The Alpine A210 is a sports car prototype manufactured by Alpine that competed in sports car racing from 1966 to 1969. It was derived from the M-series prototypes (M63, M64 and M65) of the early 1960s and powered by Gordini-tuned Renault engines of small displacement. In 1967 a short-lived V8 version, the A211, was introduced.
Alpine A210 at a glance
| Raced | 1966–1969 |
|---|---|
| Derived from | M63, M64 and M65 prototypes |
| Engines | Gordini-tuned small Renault engines; 1.3 L at Le Mans 1966 |
| 1966 Le Mans | 1-2-3 in the energy-efficiency index, speeds up to 270 km/h |
| A211 | V8 version unveiled at the 1967 Paris Motor Show |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alpine A210
In 1962 Jean Rédélé, founder and head of Alpine, asked Renault for Gordini-tuned engines, with the support of Shell, for a sports car programme centred on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, similar to those of the BP-backed rival Bonnet; he received a 1-litre inline-four, and his goal was a prototype able to win the index of performance. At the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans none of the three M63s finished and one of the drivers, the Brazilian Christian Heins, died. Alpine built three revised M64s; an M64 with a 1.1-litre engine won its class and the index of performance at Le Mans in 1964. In 1965 came the M65.
After the Le Mans results of 1965 Alpine overhauled its prototype design completely and introduced the A210, although some lightly modified M65s also raced badged as A210. In the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans Alpine took a 1-2-3 in the energy-efficiency index with speeds up to 270 km/h using a 1.3-litre engine, and an A210 driven by Mauro Bianchi won the 1966 Macau Grand Prix for touring cars. The V8-powered A211 was unveiled at the 1967 Paris Motor Show and presented to Charles de Gaulle; the Gordini V8 was compact, as Alpine requested, but proved unreliable.
Design and features
- Engines: Gordini-tuned Renault units of small displacement.
- Racing: aimed at the Le Mans index-of-performance and efficiency classes.
Alpine A210 versions
- M63, M64, M65 (1963–1965): the predecessors.
- A210 (1966): the redesigned prototype.
- A211 (1967): the V8 version.
More Alpine cars are in our Alpina and Alpine collection, for example the A110 and the A310.
Alpine A210 questions and answers
What is the Alpine A210?
A sports prototype that raced from 1966 to 1969 with Gordini-tuned Renault engines.
What did it achieve at Le Mans?
A 1-2-3 in the energy-efficiency index in 1966.
What is the A211?
The V8-powered version, unveiled in 1967, which proved unreliable.
Sources
- Alpine A210, English Wikipedia: history
