Alpine, the French car manufacturer, not the car audio maker, is almost back. If you haven’t heard the name before, you were probably too young when the last Alpine rolled out of the factory in 1995. Since then, we have been teased by a few concept cars and a Le Mans LMP2 class racer.
Alpine’s Vision Concept
With the new Vision concept car, Alpine is closer to a comeback than you might think. The car is 80% of what the production model will be.
The new Vision concept is powered by a mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder engine estimated to produce around 250bhp. The car is estimated to run the zero to 60mph sprint in less than 4.5 seconds.
The transmission will be a dual-clutch transmission likely sourced from the Renault Clio Sport. The Vision will come in at a light 1,100kgs to make up for the slightly lower engine power than its rivals. Alpine says that they value weight saving and agility over pure power.
The styling of the new concept car is a nod to the Alpine A110 sports car from the 1960s. The sloping rear window and the quadruple front headlights are inspired by the A110. The Vision will come with quilted leather bucket seats, a plush interior and TFT instrument panel.
The Alpine Vision is set to be in the same class as the Porsche 718 Cayman and the Audi TT.
With the Vision, Alpine hopes to revive the brand that was a dominant player in the rally scene in the 1960s and 70s. The Alpine A110 was the first World Rally Champion in 1973 having won the most races during that year. The company was also purchased by Renault in 1973.
The Alpine Vision is estimated to cost around £40,000. The car will debut at the Geneva Motor show in March. The production version of the car is expected to debut at the Paris motor show and will be in production for the year 2017. So are you impressed with what you have seen from this new Alpine Vision concept car?
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