When you mention the words "low weight - engine in the rear - snappy handling - great racing pedigree - loyal fanbase" it sounds like we’re getting ready to talk about Porsches, but we’re not. Think something smaller, lighter, and more French : the Alpine A110. Built by a little company in Dieppe, this sportscar has all these ingredients as well. It was a World Rally Champion (in fact the very first one in 1973) and enjoyed a production run of over 15 years during which it got ever quicker and Alpine evolved into Renault’s performance and motorsport partner. Despite relying on the Renault parts bin, the A110’s design was ahead of its time, and its looks are beyond good thanks to Italian pen-for-hire Giovanni Michelotti.

The Alpine A110 evolved from a 55 bhp 1100 cc lightweight sportscar in 1963 to the championship winning 1800 cc engined examples producing over 175 bhp in competition trim. But the pick of the range for collectors is the 1600 SC with VD engine, as it introduced some important changes which improved the cars handling a lot. The 1600 SC was released in 1973 with the A310 rear axle including an overlapping double wishbone and two shock absorbers as opposed to four. The rims are consequently fixed by four bolts and door handles replaced by simple push buttons. Its driving behaviour therefore gains in stability and straightness. Also, a rear panel removable from the interior enables access to the engine bay. The Renault 12 Gordini engine of 1,605 cc developing 127 bhp and paired to a 5-speed gearbox, propels the Berlinetta to a top speed of 215 kph. Only 481 units were produced between 1973 and 1975. The production of this mythical automobile ceased with the arrival of the final 1600 SX version in 1977.

The car we are offering for sale is such a rare 1600 SC VD. It left the Dieppe factory on the 14th of March 1975 and was equipped from new with a factory roll-bar. The Alpine has been completely restored and improved by German Alpine specialist Schäfer Tuning in 2006-2007 and remained in beautiful condition since. There are some small cracks in the paint - which is not unusual for an A110 - but fit and finish is still great. During this restoration, the car received some competition upgrades : Gr.4 style wheel arches and front spoiler, Gotti competition rims and a very rare fully opening rear hatch to allow easier access to the engine bay as developed for some factory competition A110's. This Alpine looks absolutely stunning and is even more impressive once the ignition key is turned. That double Weber equipped VD engine sounds great and offers fantastic performance in this lightweight pocket rocket. The 5-speed gearbox is a delight to use and steering is as sharp as a knife. After a couple of corners you will understand very well why this little gem was so successful in competition in period !

I know this sentence has been used too many times, but this really is a unique opportunity to obtain a proper A110 1600 SC. It looks the business, is well restored and offers unlimited driving fun. These cars are not often on the open market and are very sought after for the right reasons. Now available for viewing and testing (if you dare).