Renault A108
The Alpine A108 was a sports car that was built in the period 1958-1965 by Alpine. There were six versions: Alpine A108 Cabriolet (1958), coupé (1959), Convertible Sport (1960) Sport Coupe (1960) coupé 2 +2 (from 1959) and Berlinetta (1960).
In 1958, Jean Rédélé the Alpine A108 presented as a convertible. The vehicle had not externally very similar to the Alpine A106 Cabriolet, who had come earlier to the market in the year. The differences in the body were only details, so that the vehicles A106 and A108 mainly differed in the equipment variants such as the engine. The transitions between A106 and A108 were fluid, so it is difficult for individual vehicles is to determine which models series they belong to. The Alpine A106 was at the same time further built parallel to the A108. The design of the A108 Convertible was by Giovanni Michelotti. The body was, as with all production cars of Alpine, a plastic body. As with the A106 and the A108 was a rear-engine vehicle.
In 1959, the A108 was launched as a coupe version to the market and presented in Paris. The vehicle has had a fixed roof, which was not removed. Since the basic shape of the convertibles remained unchanged and only added a roof, it is described in some sources as a hardtop variant, but this is misleading, because it was a stand-alone model. With a circulation 12 to 15 vehicles, this model is a rarity. Only a few have to received today.
The model range of Alpine was 2 +2 again expanded with the A108 Coupé, weight: 595kg. The body and the design came from Chappe et Gessalin. The design was a completely independent design with small tail fins, but the whole seemed a bit unfinished. The headlights were behind glass in the fenders of the vehicle, the roof was constructed and less rounded edges compared to the A108 Coupé. The A108 is a 2 +2 coupe with four Alpine Seats and should therefore be appealing to families. The car was marketed as the "Grand Tourisme".
The now present three models of the A108 could be equipped with six different engines. There were, for example, the engines of the Renault Dauphine for use.
In 1960, the design of the A108 has been fundamentally changed and readjusted. Phillipe Charles began with an extensive review of the body of the convertibles. His design was tested at Citroen at the Quai de Jard in the wind tunnel and reached a low drag coefficient. With this revision, the design that would shape the vehicles of the brand Alpine, and in 1977 was created. The new A108-convertible received the additional name "Convertible Sport". Also, the coupe was adjusted to the new design and was given the additional name "Coupe Sport". For the main headlight lamp used pots were integrated into the fenders and sealed with plexiglass. Thus, the front has been redesigned. Unchanged thereby remained the side vents for cooling the engine and the shape of the roof section. The A108 Coupe 2 +2 remained unchanged and is not affected by the design change. The design studies of Phillipe Charles In 1960 However, additionally a new Alpine model shows, the future has played a large role in the success of the brand. Phillipe Charles drew his inspiration from the lines of a Alfa Romeo coupe that belonged to a friend of Jean Rédélé. He constructed a new roof on an Alpine convertible and got the Alpine A108 Berlinetta. The A108 Berlinetta "Tour de France" was seen for the first time in the Tour de France before 1960 at the Paris Motor Show was officially launched. After that, the name A108 Berlinetta widespread in national motor sport in France. The Alpine A108 Berlinetta was after the Alpine A106 Alpine coach the new vehicle for motorsports. From a revision of this vehicle, the Alpine A110 Berlinetta, which was a racing driver legend later developed.
With the Alpine A108 Jean Rédélé started the bodies for its cars must be produced. To this end, he founded the company R.D.L. (The name stands for Rédélé if one omits all é). The bodies of the Alpine Coupe 2 +2, however, were still manufactured by Chappe et Gressalin.
1961 Jean began Rédélé a collaboration with the car manufacturer Willys Overland do Brazil, which is now produced Alpine vehicles under license in Sao Paulo (Brazil). The vehicles that were sold as Willys Interlagos, were identical to the Alpine A108 models from 1960 are available. Willys Interlagos Berlineta, Willys Interlagos CUPE, Willys Interlagos Conversível. The Willys Interlagos was the "Salão de São Paulo" by 1961, the public presented. The Berlinetta was the same used in South America as its French sister in racing.
In Spain, Jean Rédélé worked with Manuel Jiménez Alfaro, who also nachbaute Alpine vehicles under license. In FASA first vehicles were produced that were identical to the Alpine A108 models from the year 1960. Unlike in Brazil, however, were later produced vehicles in Spain, which corresponded to the model A110. The vehicles were sold as FASA Alpine. The hallmark of Alpine, the A, but was visually in these vehicles modified.
In the fall of 1961, the first Berlinetta was built as a Berlinetta A110 and announced as the successor to the A108. 1962, the A110 Berlinetta and the Alpine A110 GT4 (successor to the A108 Coupé 2 +2) was presented at the Paris Auto Show the public. The various versions of the A108 were built until 1964, the A108 Berlinetta until 1965.
The vehicle had in the first time a four-cylinder engine with 845cc displacement from the Renault Dauphine with 19.5 kW (26.5hp DIN) or a motor by Marc Mignotet with 904cc displacement and 32 kW (44hp) at 5500/min. Based on a modified bore a cylinder capacity of 998cc and 44 kW could (60hp) are achieved at 6250/min.
While the name of the Alpine A106 from the internal factory designation Renault R1062 and R1063 derived from the Renault 4CV, the marking was R1090 and R1092 not taken over by Renault Dauphine and Renault Floride for the A108. Where did the name choice of the A108 came, Jean Rédélé generally can not understand. Even in later models of the brand Alpine there were no more parallels with the Renault models.
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