Founded in 1955, France’s Alpine did its best to stay toe-to-toe with Porsche until it burned out in the early 1990s. The company has been resurrected by Renault after a long slumber, and it recently unveiled a concept simply called Vision—hinting at a brand new coupe designed to take on the Porsche Cayman and the Alfa Romeo 4C.
The Vision concept is a modern take on classic Alpine coupes like the A110, which was built during the 1960s and the 1970s.
The Vision’s design isn’t full-on retro like the Fiat 500 and the Volkswagen Beetle. Instead, Alpine employed for a more discreet approach and integrated retro-inspired styling cues into a modern-looking car. The overall silhouette bears more than a passing resemblance to historic Alpine models like the A110 that won scores of rally events during the 1960s and the 1970s.
Alpine already previewed its first series-produced model of the 21st century when it showed the Celebration concept during last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Vision also pays homage to the A108 (find a Brazilian-built, Willys-badged model listed here on eBay) with swept-back headlights, distinctive kinks right in front of the rear wheel arches, and a wrap-around rear window. Later Alpines (like this red A610 listed on eBay in England) featured a more angular look, but Alpine’s concept steers clear of that design language.
The retro-inspired treatment is toned down in the cockpit, where Alpine has gone for a more modern look with state-of-the-art features such as a touch screen and a configurable instrument cluster.
Alpine took a more modern approach when it penned the cabin. While historic Alpines were often fitted with a wood-rimmed steering wheel and a basic, easy-to-read analog instrument cluster, the Vision boasts a configurable thin-film transistor (TFT) screen that provides key information about the car and its surroundings, and a large touch screen that runs the infotainment system. Bucket seats upholstered with quilted leather add a premium touch to the cockpit.
The Vision is equipped with a push-button automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles, but it’s not too far-fetched to assume the production model will also be offered with a six-speed manual.
Surprisingly, Alpine is keeping its lips sealed about what’s bolted in the Vision’s engine bay. All it’s telling us is that power comes from a four-cylinder engine designed with input from Renault Sport, the carmaker’s go-fast division, and that the coupe hits 60 miles per hour in approximately 4.5 seconds. That figure is a direct shot at Porsche, whose new flat-four-powered 718 Boxster S performs the same task in about four and a half seconds.
The engine is expected to be mid-mounted. This setup breaks with tradition because Alpines have historically been rear-engined. However, Renault has been building mid-engined cars (including the iconic Renault 5 Turbo and the Clio V6) for decades so the Vision undoubtedly offers superb handling.
A clean, uncluttered design has always been one of Alpine’s hallmarks.
So what’s next? Alpine tells us the Vision concept will be toned down slightly in the coming months, but at least 80 percent of it will be retained for production. Look for the production model—which has tentatively been dubbed A120—to make its public debut in the fall at the Paris Auto Show, and to go on sale in Europe early next year. At this point, it’s unclear whether Alpine will take a second shot at the United States market or if we’ll have to admire the A120 from across the ocean.
See Porsche Cayman Coupe Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
