Behold, the Vision of a modern Alpine A310

Is this another reinterpretation of an old Alpine?

It is, but don’t hold that against the glorious 2026 Vision.

The original A310 was the follow-up to the smaller, more delicate A110 from Alpine and it arrived in 1971 with a rear-mounted, tuned version of the same twin-carburettor four-cylinder petrol engine found in the contemporary Renault 17TS and Gordini.

Five years later, the A310 gained a substantial restyle by Robert Opron, at which point Alpine did the sensible thing and fitted the car with a whopping great 2.7-litre PRV V6 engine, delivering 150hp.

Not a lot today, perhaps, but back then good enough to punt the French fancy to 220km/h, where permissible. And that was mighty quick for a 1970s car.

So yes, those of you who are on the ball will notice the A310 four-cylinder is 55 years old this year, while the V6 version is celebrating a half-century. Hence the modern Vision shown in Paris.

Does the show car presage a production model?

We hope so. But, at this stage, all Alpine will say is that the A310 Vision is a tribute to the oldster.

Deflection on the manufacturer’s part? Maybe, because this show-stopping thing looks remarkably production-possible.

Anyway, Alpine’s 21^st-century stylists drew up this gorgeous machine with an old A310 as a reference point in their studio.

The concept is supposed to draw on the “purity” of the four-cylinder original cars, while bringing a little of the wide-arched stance of the later V6s.

Fun fact for you: in a quirk of anorak-spotting fate, if you want to identify the two old A310s easily, you can do so by looking at their headlights.

The original four-pot cars had, paradoxically, six headlights, while the later six-cylinder models had four.

Now, take a look at the A310 Vision. It has four headlights, of a sort. Suggesting it will, understandably, easily outstrip the 150hp of the end-of-the-line old Alpines. But then, as it’s an EV, that’s not a surprise.

Oh, is it electric?

Yes, because it sits on the ‘APP’ chassis that will be used for the next-generation A110 sports car, and we know that thing is going to be available as an EV.

There are no drivetrain specs for the A310 Vision, because you’re just supposed to look at its sublime lines and salivate. But here are a few details.

It measures 4.55 metres long, 1.18 metres high and 2.03 metres wide, with 2,450mm stretched in between its axles.

That ultra-low overall height is a hallmark of the APP floorboard and suggests the impending electric A110 will have a suitably low centre-of-gravity – which is great news.

Anyway, back to the A310. The A-shaped alloy wheels are a nod to Alpine’s initial, of course, while the exquisite bodywork is made of aluminium.

The lower black sections of its form are inspired by Formula 1 cars, while there’s a semi-transparent bubble atop its cabin.

Inside, seats in organic shapes, unified elements in a bold, bright ‘colour block’ arrangement and physical controls inspired by the world of hi-fi are the highlights.

Has Alpine got anything else to mine in its back catalogue?

After the original A110 and A310, one of the most underrated sports cars in history arrived: the Porsche 911-challenging A610. Should Alpine decide to revive that, we’d be over the moon.

But let’s focus on the A310 Vision for now. Will it be greenlit for production? Who knows, but Alpine tantalisingly says: “The A310 Vision demonstrates Alpine’s ability to reinterpret its heritage without nostalgia.

“It opens up a new field of creative exploration to imagine the Alpine sports cars of tomorrow.”

*Scrunches up eyes really tightly, crosses fingers and wishes for a miracle.*