Alpine-Renault A110
When I think of French cars, I think of many things--funky durability, quirky comfort, even slightly odd performance. In every case, the distinctive Gallic eccentricity baked into French cars gives them an extra flavor that I find delicious. Like an aged Roquefort bleu cheese, French cars have a strong flavor and are certainly an acquired taste; but after you are accustomed to the flavor, everything else tastes bland.
By those standards, the Alpine-Renault could be considered stunningly conventional. It is sleek and elegant; hunchbacked profiles and awkward angles are notably absent. The A110's one possible quirk is its rear-engined layout, but given the fact that the car is a contemporary of the Porsche 911, that barely qualifies.
If I'm belaboring the point here, it's because I want to be completely clear--unlike so many Gallic classics, the Alpine-Renault A110 isn't special because it's French, it's special because it's one of the great cars of all time. The A110 matches strong performance with drop-dead gorgeous looks and, most compellingly, legendary status in the motorsports world for its dominance in international rallying. This is not just another case where I'm featuring a weird car because I'm off my rocker.
Alpine and Renault essentially mirrored the AMG/Mercedes relationship, only 20 years earlier. Alpine started as an independent manufacturer of race cars and sports-car specials based on Renault mechanicals; it would come closer and closer into the Renault orbit over the years, eventually handling Renault's motorsports activities before the larger company finally absorbed it.
The A110 was Alpine's crowning achievement. It was totally unlike most French cars--or any other car, really--of the era. When it debuted in 1961, most cars were big, blocky, heavy, and bathtub-shaped. The A110, on the other hand, was small, light, and smooth; it was exotic without being inaccessible.
Even more remarkable for the time, it was quick without relying on a muscular V-8. Over the first several years of production, the A110's small 1.1- and 1.3-liter liter, four-cylinder engines put out meager horsepower in increments as low as 50 horsepower. Over time, grunt grew to as much as 170 horsepower from 1.8 liters; that's impressive, considering the technologically advanced VTEC four-cylinder in my 1994 Acura Integra GS-R produced exactly the same power from precisely the same displacement.
The A110 made the most of that power. It was small, light, and agile; shorter and less wide than a Ford Aspire, and nearly a foot lower to the ground. With a sleek shape and featherweight mass thanks to a fiberglass body--the street version weighed in at 1,700 pounds, the race version at 1,300--the A110 could run with much beefier and more muscular cars. The most powerful street Alpines could turn the 0-60 sprint in the low 8-second range and could top out at more than 130 mph. That was serious performance in an era in which cars with fewer than eight cylinders could rarely exceed 100 mph and were generally considered novelties.
The panache of rallying dominance added yet more sheen to the A110's curvaceous lines. The A110 won most of the races it entered in the early 1970s, and it took an amazing one-two-three finish at the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. Only the introduction of the much more advanced Lancia Stratos in the middle of the decade ended the A110 whitewash.
While it was one of the most accomplished cars of the 1960s, the Alpine A110 never quite earned the popular acclaim of its Porsche 911 rival. Still, while it never became a household name, the A110's competition success and attractive looks earned it cult status among the enthusiast community. Today the die-hard can buy A110 models and collectibles; slot car racers can buy various versions of the A110 in different liveries to race on their own electrified rally courses.
The A110 may not have achieved the fame it deserved, and it may not have been as quirky as its French brethren, but it certainly had the power to intoxicate. Listen to its primal howl in the videos below; it's incredibly soul-stirring. And have I mentioned that it's gorgeous?
The top image was taken by Flickr user bjmullan; the second and third images were taken by Sebastien Morliere and are available as desktop images from All Sport Auto.com.
--Chris H.
...m... on May 23, 2009 at 05:29 AM
...wowsa!..
...m... on May 23, 2009 at 05:39 AM
...1300 pounds at 170 horsepower is amazing - i'm somewhat befuddled that its zero-to-sixty times were so low, unless that's all down to traction from the tires of the era...i'm sure having the engine hanging out behind that overhang didn't do its handling limits great favors, but likely it needed as much weight on the rear wheels as it could get...
...regardless, that's a gorgeous machine - timeless, really...i still wince at the the fake-side-intake lines, especially on a rear-engined car, but at least there's no faux trim there to make them ridiculous, and honestly the overall design more than makes up for any character liberties...
...m... on May 23, 2009 at 05:41 AM
...befuddled that its zero-to-sixty times were so *poor*, rather...
salguod on May 23, 2009 at 06:06 AM
I became intrigued by the A110 several years ago when I was into collecting 1:18 scale die cast cars. Perusing a catalog I saw the 1:18 model A110 by Maisto, I believe, and thought it was cool, so I bought one. It sits on my desk at work now.
I never knew much about it, though, until now. I just thought it looked cool.
Also, you said "When it debuted in 1961, most cars were big, blocky, heavy, and bathtub-shaped.". Well, in the US, the cars were decidedly not bathtub shaped. Sharp edges and linear lines ruled the day here. Think suicide door Lincoln, pointy nose Thunderbird, horizontal finned Impala. Maybe across the pond that was the case, but I wouldn't say it was here. Still, the clean rounded form of the A110 was a contrast to that as well.
BTW - Your RSS feed for comments only shows the the author name and the number '1' for each comment. Not real useful.
That Car Guy on May 23, 2009 at 07:40 AM
Great story about a relatively unknown car!
The audio track on the second video apes the way a kid in our neighborhood drives his S2000. May I have permission to record it and play it outside his house real loud, so they can hear what I have to hear all the time?
Rob the SVX guy on May 24, 2009 at 01:51 AM
I <3 this car. It was my favorite car for a few years... when I was about 17-18 somewhere. Too bad it's unavailable over here.
dwight on May 24, 2009 at 05:41 AM
Saw one in action on the 2007 Copperstate 1000. They are quick/agile around the turns but on the long straights aren't so quick.
In the flesh they are more petite than pictures can relay.
We covered one for sale on carsinpedia recently not sure it sold but sure if it hasn't the price is probably lower than the quoted price.
http://carsinpedia.com/car_day_archive_details.php?id=162
http://carclassic.com/stock.asp?Ref=EE70&Lang=en
salguod on May 25, 2009 at 07:30 AM
Bring a Trailer featured this weekend a pair of Mexican A110's on eBay right now at $35K. One is a convertible, which I guess is a pretty rare item.
salguod on May 25, 2009 at 07:31 AM
Argh. Links stripped. Why no HTML?
Bring a trailer:
http://bringatrailer.com/2009/05/23/2-for-1-dinalpin-a110-cabrio-and-coupe/
eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180359205493&viewitem=
Anthony Cagle on May 25, 2009 at 08:09 AM
Except for the top photo, I think it's kind of ugly.
Chris Hafner on May 26, 2009 at 09:09 AM
Anthony Cagle: "Except for the top photo, I think it's kind of ugly."
Blasphemer!
Chris Hafner on May 26, 2009 at 09:16 AM
...m...: "...1300 pounds at 170 horsepower is amazing. i'm somewhat befuddled that its zero-to-sixty times were so poor"
This is my fault - I had a scattershot of information available and did a poor job of representing it. Here's what I know:
- engine displacements ranged from 1.1 to 1.8 liters
- horsepower ranged from 50 horsepower to 170
- weight ranged from 1,300 pounds to 1,770 pounds
- the performance numbers quoted in the post were for the 1.6-liter street version, as that's all I had available (so unlikely to be representative of 170 horsepower or 1,300 pounds)
- the 1,300 pound figure is likely to be for the performance version; but I believe 170 horsepower was available for the 1.8-liter street version
RH1300S on November 27, 2009 at 06:56 AM
Nice summary of the A110 - I have a Alpine A110 1300S.
The car in the 2nd video sounds like a 1300S although might have a 1440cc (over-bored version of the same engine).
The engine history of the these cars is very complex with not all 1300's or 1600's being the same.
The 1300S was used by the works team until 1971, it is a 1296cc pushrod Gordini tuned motor, beathing (loudly!) through a pair of Weber 40 DCOE's. Mine has produced 124bhp @ 7200rpm. 130bhp is typically quoted. Weight is quoted at 605kg (approx. 1330lbs). The 1300S is very fast, but quite fragile and more torque was needed for rallies, so the 1600S followed - starting with approx. 130bhp, but more torque.
The 1600S was probably the more well known with the earlier 'VB' cars built up to 1973 - 1595cc pushrod engines. The 1972 GPIV 1600S was homologated at 172bhp - 1596cc with a 225kph top speed and 685kg (approx. 1500lbs) in rally form, this weight would probably be accounted for by much of the under-body protection for rough roads and the thicker chassis tubes.
From 1973 the "1600 S" Berlinette was fitted with a 1605cc engine and re-designated "1600 VC" and used the same 5-speed gearbox as on the 1600 VB. The 1600 VC was homologated for Group 3 on 1 July 1972 at 710 kg (approx. 1562lbs). By increasing the capacity above 1600cc the Berlinette could now be homologated in the next higher capacity class and this permitted the "1600 S Group 4 Usine" to be fitted with a 1798cc engine developed by Marc Mignotet. The power output was raised to about 180+hp SAE, at 7000 rpm with a 40% increase in torque compared with the standard "1600 S". These changes enabled Alpine to field cars with sufficient power to win the inaugural World Rally Championship for Makes in 1973 with the 1800cc A110 Berlinette.
Top speeds and acceration figures will vary a lot as there were many gearbox and final drive specifications available.
The rear suspension on most A110's is swing axle and although it sounds crude works well (the later cars with wishbones never seemed to be as good).
They are astonishingly direct to drive, with little more than wrist movement required to aim it at a corner. On the limit the handling is on the scary side of tricky - but this trait becomes a huge advantage just as long as you are driving the car and not the car driving you! The tail can be swung around in corners, keeping to nose pointed at the apex. Use the terrific traction when you are facing more or less where you want and off you go. Very sideways is easily possible, but will catch out the unwary.
It is hard to describe how tiny these cars are, the passenger has to mind their knees otherwise finding 5th gear will give them a clout. Getting in an out involves some gynastics, but once installed they are very comfortable. Long journeys are not a problem apart from the deafening roar from the intakes/exhaust.
Brakes on the early cars were from the R8 and pretty feeble under hard use (discs 6mm thick!). A good (but expensive) modification is the later 'Gros Freins' (big brake) kit, which uses bigger R16 discs, bigger calipers and master cylinder (with the rear caliper being very hard to find now - from a Matra Simca Bagheera).
Little details can tell a casual observer much about the cars, with 1300 & 1600 versions having their exhausts/intakes on opposite side of the cylinder head. Some cars have rear radiators, although competition cars typically have front radiators. Later competition cars have a higher, rectangular intake (see first video) which was developed to help overcome snow being scooped into the earlier low intakes. Most cars have fuel tanks at the front, but some of the later competition cars have mid mounted fuel tanks behind the driver and also air intakes inside the cockpit. The car in the first video appears to have the fuel flap for a mid mounted fuel tank and with the 'pagoda' arches I would guess it's an 1800cc car.
Hope this helps with your understanding of these astonishing little cars.
RH1300S on December 10, 2009 at 09:05 AM
Some information to confuse further! Where it says FASA, the cars were build under licence in Spain.
This data was copied directly from information supplied by Tim Moores of Club Alpine Renault GB - He probably knows as much as anyone about these little cars.
1963 "1000" 956cc / 55hp / 565 kg / 170 kph / 16,650 F
1964 "1000" 956cc / 55hp / 565 kg / 170 kph / 16,850 F
1964 "1100" 1108cc / 66hp / 565 kg / 175 kph / 17,790 F
1965 "1000" 956cc / 55hp / 565 kg / 170 kph / 17,590 F
1965 "1100" 1108cc / 66hp / 565 kg / 175 kph / 17,890 F
1965 "85" 1108cc / 85hp / 610 kg / 180 kph / 19,780 F
1965 "1100 Comp" 1108cc / 90hp / 565 kg / 190 kph / 22,790 F
1965 "1100 Comp.5 Speed" 1108cc / 90hp / 565 kg / 196 kph / 25,140 F
1966 "Standard" 1108cc / 66hp / 610 kg / 175 kph / 17,890 F
1966 "Standard Hautes Perf" 1108cc / 95hp / 565 kg / 185 kph / 19,015 F
1966 "100" 1108cc / 95hp / 590 kg / 195 kph / 23,290 F
1966 "1300" 1296cc / 115hp / 625 kg / 215 kph / 27,200 F
1967 "70" 1108cc / 66hp / 610 kg / 175 kph / 17,890 F
1967 FASA "A110-1100" 1108cc / 53hp / 695 kg / 166 kph / 185,000 ptas
1967 "100" 1108cc / 95hp / 590 kg / 195 kph / 22,890 F
1967 "1300" 1255cc / 105hp / 625 kg / 215 kph / 23,950 F
1967 "1300 S" 1296cc / 120hp / 605 kg / 220 kph / 27,200 F
1967 "1300 S Usine" 1296cc / / 605 kg / 230 kph / 34,348 F
1967 "1500" 1470cc / 82hp / 700 kg / 185 kph / 20,690 F
1968 FASA "A110-1100" 1108cc / 58hp / 695 kg / 172 kph
1968 "1500" 1470cc / 82hp / 700 kg / 185 kph / 20,690 F
1969 "1600" 1565cc / 92hp / 730 kg / 195 kph / 25,600 F
1970 "85" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 21,600 F
1970 "1300 G" 1255cc / 103hp / 625 kg / 215 kph / 26,600 F
1970 "1300 S (Mignotet)" 1296cc / 132hp / 605 kg / 220 kph / 32,000 F
1970 "1600" 1565cc / 102hp / 730 kg / 195 kph / 26,700 F
1970 "1600 S" 1565cc / 138hp / 650 kg / 215 kph / 30,840 F
1970 "1600 S Gp IV" 1596cc / 172hp / 685 kg / 225 kph / 47,100 F
1971 "85" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 22,520 F
1971 FASA "A110-1300" 1289cc / 76hp / 695 kg / 171 kph / 198.000 ptas
1971 "1300 G" 1255cc / 103hp / 625 kg / 205 kph / 28,670 F
1971 "1300 S (Mignotet)" 1296cc / 132hp / 605 kg / 220 kph / 32,400 F
1971 "1600 S" 1565cc / 138hp / 650 kg / 215 kph / 31,760 F
1971 "1600 S Gp IV" 1596cc / 172hp / 685 kg / 225 kph / 47,100 F
1972 "85" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 25,400 F
1972 FASA "A110-1300" 1289cc / 76hp / 695 kg / 175 kph
1972 "1600 S" 1565cc / 138hp / 650 kg / 215 kph / 35,400 F
1972 "1600 S Gp IV" 1596cc / 172hp / 685 kg / 225 kph / 52,400 F
1973 "1300" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 26,900 F
1973 "1600 S" 1605cc / 140hp / 710 kg / 210 kph / 37,900 F
1973 "1800 Gp 4 Usine" 1798cc / 185hp / 710 to 750 kg / 252 kph / ? F
1974 "1600 SC / 1600 SI" 1605cc / 140hp(SC)/145hp(SI) / 710 kg / 210 kph / 38,600 F
1975 "1300" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 28,700 F
1975 "1600 SC/1600 SI" 1605cc / 140hp(SC)/145hp(SI) / 710 kg / 210 kph / 40,100 F
1976 "1300" 1289cc / 81hp / 700 kg / 180 kph / 41,100 F
1976 "1600 SX" 1647cc / 109hp / 790 kg / 195 kph / 49,900 F
1977 "1600 SX" 1647cc / 109hp / 790 kg / 195 kph / 49,900 F
1977 FASA "A110-1400" 1397cc / 98hp / 710 kg / 184 kph / 476,600 ptas