December 2015 Classic&SportsCar 131communicativeas the sceneryflashesby in a
surrealblur of this-shouldn’t-be-possibleadren-
alin-fuelledexcitement.It reallyis staggering,
yet feels utterlybenign– on a twistymountain
pass,I can imaginefew cars beingmoreinspir-
ing. Plus,if you’renot in the moodfor B-road
lairiness, just park it and drink in the exquisite
shapeand faultlessdetailing.Fromthe delicate
air scoopswithchromedstrakesatop the rear
wingsto the gorgeouslypurposefuldash,there’s
nothingaboutthe A110that fails to impress.
Yetfor all the magic,I’m not sure that I’dwant
to driveanygreatdistance in theA110.Thefirm
ride and gruffsoundtrackare probablybest
sampledin smalldoses,and I thinkthat it would
be hard not to treateveryroad as a rally stage–
muchto the detrimentof yourlicence.Which
bringsme onto the A310.
It’s not as polishedas the GTA Turbo, and it
lacksthe raw appealof the A110,yet to my mind
that makesit the perfectcompromise.With
greatermasshangingbehindthe back axle line
than in itspetitesister , the A310is morependu-
lous in its handling,but the steeringis superb,
the performanceexhilaratingand, altho ugh the
DouvrinV6 is hardlythe world’s mostsonorous
powerplant,the overalldrivingexperienceis
supremelyaddictive.The A310is deceptively
quick–it goes like stink,in fact –yet it’swonder-
fully cosseting.The spongyseatsare far softerthan thoseof the GTA, and the narrower,oh-so-
’70s cabinmoreinviting.And then thereare all
of thosefabulousquirks– fromthe bizarreclap-
handswipersto the floor-hingedpedalsto the
love-it-or-loathe-itstyling.Thisis whatall
juniorsupercarsshouldbe like.
Way backin 1979,I investedseveralweeks’
pocketmoneyin a copyofTheObserver’s Bookof
Automobiles.From that Ifirstlearnt of theA310’s
existenceand, as asix-year-old,I was transfixed.
Havingnowdrivenone,I’m stillutterly
entrancedby this mostenigmaticof sportscars.
Few peopleon this side of the Channelmay
knowwhatit is, but don’t let that put you off.
The A310is a trulygreatmachine.ThankstoCrispinForster;Andrew Jones;Paul
Fraser-Sage:www.alpinerenaultrestoration.com;
LianeMetcalfe:www.velocityautomobiles.co.ukGTAV6TURBO
Sold/numberbuilt1984-’92/6289(all)
Constructiontubularsteelbackbone
chassis,glassfibrebody
Engineall-alloy, sohc-per-bank2458cc
90º V6, Renixfuel injection,GarrettT3
turbocharger, air-to-airintercooler
Max power200bhp@5700rpm
Max torque210lbft@2500rpm
Transmissionfive-speedmanual,RWD
Suspensionindependent,by double
wishbones,coil springs,anti-rollbar
Steeringrack and pinion
Brakesventilateddiscs,with servo
Length14ft 2^1 / 2 in (4330mm)
Width5ft 9in (1753mm)
Height3ft 11in (1194mm)
Wheelbase7ft 8in (2337mm)
Weight2535lb(1150kg)
0-60mph6.3 secs
Top speed152mphMpg 30
Pricenew£23,635Now£6-12,000+Former archer
Joneshas been afan
of Alpinessince
seeingA110son
the rally scene.“I’ve
had threeGTAs so
far,” he says, “having
owned this one for
aboutsevenyears.
I acquiredthe first
about25 years ago.
I’d been tryingto sell a12-month-oldRover
that had been my companycar and,
eventually,I enlistedagarage to sell it on
my behalf.Unlikely thoughit may sound,the
salesmantook ablue GTAin part-exchange.
I decidedto havesomefun in that for ayear
or so, but endedup addictedand kept it.
“I havehillclimbedthemas well as going
on track days.My longesttrip was touring
the LoireValley, wherethe car got alot of
attentionfrom the French.Peoplewould
oftenflash their headlampsas we passed.”THE OWNER
Andrew Jones
‘PAY FOR APORSCHEIF
YOUWILL,BUTYOU’LL
MISSOUTON ASUPERB
CONTINENTAL EXPRESS’
Clockwise:Alpinebadge
replacedRenaultdiamond
on late cars;after-market
wheelscommon,because
original-fittyreswere
unavailablefor years;
slipperyprofile;interioris
pure ’80s;turboV6 in tail