Alpine revives the legendary A310 with a radical prototype that directly competes with the Porsche 911

Alpine has used the Paris Motor Show to revive one of its most recognizable names in history. The French manufacturer unveiled a prototype that reinterprets a 1970s sports car with a much more radical look, blending classic elements with features typical of modern vehicles. This concept once again highlights Alpine’s ambition to compete in the high-performance sports car segment.

The new Alpine A310 VISION is not, at least officially, an announcement of a future production model. The brand presents it as a design exercise that illustrates the direction future models will take.

The Alpine A310 VISION features a radical silhouette and highly refined aerodynamics.

The prototype’s design retains the proportions that made the original A310 recognizable, but takes them to a much more futuristic level. The aluminum body, widened fins, and distinct separation between the upper and lower sections create a very low and wide sports car. The lower section, finished in black with shapes inspired by Formula 1, contrasts with the metallic upper part and the translucent roof.

The official dimensions give an idea of its design. The Alpine A310 VISION is 4.55 meters long, 2.03 meters wide, and 1.18 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.45 meters. What stands out particularly is the maximum width, which is found at the rear of the body and does not correspond to the distance between the mirrors, as is usually the case in conventional specifications.

The front end features one of the most striking elements from classic sports cars: retractable headlights. In this case, the lighting units are integrated into the body and extend downward when the car starts, a solution that allows for a reinterpretation of this historical feature without relying on a literal reproduction of the original model. The hood also includes an air intake inspired by the S-duct system used in racing to manage aerodynamic flows.

The “A”-shaped alloy wheels are another nod to Alpine’s heritage. Their triangular design recalls the sturdy-looking wheels of earlier versions of the A310, though it has been reimagined with an aerodynamic focus here. A trim runs along the sides, visually guiding the eye toward the rear, where the prototype features a shooting brake-style body, a split fin in two sections, and leaf-shaped spoilers that also help manage airflow around the back end.

The interior, on the other hand, hasn’t been shown with the same level of detail as the exterior. The translucent dome gives a glimpse of seats with organic shapes and a striking color combination, while Alpine emphasizes its focus on physical controls inspired by high-end audio equipment. This is not therefore the final interior design, but rather another part of the creative effort by which the brand aims to explore new ways of understanding its sports cars.

The technical foundation of this prototype is the Alpine Performance Platform (APP), an architecture that will play a key role in the brand’s next generation of sports cars. Its modularity allows for experimentation with various proportions and volumes, which is particularly important for a car as low and wide as the A310 VISION. This platform will also serve as the basis for the future electric Alpine A110.

So far, Alpine has not provided any details regarding engines, power output, battery capacity, range, or charging times. It has also not announced a release date or price. While electrification aligns with the brand’s evolution, it would be incorrect to assign a specific mechanical configuration to this prototype without official confirmation.

The arrival of the A310 VISION comes at a time when Alpine is expanding its lineup with models like the A290 and A390, while preparing the electric successor to the A110. The prototype serves to highlight the brand’s history and demonstrate the limits of its design language, but it does not confirm that a new Alpine A310 will be released commercially. The possibility of a future four-seater sports sedan is on the table, though it will take time to determine its final connection to this design exercise.

Source | L’Argus