Seller Description
Estimate:
$110,000 - $140,000
$110,000 - $140,000
138 bhp, 1,565 cc inline four-cylinder engine with twin Weber carburettors, five-speed manual gearbox, front suspension with wishbones and coil springs, rear swing axle suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,099 mm.
- Class winner at the 1980 Madeira Rally
- Fitted with its correct, original engine
- Recently refinished in its original and iconic colour
Alpine was founded by Jean Redele in Northern France in the mid-1950s, and it became one of the most dominant racing and sports car manufacturers of the late 20th century. Perhaps the firm's most famous product was the A110, a squat and shapely rear-engined two-door coupe that was based on the relatively humble R8 saloon.
The A110, an evolution of the A108 that preceded it, featured a redesigned fibreglass rear body in order to accommodate the R8's larger engine range, which eventually topped out at nearly 140 horsepower from a 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder. The model entered into production in the early 1960s, after debuting at the 1962 Paris salon, but it didn't truly come into competition focus until its R8-sourced engine was swapped out for an aluminium-block unit from the R16 in 1973. It was during that year that the model, now rechristened the A110 1600S, racked up its second 1-2-3 finish at the Monte Carlo Rally.
The 1973 year also marked the debut of the newly consolidated World Rally Championship. The A110 proved dominant in the series, capturing 147 points, which was enough for a decidedly strong victory over Fiat for the constructors' title.
This A110 1600S was built in the fall of 1972 at Alpine's facility in Dieppe, France. In April 1973, it was delivered to its first owner, who was located in Portugal. This unique early example was built to Alpine's 1600 VC specification, and it still retains its original 1,565-cubic centimetre powerplant. Furthermore, unlike so many road going A110s, this example also has a slice of competition history, having competed in the 1980 Rally Madeira, where it finished an impressive 8th overall and won its class.
More recently, it has been restored to near factory-fresh configuration. The A110 has been refinished in a correct metallic blue, paint code 331, and it remains a matching-numbers example with its original engine. In a nod to its performance heritage, competition seats have been fitted, although the original A110 seats will also be included.
Following its recent refurbishment, this spritely Alpine-Renault would certainly revel in carving up country roads throughout Europe, much as it has in the past.
Contact Auction House for more information: RM Auctions
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