The Alpine A108 is a lightweight, glass-fibre-bodied, rear-engined two-door coupé produced for the Dieppe Renault dealer Jean Rédélé. It replaced the Alpine A106 and used mechanical components of the Renault Dauphine.
Alpine A108 at a glance
| Launch | Paris Motor Show, autumn 1957; volumes low until 1960 |
|---|---|
| Body | glass fibre, rear-engined two-door coupé |
| Mechanicals | Renault Dauphine |
| 1960 | cabriolet and 2+2 coupé, slightly longer, with a new “beams and backbone” chassis |
| Successor | Alpine A110 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alpine A108
The 108 was launched at the Paris Motor Show in autumn 1957, but production volumes were low and the company’s principal offering continued to be the older 106 model until 1960. The A106 had taken its name from the first three digits of the four-digit homologation number of the Renault 4CV on which it was based. Applying the same logic the new car should have been called 109, because it used parts of the Renault Dauphine, registered under the homologation number 1090, but it kept a name close to that of its predecessor.
In 1960 an Alpine 108 cabriolet and a 2+2 coupé were introduced. These versions were slightly longer than the original and featured a newly developed “beams and backbone” chassis, with beams at each end supporting cradles that carried the engine at the rear and the steering mechanism at the front. This basic architecture was used for Alpine sports cars until the A110.
Design and features
- Chassis: the “beams and backbone” chassis from 1960.
- Mechanicals: Renault Dauphine engine and parts.
Alpine A108 versions
- A108 coupé (1957): the original.
- A108 cabriolet and 2+2 (1960): the longer versions.
More Alpine cars are in our Alpina and Alpine collection, for example the A106 and the A110.
Alpine A108 questions and answers
What is the Alpine A108 based on?
The Renault Dauphine.
When was it launched?
At the Paris Motor Show in autumn 1957.
What replaced it?
The Alpine A110.
What new versions came in 1960?
A cabriolet and a 2+2 coupé on a new beams-and-backbone chassis.
Sources
- Alpine A108, English Wikipedia: history
