Alpine A106

Lore & Background

The A106 was inspired by the "Marquis", a Renault 4CV based coupé design acquired for production under licence in the United States but never produced. More direct inspiration came from the "Allemano", another Renault 4CV based coupé prototype modified by Chappe et Gessalin, the firm that assembled the early glass-fibre bodied A106s. Under the skin, the A106 closely resembled the 4CV. The number "106" came from Renault: 1060, 1062 and 1063 were the reference numbers under which the 4CV had been registered with French homologation authorities. The Alpine 107 was a steel-bodied prototype that never entered production.

In the summer of 1955, the first three Alpine A106s, painted red, white and blue, were presented to Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus in the yard at Renault's Billaincourt plant. The cars had been assembled by Chappe et Gessalin to meet a special order from Charles Escoffier, owner of a large Paris based Renault dealership and father-in-law of Jean Rédélé. From 1955 the A106 started accumulating victories, and performance options were offered such as "Mille Miles suspension" (using four shock absorbers at the back, later used for the Renault 8 Gordini) and a five-speed manual gearbox manufactured under license—a rarity in a road car of this class. In 1956 Jean Claude Galtier and Maurice Michy achieved a podium place and class victory for the A106 in the Mille Miglia race.

Although initial emphasis was on sporting success, in October 1957 the A106 made its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show. Three power output versions were offered from the same 747 cc engine. The October 1957 show also marked the first appearance of the Michelotti styled Alpine cabriolet; a closed coupé version would later become the Alpine A108. A larger-engined version later appeared offering 59 hp-metric from a 904 cc Dauphine engine. In 1959 a tubular-framed backbone chassis version was introduced. In 1960 emphasis switched to the A108, and the last A106 was produced during the next couple of years.

Reader's Guide

The Alpine A106 holds significance as the foundational model that established Alpine as a credible auto-brand. Its development was driven not by mass-market sales but by competition success, with financial support from Renault. The car's lightweight glass-fibre body and rear-engined layout, derived from the Renault 4CV, set a pattern for subsequent Alpine models. The A106's competition pedigree was demonstrated early, including a class victory and podium in the 1956 Mille Miglia. Performance options like the five-speed gearbox—extremely rare for a road car of its class—and the Mille Miles suspension system (later adopted by the Renault 8 Gordini) showed the model's role as a testbed for advanced components. The A106's production of around 650 units was modest, but it paved the way for the more numerous and better-known A108. The car's legacy lies in proving that a small Dieppe-based operation could produce competitive sports cars, and in establishing the technical and commercial foundation for Alpine's later models.

Did You Know?

• The number '106' came from Renault's homologation reference numbers for the 4CV: 1060, 1062 and 1063.
• The five-speed gearbox option alone cost enough to purchase 35% of a Renault 4CV.
• The Mille Miles suspension used four shock absorbers at the back and was later used for the Renault 8 Gordini.
• The first three A106s were painted red, white and blue and presented to Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus in summer 1955.