds me of a Lambo Jalpa, always remember that scene in Rocky when he had one in his drive

[XOcette]

I like mine!



Great fun to drive on the twisty stuff, and a good long distance coverer too.

Edited by XOcette on Friday 8th December 09:12

[Leins]

^^^ Lovely!

[angelicupstarts]

XOcette said:

I like mine!



Great fun to drive on the twisty stuff, and a good long distance coverer too.

Edited by XOcette on Friday 8th December 09:12

i like yours as well , you lucky b$£@$%d

[livinginasia]

I think that looks stunning, especially in white. Love it ! Agree with the other comment that with such limited numbers that must be a great investment as well. If only I had the money :-)

[sidewinder500]

angelicupstarts said:

XOcette said:

I like mine!



Great fun to drive on the twisty stuff, and a good long distance coverer too.

Edited by XOcette on Friday 8th December 09:12

i like yours as well , you lucky b$£@$%d

Have to agree, really really nice, Sir!

[sutts]

Love these. Here’s one I snapped at the Le Mans Classic in 2015.

[SturdyHSV]

Always loved these, have Alpine ever made any bad looking cars? Seems an underrated brand if you ask me, were they just too French to catch on over here?