70 years of Alpine: an extraordinary story

Since its creation by Jean Rédélé in June 1955, in the streets of Dieppe, the brand with the “A” arrow has established itself over the decades as a reference for French cars on a global scale. Although its history has not always been linear, Alpine is now celebrating its 70th anniversary with festivities worthy of the event. A look back at the history of the brand.

The story is probably not foreign to you. During the First World War, a certain Émile Rédélé was asked by Louis Renault to move to Dieppe and open a dealership for the brand. On May 17, 1922, with his wife Madeleine Prieur, he welcomed a son: Jean-Émile-Amédée Rédélé. Twenty years later, as part of his studies at HEC Paris, Jean sent an internship report to Renault's General Management. His ideas convinced Pierre Dreyfus, who appointed him the official dealer in Dieppe, succeeding his father. It then became the youngest car dealership in France.

At only 28 years old, and in parallel with his dealership activity, Jean Rédélé decided to enter motor racing, believing that “racing is the best test bench for series models, and that winning is the best selling point”. He entered his personal Renault 4CV in the 20th Monte-Carlo Rally, but finished late. His second attempt, at the 1st Dieppe Rally, was a good one: he won against forty competitors.

Hailed by the press and the Renault agency, he was offered a “special race” version of the 4CV. But Jean Rédélé has an idea in his head, and sees even greater potential. He went to Italy to meet Giovanni Michelotti, from whom he ordered a lighter and better profiled body. The year 1952 was the year of the first awards: victory in the general classification from the first outing, followed by success at the speed meeting at the Rouen circuit, then at the Lisbon Cup in Portugal.

His convincing successes gave Jean Rédélé enough credit and inspiration to take the next step. After two equally promising years 1953 and 1954, and now recognized as an excellent pilot, he decided to create his own brand. Its desire is clear: to develop an innovative car, simple in its design, but light and efficient, while using a maximum of parts from mass production.

He began by building models based on Renault 4CV, equipped with a polyester body and several technical modifications. In 1955, Jean Rédélé founded the “Société des Automobiles Alpine” and unveiled three examples of the A106, each in the colors of the French flag. “It was traveling through the Alps in my Renault 4CV that I had the most fun. So I decided to call my future cars “Alpine”. My customers had to rediscover the pleasure of driving behind the wheel of the car I wanted to build.”

With this first model, Jean Rédélé offers its customers a clever mix of lightness and sportiness, while relying on parts from the mass production, thanks to his close collaboration with Renault. The A106 evolved until the beginning of the 1960s, before giving way to the Alpine A108 in 1958, available in sports coupe, convertible, 2+2 coupe and Berlinette. Produced in 251 and 1,500 copies respectively, these first models remained relatively confidential, but laid the foundations of the brand on the French market.

It was at the Paris Motor Show in 1962 that Alpine reached an important milestone, with the presentation of the A110 Berlinette. Considered an evolution of the A108, it adopts several components from the all-new Renault 8. The A110 was initially equipped with a 956 cm³ engine developing 55 SAE horsepower. The frame, made of tubular steel, houses a body made of composite materials combining fiberglass and polyester. The whole has a total weight of only 565 kg, in perfect harmony with the philosophy of lightness dear to Jean Rédélé.

Over the years, the A110 Berlinette has continued to evolve. Initially equipped with modest engines, it gradually adopted more powerful engines, until culminating in the 1600 S version, with 138 horsepower and less than 700 kg. Thanks to its optimal mass distribution, its agility and its lightness, it becomes a formidable competitor. The A110 distinguished itself in the most demanding rallies: Monte-Carlo, San Remo, Acropolis... At the peak of its career, in 1973, it gave Alpine the very first World Rally Championship title, against Fiat, Ford and Lancia. A real consecration.

But time goes by, and the Berlinette cannot escape the evolution of the market. From the end of the 1970s, Alpine sought to renew itself. The A310 takes over. Bigger, more comfortable, more powerful thanks to the V6 PRV, it marks a stylistic breakthrough. While it is struggling to convince the purists of the A110, it has enjoyed some success. Then came the GTA, the first Alpine with a hot-molded polyester body, then the last A610 in 1991, which was more advanced, but arrived too late. Despite these efforts, the brand is suffering. The era is no longer light sports, and the gradual merger with Renault is gradually diluting its identity. In 1995, the Dieppe factory stopped producing Alpine-badged models and the story seemed to end there.

It was not until 2012 that the first sketches of a new Alpine project saw the light of day. After years of rumours about a possible return, in 2016 in Monaco, the brand finally unveiled the “Vision” concept, prefiguring the future A110. True to nearly 80% of the final model, only the interior finishes will undergo significant changes. The A110 was officially presented at the Paris Motor Show, marking the great return of Alpine, 22 years after the A610.

To accompany this long-awaited launch, Alpine is offering a limited “First Edition” series, produced in 1,955 copies, a nod to the year the brand was created. As a result, all copies are reserved in just three days, without the final price being revealed. This enthusiasm reveals the profound desire to find a genuine French sportswoman, light and elegant. The variations follow one another quickly: Pure, Légende, then the S, GT and R versions, which each affirm their own character. The success is total. Alpine is indeed back.

In parallel with its return to the market, Alpine is naturally returning to competition, true to its DNA. GT4, WEC, Formula 1: the brand is committed on all fronts, with strong ambitions and adequate resources. The spirit of Jean Rédélé, that of a light and sharp performance, is once again expressed on circuits around the world.

In 2025, Alpine celebrates its 70th anniversary. Despite more than two decades of absence, A Fléché has returned to the forefront of the international scene. Backed by the support of Renault and a loyal community of enthusiasts, the brand has never seemed more alive.

The challenges ahead are numerous. Alpine is now entering a new era with its 100% electric “Dream Garage”. The A290 and the A390 have already been unveiled, while five other models are expected, including the future electric version of the A110. The legacy is there, and the story is in progress.