Every auto manufacturer is seemingly having a crack at reviving their classic line-ups as futuristic, fully electric concepts, and Alpine are having a go too. What might look like a new cyberpunk Corvette designed by a video game developer is actually Alpine’s new A310 VISION concept car, and it looks incredible.

Celebrating 55 years since the original A310 was launched, all the way back in 1971, the new VISION concept pays tribute to the original model by reinterpreting the lines, proportions and spirit of Alpine’s unsung classic. It’s 4.55 m long, 1.18 m tall and 2.45 m wide at its broadest point.

In a nod to the fully metal wheels on early versions of the A310, the VISION is planted on wheels sporting the letter “A” in a triangular pattern. They say it stands for “Alpine”, but it could just as easily stand for “awesome” or “antidisestablishmentarianism”… I don’t really know what goes through a French car manufacturer’s mind.

Either way, the A310 VISION is a car less destined to make its way onto our roads, and more a prime example of the creative freedom achieved by Alpine’s new APP platform.

The platform allowed them to explore new proportions, volumes and interpretations of Alpine’s design language, tailor-built to push the limits of sports car design whilst retaining practical modularity.

They put this new design platform to use by adding a “pop-down” effect to the headlights, which Alpine describes as revealing the car’s character on start-up. It also adds an S-duct to the bonnet with dynamic contours, and the Y-zero blade running directly through the centre of the car.

Alpine have even described their rear wing as a “two-part split rear wing play[ing] on a transparency evocative of ice and mountains.” I’ve now read countless car press releases and even I have no clue what this means.

Either way, the A310 VISION concept is an extraordinary piece of showmanship for Alpine’s new APP design platform. I am genuinely upset that this car won’t be going into production, because one of these pulling up alongside you would feel like something out of the movie Tron. But they have nailed the retro redesign, and it excites me for Alpine’s future projects.

All images courtesy of Renault Group.

Tags

cars, boland, dan, dan boland, automotive, technology, travel, news, alpine, a310 vision, concept car, electric vehicles, retro design, sports cars, car design, french cars, alpine a310, app platform, classic car revival, cyberpunk, automotive news, design language, futuristic cars