Alpine M63
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Jean Rédélé |
| Headquarters | France |
Key people | Jean Rédélé (founder) |
| Products | Sports cars, racing cars |
| Parent | Renault |
The Alpine A210 was a sports car prototype developed by Alpine that competed in sports car racing from 1966 through 1969. This model originated from the earlier M series prototypes (M63, M64, and M65) created in the early 1960s, which were equipped with small-capacity Renault engines enhanced by Gordini. In 1967, Alpine launched the V8-powered A211 variant, followed by the introduction of the redesigned A220 in 1968. Due to modest achievements with these cars, Alpine paused its sports car racing activities between 1970 and 1973, returning later in the decade with the Alpine A441 and ultimately achieving 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 and supported by Shell, obtained Renault Gordini-tuned engines for a sports car initiative aimed at competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His goal was to capture the index of performance award using a prototype powered by a 1-litre inline-four engine. After Colin Chapman declined to participate, British engineer Len Terry designed a Lotus-inspired chassis, which was finalized by Richard Bouleau (chassis) and Bernard Boyer (body design). The resulting M63 prototype debuted successfully with a class victory at the Nürburgring 1000 km race in 1963 but failed to complete Le Mans that same year.
Alpine then developed three updated M64 prototypes. At the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, an M64 equipped with a 1.1-litre engine won its class as well as the index of performance. Additionally, this model secured a class win at the 12 Hours of Reims. In 1965, Alpine introduced the M65 version; although none finished at Le Mans that year, M65 cars achieved class victories at both the Reims and Nürburgring endurance events.
A210
Building on its Le Mans experience, Alpine undertook a full redesign of its prototype, unveiling the Alpine A210 (although some modified M65s competed under this designation). During the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, Alpine achieved a clean sweep—finishing first through third—in the energy efficiency index category, reaching top speeds near 270 km/h with a 1.3-litre engine. An A210 driven by Mauro Bianchi claimed overall victory at the 1966 Macau Grand Prix for touring cars. These accomplishments enabled Jean Rédélé to secure Renault’s backing to develop a vehicle aimed at overall victory at Le Mans. Gordini was commissioned to construct a new 3-litre V8 engine for installation in the A210 frame; however, it was not ready for competition by the 1967 race. Ahead of Le Mans 1967, the A210 also served as a test platform for Michelin's first radial racing tire without tread (A1). That year’s event saw seven A210s entered—featuring engines ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 litres—alongside an M64 powered by a 1-litre engine. While the 1.3- and 1.5-litre A210s won their respective classes, they did not capture an index of performance title.
A211
The V8-powered iteration of the A210, known as the A211, was unveiled at the 1967 Paris Motor Show and presented by Jean Rédélé and Renault president Pierre Dreyfus to Charles de Gaulle. Although Gordini delivered a compact engine as specified, it suffered from reliability issues and proved challenging to integrate within the chassis. To accommodate this powerplant, Alpine engineers reworked the rear section of the A210 chassis, introduced new wheels, installed a 5-speed ZF transmission, and enlarged rear brake cooling ducts. The A211 made its competitive debut at the non-championship Paris 1000 km race but encountered mechanical difficulties during this event.
A220
To comply with the 1968 rule changes prohibiting engines sized between four and seven liters—previously utilized by competitors like Chaparral, Ferrari, and Ford—Alpine introduced the A220. This model featured a larger and wider design, equipped with bigger wheels and a right-hand drive configuration tailored for tracks dominated by right-hand turns. During the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, only one out of the four A220s entered managed to finish, narrowly outperforming three A210s that once again secured leading positions on the performance index. The team's results deteriorated further in 1969.
Aftermath and legacy
Following disappointing performances, Alpine exited sports car racing in 1970 to concentrate on rally competitions. Collaborating with its parent company Renault, Alpine made a comeback in the 1974 European 2 Liter Sports Car Championship using the Alpine A441, eventually achieving an overall victory at Le Mans in 1978 with the Renault Alpine A442.