Unleash the Beast: The Surprisingly Smooth Ride of the Alpine V6 Turbo/A610 – A Used Car Guide

Wedge shape that looks fast

Alpine and Renault have been close for some time. The small sports car manufacturer became affiliated with a major company in 1973, and development of new models began.

The Alpine V6 GT, the successor to the A310, was introduced in 1984. A V6 turbo was added in 1985. However, in the UK, Chrysler owns the trademark rights to the name Alpine, and it was sold under the name Renault GTA.

The wedge-shaped body with a pointed front has excellent aerodynamic properties, and the airflow at the bottom of the body is skillfully adjusted, and the Cd value, which indicates air resistance, is 0.28 for the V6 GT. Even with the V6 turbo running wide tires, it was surprisingly small at 0.30.

The rust-proof body is made of plastic and fiberglass and is lightweight. A 2849cc V6 engine called the PRV unit, jointly developed by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo, is mounted in the rear. The stylish 2+2 coupe looks fast.

In fact, even the naturally aspirated V6 GT was fast enough, and the V6 turbo surpassed the Lotus Esprit and Porsche 911 of the time. It accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.0 seconds. However, the turbo lag was not small and a certain amount of experience was required.

As expected from a French car, it had excellent ride comfort and maneuverability. Until we approach the limit area.

A real supercar with minimal compromises in ride comfort

In 1990, an exhaust catalyst became necessary and the V6 engine was expanded to 3.0L to compensate for the drop in maximum output. At the same time, an update to A610 was planned. The front/rear weight distribution has been improved to 43:57, greatly reducing turbo lag and improving ease of handling at high speeds.

Autocar, which test drove the A610 at the time, praised the chassis balance, power performance, interior quality, and quietness when driving. “It can be said to be a real supercar. Perhaps this time it will receive proper praise.”

Alpine V6 GT (Renault GTA/1984-1990/British specification)

It offers excellent maneuverability with minimal compromise in ride comfort. It cornered flat and the brakes were excellent. While it has the features of a junior supercar, its ability to move comfortably reflects the country in which it was designed.

Although production continued for more than 10 years, sales numbers were low, and body panels and interior trim were difficult to obtain. When choosing a used car, make sure to check for damage or missing parts. On the other hand, it shares many mechanical parts with Renault models of the time, so there is relatively little to worry about.

Its biggest weakness is the steel chassis and subframe, which are prone to corrosion. The lightweight body is glued onto such a chassis. I would like to carefully inspect the undercarriage in advance.

Ask the owner’s opinion

Image Sense of security of sharing parts with Renault cars Alpine V6 Turbo/A610 Previous A310 and current A110 Clio V6 also 114 photos in total