1993 ALPINE A610

KEY FACTS

• An exceptionally rare and exciting French sports car, in a lesser-seen factory colour and with upgraded components.
• It is powered by the 247bhp 3.0-litre PRV turbo V6, coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox.
• Previously imported from Japan to the US; a comprehensive service was recently carried out.
• This is one of just 818 examples built of the A610 – you’re more likely to see a Ferrari F40 on the road.
• It is located in California, and currently titled in Washington.

EQUIPMENT AND FEATURES

• This example left the factory with the uncommon Scarlet Red Pearl paintwork and grey leather upholstery.
• The car sits on the original 16-inch ‘turbine’ alloy wheels, shod in Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres at the front and P Zero Rosso tyres at the rear.
• The cabin features automatic up/down electric windows, a heated rear screen, and air conditioning.
• It remains almost entirely original; however, a Devil exhaust system has been added to enhance the performance and noise.
• In the engine bay, there are now silicone coolant hoses and charge pipes, while the car has also been upgraded with stiffer anti-roll bar bushes and a billet block shift rod guide. The brake lines have been swapped for braided stainless-steel items, and there are also silicone coolant hoses in the front trunk as well.
• Its wiring manual and factory tow hook are included.

CONDITION

• There is no known bodywork damage.
• Its Scarlet Red paintwork is in good shape, with a few marks on the front bumper, wheel arches and wings, but overall, still looking very clean for its age.
• Inside, the grey leather upholstery has some creasing and wrinkles, some scuff wear to the driver’s seat outer bolster, and the stitching on top of the driver’s seat is starting to come undone.
• The centre console lid is not securely attached, and the fuse box door latch is weak. The passenger side carpet also has some slight staining, and there are a few small cracks in some of the cabin trims.
• The fan direction control switch cover is slightly damaged and has detached from the knob itself, but it is included in the sale. The system functionality is unknown owing to an inoperative blower fan, but the air-conditioning compressor engages, and the rest of the system can be heard functioning.
• The engine coolant fan stays on when the kill switch has been pressed, so would benefit from some attention – though it does not affect the way the car drives. The digital display has lost a few pixels, and the oil level gauge works intermittently.
• The stereo can only receive Japanese stations, but it does also have a CD player.

SERVICE HISTORY

• Its most recent service was performed at around 66,550 km, comprising an engine oil and filter change, new power steering motor and hatch struts, rebuilding the rear brake callipers, adjusting the handbrake, and cleaning and flow testing the injectors.
• Prior service history paperwork was unfortunately lost in transit when the car left Japan for the US.

SUMMARY

This Alpine A610 is a highly original example of a rewarding modern classic coupe. While it was well-received by the press, sales never took off, so these cars remain exceptionally rare. For someone seeking a 1990s performance model with a difference, this A610 is offered in strong mechanical condition, and could be the ideal entrant for events such as RADwood.

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