Alpine A106
Encyclopedia
The Alpine A106 was the first of a line of light-weight glass-fibre bodied, rear-engined two-door coupé
s produced for a young competition-oriented Dieppe based Renault
dealer called Jean Rédélé
. The car was based on mechanical components from the Renault 4CV
.
based coupé, a design acquired for production under licence in the USA but which had never entered production. More direct inspiration came from the “Allemano”, another Renault 4CV
based coupé prototype, and modified by Chappe et Gessalin
, the firm that would assemble the early “glass fibre” bodied A106s for Alpine.
Under the skin, the A106 closely resembled the 4CV
. The more sporting 43 hp “A106 Mille Miles” would derive from a competition version of the 4CV model developed by Renault.
for Alpine. Following on from the one-off “Marquis” and “Alemano” prorotypes, in the summer of 1955 the first three Alpine A106s, painted respectively red, white and blue, were presented to Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus
in the yard at Renault’s large (though by now rather cramped) Billaincourt plant. The cars had been assembled by Chappe et Gessalin
, in order to meet a special order received from Charles Escoffier, the owner of a large Paris based Renault dealership who also happened to be the father in law of Jean Rédélé
.
From 1955 the little A106 started to accumulate a succession of victories, and various performance enhancing options were offered such as “Mille Miglia
suspension” (following A106 participation in the eponymous race) which involved using four shock absorbers at the back, and was the suspension system later used for the Renault 8 Gordini
. Also offered was a five speed manual gear box manufactured under license: a five speed gear box in a road car of this class was almost unheard of, and since the gearbox option alone came with a price tag sufficient to purchase 35% of a Renault 4CV
, Alpine A106s incorporating the five speed gear box option remained rare. In 1956 Jean Cloude Galtier and Maurice Michy achieved a podium place for the A106 in the Mille Miglia
race.
relocated production facilities for the fibre-glass bodied cars from Saint-Maur
to a new more spacious site (which a few years later became their headquarters) at Brie-Comte-Robert
. This prepared the way for increasing production levels.
The A106 still came with the same little 747 cc Renault engine, but now three different power output versions were offered, providing respectively 21 hp at 4100 rpm, 30 hp at 4800 rpm or, on the “A106 Mille Miglia”, 43 hp at 6300 rpm. Performance differences correlated with different carburettors and higher compression ratios and, in the case of the fastest car, 40 kg (88 lb) of weight reduction.
The October 1957 Paris Motor Show also marked the first appearance of the Michelotti styled Alpine cabriolet. Subsequently a closed coupe version of this car would also be produced, and it would become the Alpine A108. At this stage, however, the A106 continued to be the manufacturer's principal model, and by the time production ended 251 had been produced.
A larger engined version of the car later appeared offering a maximum 59 hp of power from a 904 cc engine
In 1960 emphasis switched from the A106 to the A108, and at some point during the next couple of years the last A106 was produced. The A106 had established Alpine’s credentials as an auto-brand, but it successor would be produced in significantly greater numbers and would become much better known than the A106 had managed.
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
s produced for a young competition-oriented Dieppe based Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
dealer called Jean Rédélé
Jean Rédélé
Jean Rédélé , was an automotive pioneer, pilot and founder of the French automotive brand Alpine....
. The car was based on mechanical components from the Renault 4CV
Renault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
.
Origins
The car was inspired by the “Marquis” a Renault 4CVRenault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
based coupé, a design acquired for production under licence in the USA but which had never entered production. More direct inspiration came from the “Allemano”, another Renault 4CV
Renault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
based coupé prototype, and modified by Chappe et Gessalin
Chappe et Gessalin
Chappe et Gessalin was a French automobile maker founded in 1946 and commencing manufacture of complete cars in Brie-Comte-Robert, Seine-et Marne in 1957. Production ceased in 1974....
, the firm that would assemble the early “glass fibre” bodied A106s for Alpine.
Under the skin, the A106 closely resembled the 4CV
Renault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
. The more sporting 43 hp “A106 Mille Miles” would derive from a competition version of the 4CV model developed by Renault.
The name
The number “106” also came from Renault. 1060, 1062 and 1063 were the reference numbers under which the 4CV had been registered with the French homologation authorities.The launch
The emphasis at this stage was not on selling cars to the public but on chalking up successes in competition, indicating financial support from RenaultRenault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
for Alpine. Following on from the one-off “Marquis” and “Alemano” prorotypes, in the summer of 1955 the first three Alpine A106s, painted respectively red, white and blue, were presented to Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus
Pierre Dreyfus
Pierre Dreyfus was a high flying French civil servant who in 1955 became a top businessman....
in the yard at Renault’s large (though by now rather cramped) Billaincourt plant. The cars had been assembled by Chappe et Gessalin
Chappe et Gessalin
Chappe et Gessalin was a French automobile maker founded in 1946 and commencing manufacture of complete cars in Brie-Comte-Robert, Seine-et Marne in 1957. Production ceased in 1974....
, in order to meet a special order received from Charles Escoffier, the owner of a large Paris based Renault dealership who also happened to be the father in law of Jean Rédélé
Jean Rédélé
Jean Rédélé , was an automotive pioneer, pilot and founder of the French automotive brand Alpine....
.
From 1955 the little A106 started to accumulate a succession of victories, and various performance enhancing options were offered such as “Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
suspension” (following A106 participation in the eponymous race) which involved using four shock absorbers at the back, and was the suspension system later used for the Renault 8 Gordini
Renault 8
The Renault 8 and Renault 10 are two small family cars produced by the French manufacturer Renault in the 1960s and early 1970s....
. Also offered was a five speed manual gear box manufactured under license: a five speed gear box in a road car of this class was almost unheard of, and since the gearbox option alone came with a price tag sufficient to purchase 35% of a Renault 4CV
Renault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
, Alpine A106s incorporating the five speed gear box option remained rare. In 1956 Jean Cloude Galtier and Maurice Michy achieved a podium place for the A106 in the Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
race.
Commercilisation
Although the initial emphasis was on sporting success, in October 1957 the A106 made its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show. In 1957 Chappe et GessalinChappe et Gessalin
Chappe et Gessalin was a French automobile maker founded in 1946 and commencing manufacture of complete cars in Brie-Comte-Robert, Seine-et Marne in 1957. Production ceased in 1974....
relocated production facilities for the fibre-glass bodied cars from Saint-Maur
Saint-Maur-des-Fossés
Saint-Maur-des-Fossés is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 11.7 km. from the center of Paris.-The abbey:...
to a new more spacious site (which a few years later became their headquarters) at Brie-Comte-Robert
Brie-Comte-Robert
Brie-Comte-Robert is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.Brie-Comte-Robert is on the edge of the plain of Brie and was formerly the capital of the Brie française....
. This prepared the way for increasing production levels.
The A106 still came with the same little 747 cc Renault engine, but now three different power output versions were offered, providing respectively 21 hp at 4100 rpm, 30 hp at 4800 rpm or, on the “A106 Mille Miglia”, 43 hp at 6300 rpm. Performance differences correlated with different carburettors and higher compression ratios and, in the case of the fastest car, 40 kg (88 lb) of weight reduction.
The October 1957 Paris Motor Show also marked the first appearance of the Michelotti styled Alpine cabriolet. Subsequently a closed coupe version of this car would also be produced, and it would become the Alpine A108. At this stage, however, the A106 continued to be the manufacturer's principal model, and by the time production ended 251 had been produced.
A larger engined version of the car later appeared offering a maximum 59 hp of power from a 904 cc engine
In 1960 emphasis switched from the A106 to the A108, and at some point during the next couple of years the last A106 was produced. The A106 had established Alpine’s credentials as an auto-brand, but it successor would be produced in significantly greater numbers and would become much better known than the A106 had managed.