Alpine A106
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1, 1955 in Dieppe, France |
| Founder | Jean Rédélé |
| Headquarters | Dieppe , France |
| Products | Lightweight, glass-fibre-bodied, rear-engine two-door coupés (e.g., Alpine A106) |
The Alpine A106 marked the beginning of a series of lightweight, glass-fibre-bodied, rear-engine two-door coupés developed by Jean Rédélé, a Renault dealer based in Dieppe. Utilizing mechanical parts sourced from the Renault 4CV, this model was designed primarily for markets emphasizing competition, prioritizing both agility and performance.
Origins
The design of the A106 was influenced by the "Marquis," a coupé based on the Renault 4CV that had been licensed for manufacture in the United States but never reached commercial production. More directly, it was an evolution of the "Allemano," another prototype derived from the 4CV, which was modified by Chappe et Gessalin—the same firm responsible for assembling the initial glass-fibre A106 bodies for Alpine.
From a mechanical standpoint, the A106 shared many components with the Renault 4CV, while the sportier "A106 Mille Miles" variant was based on Renault’s competition-enhanced 4CV.
The name
The "106" in the model’s name originated from Renault’s homologation numbers (1060, 1062, 1063) assigned to different 4CV variants. Although a steel-bodied Alpine 107 prototype was developed, it never progressed to production.
At this stage, Alpine’s primary goal was achieving racing success, supported financially by Renault. Following the "Marquis" and "Alemano" prototypes, three initial Alpine A106s—painted red, white, and blue—were showcased in 1955 to Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus at the Billancourt facility. These vehicles were constructed by Chappe et Gessalin under a special commission from Charles Escoffier, a prominent Parisian Renault dealer and Jean Rédélé’s father-in-law.
Starting in 1955, the A106 began to secure competitive victories. Performance enhancements such as the "Mille Miles" suspension—with four shock absorbers at the rear—were introduced following its participation in the Mille Miglia race. This suspension design would later be incorporated into the Renault 8 Gordini. Additionally, a rare five-speed manual transmission was made available—a notable feature for cars in this segment—although its high price limited widespread use. In 1956, drivers Jean Claude Galtier and Maurice Michy achieved both a podium finish and a class victory at the Mille Miglia driving an A106.
Commercialisation
While initially aimed at motorsport, the A106 made its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 1957. That same year, production of the fiberglass-bodied cars was relocated by Chappe et Gessalin from Saint-Maur to a larger facility in Brie-Comte-Robert, allowing for greater manufacturing capacity.
The A106 retained its original 747 cc Renault engine but was available in three distinct power outputs: 21 hp at 4,100 rpm; 30 hp at 4,800 rpm; and 43 hp at 6,300 rpm in the A106 Mille Miles version. These power levels resulted from variations in carburettors, increased compression ratios, and weight reductions up to 40 kg on the highest-performance model.
Also presented at the 1957 Paris Motor Show was an Alpine cabriolet designed by Michelotti. This was followed by a closed coupé ("coach") variant that eventually developed into the Alpine A108. Approximately 650 units of the A106 were produced before production concluded.
A later version featured a larger 904 cc engine from the Dauphine, delivering 59 hp. In 1959, Alpine introduced a version with a tubular backbone chassis.
By 1960, attention shifted away from the A106 towards its successor, the A108. Production of the A106 ceased within several years. While it laid the foundation for Alpine’s reputation, its successor attained considerably higher production figures and broader market recognition.
References
- Alpine. Tous les modèles. Toutes les années, Dominique Pascal, Massin éditeur.
- Ulrich Bethscheider-Kieser; Mike Riedner (Editors): Autos die Geschichte machten. Renault Alpine. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1991, , p. 156