Alpine A110-50
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 25, 1899 in France |
Key people | Carlos Tavares (COO) |
| Products | Automobiles, concept cars, racing cars |
| Website | www |
The Alpine A110-50 (internally referred to as ZAR, standing for "Alpine revival") is a concept car racing prototype created by Renault to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original 1962 Alpine A110. Its first public appearance took place on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit, where Renault's COO Carlos Tavares completed four laps behind the wheel.
This model showcases a carbon-fiber chassis combined with a mid-mounted engine and a tubular frame, all derived from the Sport Mégane Trophy race car platform. With a total mass of , it achieves a weight distribution of 47.8% at the front and 52.2% at the rear. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 395 horsepower, which is based on the Nissan-Renault VQ35DE unit, resulting in an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 456bhp per ton. An air intake positioned on the roof optimizes the engine’s performance range.
Aerodynamic efficiency plays a crucial role: one-third of the vehicle's downforce is generated by the front splitter and rear diffuser, further enhanced by a prominent rear wing. The car is equipped with built-in pneumatic jacks for quick pit stops and features a steering wheel fitted with a color display, utilizing technology borrowed from Formula Renault 3.5 cars. Its suspension system consists of fully adjustable double wishbones with Sachs shock absorbers, while power delivery is managed through a six-speed semi-automatic sequential transmission paired with a mechanical limited-slip differential.
Conceived by designers Yann Jarsalle and Axel Breun, the A110-50 pays homage to its predecessor through design cues such as half-domed yellow LED headlights, side air intakes echoing the Berlinette’s rear wheel arch shapes, and a contemporary Alpine blue finish. The aerodynamic bodywork was refined using computational fluid dynamics and shares stylistic traits with Renault’s DEZIR concept car, though it omits the electric motor and butterfly doors characteristic of that model.