Alpine A610 (1991–1995) Price Guide

The Alpine A610 was declared a genuine supercar by Autocar on its launch in 1991. It outperformed the Porsche 964 Carrera 2, rode better than a Lotus Esprit, and looked like nothing else on the road. Then just 818 were built and hardly anyone bought one. It is one of the great underappreciated performance cars of the 1990s.

The Car

The A610 replaced the Renault GTA (known as the Alpine V6 Turbo in continental Europe) and, despite sharing the same glasshouse and a visual resemblance, was substantially a new car underneath. The steel backbone chassis was strengthened with pressed-steel front sections developed for a never-produced US-market GTA. The rear-mounted PRV V6 was enlarged from 2.5 to 3.0 litres and turbocharged to produce 250bhp. Critically, the weight distribution was improved from the GTA’s tail-heavy 37/63 split to a far better 43/57, transforming the handling from treacherous to trustworthy. Pop-up quad headlamps, lower body scoops, and integrated skirts distinguished the A610 visually. The polyester and fibreglass body kept weight to 1,420kg. Performance was on a par with the 964 Carrera 2: 0–62mph in 5.9 seconds, top speed 165mph.

What Goes Wrong

The PRV V6 is robust and uses timing chains rather than belts, which removes one major anxiety. The wet-liner construction can suffer liner movement at high mileages, causing head gasket failure — check coolant and oil carefully for contamination. Coolant pipes running the full length of the car from the front-mounted radiator to the rear engine can clog or corrode through; stainless replacements exist but fitting them requires engine removal. The turbo is bespoke to the A610 and rebuild parts are now very expensive. Wiring harnesses become brittle with age, causing intermittent electrical faults that are maddening to trace. The steering rack mounting is hidden inside a sealed box section that rusts invisibly — you have to cut it open to inspect. Rear turrets, subframes, and A-pillars all need careful checking for corrosion underneath the fibreglass body. Trim and body parts are virtually unobtainable; buy the best-presented car you can find.

In the UK

Just 68 right-hand-drive A610s were built. The car was sold as an Alpine in the UK after a long-running trademark dispute with Chrysler/Talbot was finally resolved. Specialists are few but dedicated: Alpine Autos in Maidstone, JL Engineering in Essex, RATS (Renault Alpine Tuning Services) in Rotherham, and Roadspeed in Stroud are the names to know. The A610 succeeded the A310 via the GTA, continuing Alpine’s tradition of rear-engined, fibreglass-bodied French grand tourers.