The automotive industry appears to have fads of its own, much like the smartphone industry. Lately, carmakers have been revisiting the past, turning both unfulfilled plans and familiar classics into one-off builds and concepts. Joining recent examples, including the McLaren McL 6GT and BRABUS BODO, is the Alpine A310 VISION Concept Car.
In Alpine’s case, the inspiration is a car that did make it to the road. The original A310 debuted in 1971, and its four-cylinder and V6 versions are celebrating their 55th and 50th anniversaries, respectively. For the occasion, Alpine placed an original A310 in the middle of its design studio and imagined what it could look like if it were designed today.
And oh, those headlights. They have a “pop-down” reveal built into the front end, exposing the car’s character at startup. I would be starting it repeatedly just to watch.
The aluminum body sits above a black, Formula 1-inspired lower section, with a semi-transparent cabin bubble on top. “A”-shaped wheels reference the early A310’s full-metal wheels, while widened proportions recall the more muscular V6.
It measures 4.55 meters (14.9 feet) long, 2.03 meters (6.66 feet) wide at the rear, and just 1.18 meters (3.87 feet) tall, with a 2.45-meter (8.04-foot) wheelbase. Yes, you will be getting down into this one.
An S-duct is incorporated into the bonnet, while a central “Y zero” blade draws the eye toward the rear. A split rear wing has an icy, transparent appearance, and the blade-shaped rear lights also contribute to aerodynamic downforce.
Through the cabin, you can glimpse organic seat shapes, bold blocks of color, and physical controls inspired by Hi-Fi equipment. Physical controls in a futuristic concept? Well, it’s about damn time!
Underneath is Alpine’s APP platform, also destined for the next-generation A110. No motor output, battery figures, or performance numbers are supplied. This is an exterior design exploration, with no production announcement. Meanwhile, here’s the official page of the A310 VISION if anyone’s interested.
Images: Alpine Cars [FR].
