Renault's hero brand Alpine has been making a modern version of its classic A110 sportster from the 60s and 70s for around three years now, and while most would agree it's not a patch on its predecessor, looking a bit like the anonymous lovechild of a 911 and a Supra, it's still a lightweight fun machine ideal for carving winding alpine roads in.
Currently available in Pure, Legende and more powerful S variants, it comprises the totality of the brand's range at this point, so there's not a ton of wiggle room to work with when it comes to things like concept cars. Hence this, the A110 SportsX concept, which Alpine is presenting at this year's unfortunately-named Automobile Festival of the Invalides in Paris.
The SportsX takes the standard A110 and envisages it as a kind of rally car crossed with a lifestyle design exercise. Its body is widened some 80 mm (3.15 in) thanks to beefed-up wheel arches and it rides 60 mm (2.4 in) higher on its suspension for that hint of soft-road capability. It's also got a blacked-out hood and roof, and the fog lights are each taped with a rally style X.
Other bodywork mods include what appears to be some kind of splitter panel at the front end, a set of sharp-looking side skirts under the doors, and vents behind the front wheel arches. The overall effect adds a pleasing touch of muscle to the otherwise fairly flaccid and milquetoast look of the A110.
Then, there's a pair of ski racks on the back, because ... well, I guess people who buy things with Alpine written on them like a bit of aggressive alpine skiing (be warned, link contains severe ear worm). To the rest of us, they look like bunny ears. But that's fine.
Don't expect the SportX to make it into the Alpine catalog; the company says it's a "unique model ... not for sale." It sure looks nicer to us than the standard cars, though, so jump into the gallery for a closer look.
Source: Alpine
