Alpine GT4

Make	Alpine-Renault
Class	Sports Car
Body type	coupe
Engine	4 cylinders 1108-1255cc
Production	from 1962  to 1969
Produced	261
Wheel base	89.37 in, 2,270 mm
Length	159.45 in, 4,050 mm
Height	49.21 in, 1,250 mm
Width	59.05 in, 1,500 mm
Dry weight	1,323 1b, 600 kg
Design	Chappe et Gessalin

The Alpine GT4 was a sports car produced from 1962 to 1969 by the French car manufacturer Alpine (or Alpine-Renault).

History

The GT4, first appeared in 1962, was a refined version of the A110; it also offered two makeshift rear seats and was destined to inherit the A108 2+2, a model that met with little success. It was a car intended for a clientele that loved low-priced sports cars. It had brilliant performance, was fun to drive yet easy to control. The 2+2 GT4 coupe body is manufactured by Chappe et Gessalin.

Presented at the Paris Salon, it took up the lines of the 2+2 Small, shapely car with lack of frontal air-intake due to rear-mounted engine. Bonnet is flat and slopes gently down to wrap under bumper with raised central portion. Headlamps set beneath transparent fairings and corrected some aesthetic imperfections such as, for example, the design of the tail which was considered not very elegant; the problem was solved by redesigning the entire rear line, making it less heavy and better in tune with the sleek shape of the front.

In practice, the relationships with the A108 resided only in the similarity of the bodywork integral in plastic material: the GT4 was a completely new car since the chassis and mechanics were borrowed directly from the Renault 8 as in the case of the A110 These versions were slightly longer than the original and featured a newly developed central steel backbone beams and backbone type chassis. In fact, the GT4 was also known as the A110 L, where the letter L stood for "long", to underline the 16 cm lengthening of the wheelbase necessary to offer two slightly more comfortable seats than those offered by the A108 2+ 2. The GT4 was in fact the longest Alpine series produced, the first to exceed 4m in length.

The GT4 was initially equipped with the 956 cm³ 4 - cylinder engine coming from the R8. This engine delivered 51 HP at 5100 rpm and pushed the car to a maximum speed of 155 km / h thanks to the lightweight structure and fiberglass body.

In 1964, the GT4 received the 1108 cm³ engine of the R8 Major and boosted to 66 hp. This version was called Version 70 and its maximum power was obtained through the adoption of an oversized carburettors of 2 Solex C 40 PHH horizontal or 2 Weber horizontal twin barrel carburettors. Along with Optional 5-speed mechanical gearbox.

In 1965 there was a new update: with the 100 version, the 1.1 -litre engine of the GT4 was further boosted to 95 HP at 6500 rpm thanks to two twin-barrel carburettors; that is, the engine of the R8 Gordini 1100 was adopted. The GT4 in 1966 received a new 1296 cm³ engine with two double body carburettors, capable of guaranteeing a maximum power of 115 HP at 6800 rpm. In this configuration, the speed was close to 220 km/h. The front suspension was independent, wishbones, coil springs, rubber elements, anti-roll bar, with telescopic dampers at the rear independent, swinging semi-axles, trailing radius arms, coil springs, air rubber elements and telescopic dampers. Brakes of disc type (diameter 10.24 in, 260 mm) and servo.

The last evolution was in 1967; the 1255 cm³ engine was adopted, capable of delivering 105 HP, of the R8 Gordini 1300, with power therefore lower than the previous year's model but delivered in a less brutal way to make driving smoother. Like the A110 and the A108, the GT4 was also produced under license in other countries, for example Mexico.

The GT4 had a long production run but as few were built around 261 units were only sold in total and was discontinued in 1969.

PERFORMANCE: 1,108cc

• Engine capacity: 67.61 cu in, 1,108 cu cm
• Fuel consumption: 28.2 m/imp gal, 23.5 m/US gal, 10 1 x 100 km
• Max speed: 111.8 mph, 180 km/h 5 speed max speed 136.7 mph, 220 km/h
• Max power (SAE): 95 hp at 6,500 rpm
• Max torque (SAE): 72 1b ft. 10 kg m at 6,000 rpm
• Max engine rpm: 6,800
• Specific power: 85.7 hp/l
• Max speeds: 34.2 mph, 55 km/h in 1st gear; 52.8 mph, 85 km/h in 2nd gear; 79.5 mph, 128 km/h in 3rd gear; 111.8 mph, 180 km/h in 4th gear
  power-weight ratio: 13.9 lb/hp, 6.3 kg/hp