Alpine A110-50

This article is about the 2012 concept car. For its 1960s–1970s predecessor, see Alpine A110. For the 2017 sports car, see Alpine A110 (2017).
Alpine A110-50
Overview
ManufacturerAlpine
Production2012 (Concept car)
DesignerYann Jarsalle
Body and chassis
ClassRacing car
Body style2-door coupe
LayoutRear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
PlatformSport Mégane Trophy
Powertrain
Engine3.5-liter Nissan-Renault VQ35DE V6
Transmission6-speed semi-automatic sequential
Dimensions
Curb weight1,940 lb (880 kg)
Chronology
PredecessorAlpine A110
SuccessorAlpine A110 (2017)

The Alpine A110-50 (codenamed ZAR for "Alpine revival", with Z being the letter used for Renault concepts) is a concept racing car created by Renault to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Alpine A110[1] It debuted at Monaco's GP circuit, where Renault Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares raced the A110-50 for four laps of the Monaco track.[2]

Rear view

The Alpine A110-50 has all carbonfibre bodywork, a mid-engine layout, and tubular frame.[3][4] It is built upon the same platform and shares its mechanicals with the Sport Mégane Trophy race car.[1][3][4][5][6] Because the A110-50's height is lower than that of Mégane Trophy, the roll cage and bracing in the engine bay were lowered in the workshop of Tork Engineering.[5] The entire car weighs 1,940 lb (880 kg), and its weight distribution is 47.8 percent front and 52.2 percent rear.[4] With a naturally aspirated 395-hp variation of the Mégane Trophy's 3.5-liter V6 based on the Nissan VQ engine,[4] it has a 456bhp/ton power-to-weight ratio.[3] The inlet manifold is fed by a new roof-mounted air intake which broadens the engine's power band, with additional horsepower at all engine speeds.[5]

A110-50's front splitter and rear diffuser generate ground effect, and account for a third of the car's downforce, while the other two-thirds comes from the rear wing.[3][5] The body can be raised with integrated pneumatic jacks for easier servicing.[4][5] The steering wheel features a color screen and employs the same technology as a Formula Renault 3.5 single-seat race car.[5] The A110-50 has highly adjustable double wishbone suspension with Sachs dampers.[3][5] It utilises a six-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox, which slots longitudinally behind the engine and incorporates a mechanical limited-slip differential.[3][5]

Designer Yann Jarsalle and Concept and Show Car Director Axel Breun based the A110-50 on the same design language introduced with the DEZIR concept car,[5] but incorporated several design cues from the original A110. These include: half-domed additional headlights with yellow tinted LED lighting; air intakes on each side echo the ducts on the rear wheel arches of the Berlinette; and painting the body in a modern version of the signature Alpine blue.[5][7] The aerodynamic body was designed using a process called computational fluid dynamics.[5] Its relation to the DeZir is clearly seen in its design, excluding the electric motor and butterfly doors.

  1. ^ a b . Siler, Wes (May 21, 2012). "The Return Of The Renault Alpine". jalopnik. Jalopnik. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  2. ^ Philip, Sam (May 25, 2012). "Trackside with the Alpine A 110-50". Top Gear. topgear. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f DOBIE, STEPHEN (May 25, 2012). "Renault Alpine A110-50 concept official pictures". evo.co.uk. evo. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e Meiners, Jens (May 29, 2012). "Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept: The Re-Birth of a Legend". Car and Driver. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "RENAULT ALPINE A110-50". Renault Sport. Renault. May 25, 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  6. ^ Philip, Sam (May 22, 2012). "SCOOPED: Renault's 400bhp sports car". topgear. Top Gear. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  7. ^ Siler, Wes. "How This 21st Century Race Car Is Related To The Original Alpine". jalopnik. jalopnik. Retrieved 24 September 2015.