Alpine A610 Turbo
The Alpine A610 Turbo represented the culmination of Alpine's rear-engined sports car development that began with the A110 in the 1960s. Based on the GTA V6 Turbo but extensively revised, the A610 featured smoother, more modern styling by Michel Harmonique while retaining the mid-rear-engined layout Alpine had perfected over decades. The turbocharged 3.0-liter PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) V6 produced 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, giving the A610 genuine supercar performance. Unlike earlier Alpines, the A610 offered a more refined package with improved interior quality, better ergonomics, and modern features like ABS and power steering. The chassis maintained Alpine's traditional backbone construction with fiberglass body panels, keeping weight reasonable despite the increased size and equipment. With only 818 units produced before Alpine ceased production in 1995, the A610 represents a rare piece of French automotive history and the end of an era for the legendary Dieppe manufacturer.
These are rare cars with limited specialist support. Verify turbo system is functioning properly as rebuilds are expensive. Check for rust in the steel backbone chassis. Fiberglass body can crack but is repairable. Interior trim quality is better than earlier Alpines but some switches and electronics are Renault parts that may be worn. Service history is crucial as these need expert maintenance. Import/export paperwork if buying internationally.
The A610 was Alpine's attempt to create a more modern, refined sports car to compete with Porsche. Production was hand-built at the Alpine factory in Dieppe. The car was expensive and sales were limited, leading to Alpine's closure under Renault ownership in 1995. Alpine would not return until the modern A110 in 2017.