Alpine A110
1800 GROUPE 4
Images ©timelessclassics.com & ©artcurial.com
The Berlinette, EVOLVED
Few cars have left such an indelible mark on French automotive history as the Alpine A110. Born in the early 1960s in Jean Rédélé’s Dieppe workshops, the Berlinette steadily evolved into a purebred rally machine. At the pinnacle of this evolution stood the A110 1800 Group 4, introduced in the mid-1970s to compete at the highest level of international rallying, just after Alpine’s world championship victory in 1973.
This wasn’t just a more powerful Alpine, it was a homologated race car, engineered to tackle the toughest rally stages, from the Tour de Corse to the Monte-Carlo and the Acropolis Rally.
Sharpened Mechanics, RACE-BRED CHASSIS
Beneath its familiar, flowing silhouette, the A110 Group 4 housed a 1.8-liter inline-four derived from the Renault 16 TX, prepared by Mignotet. With twin Weber carburetors and reworked internals, it produced up to 180 horsepower, in a car that weighed just 700 kg. Paired with a close-ratio 5-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive, the result was explosive. The A110’s tubular chassis, four-wheel independent suspension, and disc brakes made it razor-sharp, demanding but rewarding. A real driver’s car, fast, fierce, and thrillingly alive.
Driven by the RALLY ELITE
The 1800 Group 4 was driven by rally greats such as Jean-Luc Thérier, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Jean-François Piot, and Bernard Darniche, each contributing to Alpine’s rich competition legacy. Some cars were custom-tailored for private teams or gentleman drivers, with wide wheel arches, stripped-out interiors, and auxiliary fuel tanks for marathon stages. Each example tells a unique story, one of passion, precision, and performance.
Only a handful of these Group 4 cars were built to racing spec, making them extremely sought-after today. The A110 1800 Group 4 is not just a collectible, it is the essence of the Alpine spirit : lightness, clever engineering, and boldness distilled into a machine. Seeing one is rare. Driving one is unforgettable. This is France’s rallying soul on wheels.