Amazing Alpine jewels to go on display in Paris

By James Elliott
Events
 | 24 Oct 2013

A marvellous selection of cars from the personal collection of Alpine mastermind Jean Rédélé is set to be the centrepiece of Rétromobile in Paris from 5-9 February

Organisers have lined up 15 road and race cars dating from 1963-1978, many of which will be displayed in public for the first time, along with  items from the Alpine racing division such as bodywork moulds, wind tunnel models, Gordini engines, trophies and more.

The cars being promised are:

• 1963 M63: Charade 1000km and Sebring 12 hour races

• 1964 M64: Reims 12 hour; Le Mans 24 hour

• 1966 A210: World championships and raced four times in Le Mans 24 hour

• 1967 A211: First 3 litre at the world championships presented at the Salon de l’Auto, '67/'68 world championships, clocked at over 300kph at Le Mans

• 1968 A220: one of eight produced; took part in many championships including Le Mans

• 1973 A364 Monoplace Formula 3: first wind tunnel model for a single-seater

• 1975 A441: the first to take part in the world championships with Serpaggi at the wheel, then the hill race driven by Mieusset and Ortelli.

Road cars

• 1965 A110 Berlinette 1300 - Tour de Corse 

• 1967 A110 Prototype with centrally aligned wheels -Tour de Corse et Cévennes 

• 1968 A110 1440: 1st Tour de Corse and Coupe des Alpes

• 1973 A110 1800 factory model, which has just finished the 3rd Tour de Corse Historique with Jean- Charles Rédélé at the wheel  

• 1975 A310 Groupe 4: Tour de Corse

• 1978 A310 V6 Groupe 4: one of 6 produced.

Some background on Rédélé from Rétromobile

Jean Rédélé was born in Dieppe where he set up the Alpine firm in 1955. Alpines won the Mille Miglia in 1956 and from then on, production was diversified. Rédélé no longer focused solely on rallies; he wanted to enter Alpines for endurance races.  To provide the investment required, the brand sold its manufacturing licence for the A108 to Brazil in 1961; the car was produced under the name Interlagos. This major foreign production enabled Rédélé to build his first series of prototypes, to enter the Le Mans 24 hour race, and to take part in other world championship endurance races including Monza, Targa Florio, Nürburgring, Sebring, Reims, Spa, Daytona, Montlhéry and Charade. 

Interestingly enough, all the mechanical components were made in the Gordini workshops on Boulevard Victor, just opposite Hall 1 at the Parc des Expositions.

After many long years, these fine prototypes and one-seaters emerged from their slumber to be restored: the M64, the A210, the A441, and the A364.

In 1993, Rédélé's son Jean-Charles took up the torch on the Le Castellet circuit; the M63 finished just behind the more powerful cars. In 1994, two M63s were raced by a new generation of drivers: the sons of Bianchi, Ortelli, and Depailler. Berlinettes have also been very much part of the picture: the A110 and the A310 brought Jean-Charles the title of French Historic Rally Champion, and in October 2013, his A110 1800 Groupe 4 finished third in the Tour de Corse Historique.

 

Profile picture for user James Elliott
James Elliott

James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car