Alpine has revealed a stunning new concept car inspired by the iconic, rear-engined A310, built between 1971 and 1984.
As the 2026 Paris Motor Show opens its doors, Alpine has made a strong bid for the best-looking vehicle at the event.
The original Alpine A310, which used a fibreglass body atop a steel backbone chassis, is one of the French marque’s most instantly recognisable sports cars.
With the four-cylinder A310 celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, and the V6 model reaching its 50th, Alpine decided to honour the car in Paris.
However, the A310 Vision is about more than simply revisiting the past. It also demonstrates the possibilities of the new Alpine Performance Platform (APP).
Alpine A310 goes cyberpunk
Launched in 1971, the original Alpine A310 followed up the highly successful A110. It was designed to compete with the contemporary Porsche 911.
The A310 used a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine for the first five years of its life, before a 2.7-litre V6 was added in 1976.
This later ‘PRV’ engine would also see service in the DeLorean DMC-12, although the A310 was a far more capable sports car.
Alpine’s design team sourced a classic A310 to inspire their work on the Vision concept, using it as a ‘living reference’ inside the studio.
The result was a series of hand-drawn sketches, used to capture the important details and key proportions of the A310.
Classic design brought up to date
The design team behind the A310 Vision imagined how the classic sports car would look today, using modern materials and build techniques.
Details from both the four-cylinder and V6-powered A310s were incorporated into the Vision, which combines the former car’s simpler shape with the more muscular stance of the latter.
Measuring some 4.55 metres in length, 2.03 metres wide and just 1.18 metres in height, the A310 Vision maximises the proportions of the classic coupe.
Like the Vauxhall STX Concept, which also debuted in Paris, three-spoke alloy wheels are fitted. Alpine describes these as being ‘A-shaped’.
Signposting future Alpine EVs
The upper body of the A310 Vision ia made from aluminium, with the lower sections finished in a black ‘organic treatment’ inspired by Formula 1.
Transparent sections in the doors offer a glimpse of the Vision’s interior. This features bold colours, along with physical switchgear inspired by high-end audio equipment.
Underpinning the A310 Vision is Alpine’s modular APP electric chassis, said to combine battery power with maximum driver engagement.
The APP will also be the backbone of the next Alpine A110. Let’s hope the A310 concept leads to another classic model making a comeback.
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