Alpine A220
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Jean Rédélé |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Sports cars, racing cars |
| Parent | Renault |
The Alpine A210 was a prototype sports car developed by Alpine that competed between 1966 and 1969. It evolved from the early 1960s M series prototypes, including the M63, M64, and M65, and utilized small-capacity Renault engines enhanced by Gordini. In 1967, Alpine briefly introduced a V8-powered version called the A211, which was succeeded by the redesigned A220 in 1968. Due to modest achievements with these models, Alpine stepped away from sports car racing from 1970 until 1973, returning in 1974 to contest the European 2 Liter Sports Car Championship with the Alpine A441. This comeback eventually led to an overall triumph at the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Renault Alpine A442.
M63, M64, and M65
In 1962, Jean Rédélé, founder of Alpine, collaborated with Shell to secure Renault engines tuned by Gordini for a sports car initiative aimed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The goal was to create a prototype focusing on winning the index of performance award using a 1-litre inline-four engine. Initially consulting Colin Chapman for design advice, Rédélé ultimately commissioned British engineer Len Terry to develop a concept inspired by Lotus designs. The chassis was finalized by Richard Bouleau while Bernard Boyer was responsible for the bodywork. The resulting M63 prototype achieved a class victory during its first season at the Nürburgring 1000 km but encountered reliability problems at Le Mans in 1963, where none of the cars finished and driver Christian Heins lost his life.
Following this, Alpine produced three updated M64 models. At the 1964 Le Mans event, an M64 equipped with a 1.1-litre engine secured both its class win and the index of performance title. That same year, this model also triumphed in its category at the 12 Hours of Reims. In 1965, Alpine introduced the M65; although none completed Le Mans that year, M65s claimed class victories at endurance races held in Reims and Nürburgring.
A210
After assessing their Le Mans performances, Alpine undertook a comprehensive redesign of their prototype, launching the Alpine A210 (with some modified M65s also competing under this name). During the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Alpine dominated the energy efficiency index with a clean sweep of first through third places, achieving speeds up to 270 km/h powered by a 1.3-litre engine. Additionally, an A210 piloted by Mauro Bianchi won overall at the 1966 Macau Grand Prix for touring cars. Building on these accomplishments, Rédélé secured Renault’s backing to develop a car aimed at outright victory at Le Mans. Gordini was commissioned to produce a new 3-litre V8 engine for installation in the A210 chassis; however, this powerplant was not ready in time for the 1967 race. Ahead of that year’s competition, Alpine tested Michelin’s inaugural radial treadless racing tire (model A1) on the A210. At the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, seven A210s with various engine displacements and one M64 were entered by Alpine and Écurie Savin-Calberson; while the 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre A210s won their respective classes, no index awards were secured.
A211
The V8-powered variant of the A210, designated as the A211, made its debut at the 1967 Paris Motor Show and was presented to Charles de Gaulle by Jean Rédélé alongside Renault president Pierre Dreyfus. This compact Gordini engine was developed according to Alpine’s specifications but proved troublesome due to reliability issues and difficulties adapting it to the car’s configuration. As an interim solution, Alpine modified the rear section of the A210 to accommodate this power unit, incorporating new wheels, a five-speed ZF transmission, and enlarged rear brake cooling ducts. Its initial outing at the Paris 1000 km race held at Montlhéry exposed ongoing mechanical challenges.
A220
In 1968, new rules prohibited engines ranging from four to seven liters—previously utilized by rivals such as Chaparral, Ferrari, and Ford—which enhanced Alpine’s chances in competition. The A220 model introduced that year showed substantial changes compared to its forerunner: it was broader, larger in size, equipped with bigger wheels, and featured right-hand drive to better accommodate tracks with predominantly right-hand corners. During the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, only one out of the four A220s managed to finish, narrowly outperforming three A210s that once again achieved a 1-2-3 finish in the performance index. The following year, results at 1969 deteriorated further.
Aftermath and legacy
Facing disappointing outcomes and increasing rivalry, Alpine exited sports car racing in 1970 to focus on rally competitions. Collaborating with its parent company Renault, Alpine made a comeback in the 1974 European 2 Liter Sports Car Championship with the Alpine A441, eventually claiming overall victory at the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Renault Alpine A442.