Engineering:Alpine A310

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Alpine A310
Renault Alpine A310.jpg
Overview
ManufacturerAlpine
Production1971–1984[1]
DesignerRobert Opron, Michel Beligond, Yves Legal, Trevor Fiore
Body and chassis
ClassSports car
Body style2-door Coupé
LayoutRR layout
Powertrain
Engine
  • 1605 cc A2L/A3L I4 (1600 VE/VF)
  • 1647 cc A6M I4 (1600 VG)
  • 2664 cc PRV V6
Transmission5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,270 mm (89.4 in)
Length4,180 mm (164.6 in)
Width1,640 mm (64.6 in)
Height1,150 mm (45.3 in)
Chronology
PredecessorAlpine A110
SuccessorRenault Alpine GTA/A610

The Alpine A310 is a sports car built by French manufacturer Alpine, from 1971 to 1984.

History

Dieppe-based Alpine, once an independent company specialising in faster Renaults, later a Renault subsidiary, established a fine competition history with the Alpine A110 winning the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally and World Rally Championship. The successor was the Alpine A310, initially powered by tuned 17TS/Gordini four-cylinder engine, still rear-mounted. The maximum power reaches 127 PS (93 kW; 125 hp), thanks to the use of two twin-barrel 45 DCOE Weber carburetors.

Rear view of an early, four-cylinder A310

The first model of the A310, built 1971-1976, was a car with a four-cylinder engine and six headlights. Being larger, heavier, and no more powerful than its predecessor, the A310 was generally considered underpowered.[2] The car was first shown at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. The prototype A310 had louvres across the rear windscreen; these were not carried over to the production model.[3] Early models had a NACA duct mounted near the window atop the left front fender, later four-cylinder cars received two, mounted closer to the front of the car. In 1976, to help flagging sales, the lower-cost A310 SX was presented. This model has a 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp) version of the Renault 16/17's 1647 cc inline-four and simplified equipment.

The basis of the A310 was a hefty tubular steel backbone chassis, clothed in a fiberglass shell. As for the previous A110 the entire body was molded in a single piece.[4] Like the ill-fated DeLorean, which used the same PRV powertrain, the engine was mounted longitudinally in the rear, driving forward to the wheels through a manual five-speed gearbox. The driving position was low and sporty, although the front wheelwells encroached on the occupants' feet, pointing them towards the centre of the car.[3] The A310 was labor-intensive, having been developed for small-scale artisanal production - a car took 130 hours to build from start to finish.[5] The front axle also came in for some criticism, although in 1974 the balljoint mountings were replaced by rubber/steel bushings (silent-blocs) which somewhat improved durability.[3] While many components of the A310 came from the Renault parts shelf as expected, others are more surprising - the steering rack is from the Peugeot 504, while the turn signals are Simca 1301 units.[6]

A310 V6

Alpine A310 V6 GT

In 1976 the A310 was restyled by Robert Opron and fitted with the more powerful and newly developed 90-degree 2664 cc V6 PRV engine, as used in some Renaults, Volvos and Peugeots. The later V6 received a black plastic rear spoiler as well, useful for keeping the tail planted but somewhat marring the purity of the original's lines. With 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) on tap, the A310 PRV V6 was Renault's performance flagship capable of 220 km/h (137 mph) and acceptable acceleration. The tail-heavy weight distribution gave handling characteristics similar to the contemporary Porsche 911. Sales did pick up, more than doubling those of the four-cylinder predecessor, but then tapered off as production continued without any updates to make it a serious Porsche competitor in the marketplace. Sales were predominantly in France, with 781 cars sold in its home market in 1979 (its best year). By 1984 less than five hundred Alpines were sold in France, while Porsche sold about 1600 in spite of industrial strikes in Germany.[7]

Beginning with model year 1981 (in late 1980), the rear suspension was shared with the mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo. Rather than the previous three-lug wheels, the A310 also received the alloys used for the 5 Turbo, albeit without the painted elements.[8]

Alpine A310 V6 (1976-1980, rear)

In the later models (1983-1984) of the A310 a "Pack GT" which was inspired from the Group 4 A310 racing cars would be developed, it gained wheel arches and larger spoilers front and rear. A few Alpine A310 V6 Pack GT Kit Boulogne were built (27 examples), here the PRV V6 was bored out to 2.9 litres and was then further modified by Alpine, fitted with triple Weber 42DCNF carburetors that pushed power to 193 PS (142 kW; 190 hp).

Competition

The A310 had great success in French motorsport as a Group 4 car. In 1977 Guy Fréquelin (Alpine Renault A 310-V6) won the French Rally championship.[citation needed]

Production

A310 four-cylinder Production
1971 120 units
1972 575 units
1973 666 units
1974 344 units
1975 306 units
1976 329 units
TOTAL 2 340 units
A310 V6 Production
1976 140 units
1977 1 220 units
1978 1 216 units
1979 1 381 units
1980 1 138 units
1981 1 284 units
1982 1 095 units
1983 1 139 units
1984 663 units
TOTAL 9 276 units

Production models

A310 4-cylinder model variants

1971–1976

A310 1600 Series 1 (55 L fuel tank, 3 stud suspension, four-cylinder engine, 5-speed transmission)

Model Years Engine Transmission Power Admission Weight
VE 1971–1973 1605 cc (R17TS Injection) type 365-10 124 PS (91 kW; 122 hp) DIN at 6000 rpm carburetors - twin 45 DCOE weber 840 kg (1,852 lb)
VF 1974–1976 1605 cc (R17TS Injection/Gordini) type 365-10 127 PS (93 kW; 125 hp) DIN at 6450 rpm Injection - electronic direct Bosch D-Jetronic 825 kg (1,819 lb)
VG 1976 1647 cc (R17 Gordini) type 365-24 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp) DIN at 6000 rpm carburetors - single weber, double throat 32 Weber DAR7 825 kg (1,819 lb)

A310 V6 model variants

1977–1984
Model Years Engine Transmission Power Admission Weight Fuel capacity
A310 V6 Series 1 1977–1980 2664 cc (R30 TS) V6 manual transmission 4-speed (type 367-05)
5-speed (type 369-02)		 150 PS (110 kW) DIN
at 6000 rpm		 1 carburetor single throat Solex 34 TBIA and 1 carburetor double throat Solex 35 CEEI
3 stud R30 inspired suspension.		 980 kg (2,161 lb) 62 L
A310 V6 Series 2 1981–1985 2664 cc (R30 TS) V6 manual transmission 5-speed (type 369-02) 1 carburetor single throat Solex 34 TBIA and 1 carburetor double throat Solex 35 CEEI.
4 stud R5 Turbo inspired suspension, restyled exterior, new bumpers		 980 kg (2,161 lb)
A310 V6 "Pack GT" 1982–1985 2664 cc (R30 TS) V6 manual transmission 5-speed (type 369-02) 1 carburetor single throat Solex 34 TBIA and 1 carburetor double throat Solex 35 CEEI.
4 stud R5 Turbo inspired suspension, flared arches, aerodynamic kit, larger wheels etc.		 980 kg (2,161 lb)
A310 V6 "Pack GT Boulogne" 1982–1985 2849 cc (PRV) V6 manual transmission 5-speed (type 369-02) 193 PS (142 kW) DIN
at 6000 rpm		 2 carburetor triple throat vertical Weber 46 IDA.
4 stud R5 Turbo inspired suspension, flared arches, aerodynamic kit, larger wheels, etc

Production numbers

Modelyear Engine Model From To
1971 4-cylinder twin-carb 1600 VE 001 0010
1972 4-cylinder twin-carb 1600 VE 0011 0550
1973 4-cylinder twin-carb 1600 VE 0551 1200
1974 4-cylinder injection 1600 VF 21185 21750
1975 4-cylinder injection 1600 VF 21751 22016
1976 4-cylinder injection 1600 VF 22017 22137
1976 4-cylinder single carb 1600 VG 40000 40386
1977 V6 2700 VA 43015 43795
1978 V6 2700 VA 43796 45089
1979 V6 2700 VA 45090 46355
V6 GR IV
1980 V6 2700 VA 46356 47683
1981 V6 2700 VA 47710 48847
1982 V6 2700 VA 48848 49960
1983 V6 2700 VA 49961 52093
V6 GT 2700 VAA
1984 V6 2700 VA   E0000001 E0001781
V6 GT 2700 VAA
1985 V6 2700 VA F0000324 F0001874
V6 GT 2700 VAA

References

  1. ↑ Barbaza, Pierre (April 1985). "L'usine Alpine: renaissance ou révolution?" (in French). Echappement (Paris, France: Michael Hommell) (198): 86. 
  2. ↑ Beyl, Tobias (July 2017). "12 bezahlbare Sportwagen" (in German). Motor Klassik (Stuttgart, Germany: Motor Presse Stuttgart): 22. ISSN 0177-8862. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Barbaza, Pierre (April 1985). "Antimémoires: Alpine A310 1600 - L'héritière" (in French). Echappement (Paris, France: Michael Hommell) (198): 94. 
  4. ↑ Barbaza (L'usine), p. 88
  5. ↑ Barbaza (L'usine), p. 89
  6. ↑ Barbaza (Antimémoires), p. 95
  7. ↑ Cornaert, Jean-Jacques (1985-01-24). "La renaissance" (in French). Le Moniteur de l'Automobile (Brussels, Belgium: Editions Auto-Magazine) 36 (813): 13. 
  8. ↑ Costa, André & Georges-Michel Fraichard, ed (September 1981). "none" (in French). l'Auto Journal (Paris: Homme N°1) (14 & 15): 119. 

External links



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