Alpine Renault A110
Alpine Renault A110, 1973
© WRC / Automobilist
01
Car Info
The Alpine A110 made history by winning the inaugural World Rally Championship in 1973, setting the benchmark for rally success. This lightweight French coupé featured a rear-mounted Renault engine and a distinctive fibreglass body, weighing just 620 kilograms. Its standout performances included dominant 1-2-3 finishes at the Rallye Monte-Carlo in both 1971 and 1973, where its agile handling excelled on narrow Alpine roads.
Driven by a formidable line-up including Jean-Claude Andruet, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, and Jean-Luc Thérier, the A110 secured six wins from thirteen rounds in that debut WRC season. Its combination of agility and reliability proved crucial against rivals from Lancia, Porsche, and Ford. By 1973, competition models were running 1.8-litre engines producing around 180 bhp - far evolved from the original 51 bhp road car.
Yet 1973 would be the A110’s final year at the top. The arrival of purpose-built cars like the mid-engined Lancia Stratos in 1974 rendered it outdated, despite efforts to modernise it with fuel injection and chassis upgrades. Still, the A110 remains a symbol of rallying’s golden era - celebrated at historic events like the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique and forever remembered as the sport’s first world champion.
Jean Claude Andruet, Alpine A110, 1973
© McKlein
02
Technical Specifications & Achievements
Car Name
Alpine A110
Chassis
Steel backbone chassis with fiberglass body
Engine
Renault 1.8L inline-4 turbocharged (up to 185 bhp)
Transmission
5-speed manual
WRC Wins
6
WRC Manufacturers Titles
1 (1973)
Alpine Renault A110, Jean-Luc Thérier, 1973
© McKlein
