Ooooh, Alpina!

Not often you'll hear me say this..... but:

That is *stunning*, and I want it.

Yes, and?

Depends on how well it's been maintained.

I think we can safely say it's been no expense spared if it's made it to that kind of mileage. I'm rather surprised at the current bidding, though, I thought it would top out at around £1500 at the most.

Thought you were talking about a *Renault* Alpina there...

Nick

Eh?

That'll be an *AlpinE*

Aren't they Alpinas in France and Alpines everywhere else, because BMW have the international rights? Or is it the other way round - BMW-Alpinas are Alpines in Germany? I'm sure I read something along those lines in Classic & Sportscar some time ago.

I was gonna say, HFM! That is some serious mileage... And to think, you ripped on Meatball for buying a Saab with a piffling 260k on the clock ;-)

Doesn't look like it:

is what you expect.

Results 1 - 100 of about 12,800 for a610 alpine renault site:.fr. Results 1 - 18 of about 52 for a610 alpina renault site:.fr.

Yeah, thing is that Saab was common as muck - there's loads of 900 Turbo Cabrios around. There aren't many Alpina E28s left, out of very few originally produced. Bet you won't see another for sale this year..... well, not a whole, running and generally decent one anyway..... there's been a few rot-boxes come up from time to time.

Besides..... in the case of the Saab, would you trust a turbocharged Triumph Dolomite engine at 260k miles? :-P

I wouldn't trust much at 260k miles to be fair :-)

212k actually. Only just reached 216 now, and just ready for it's next oil change in the next two weeks.

I had in my mind it had done 267k now for some reason.

Looks good, but:

B2.8 is Sytner built UK only model

Engine is bogo 192PS M30 as per 528i

You do however get the ALPINA suspension, gearing, LSD and trim. :)

Should do 0-60 in 7.3s and 132mph.

Go for it!

A

Wasn't the Alpine a Talbot/Chrysler. The Renault AlpinA was a V6 2 seater wasn't it?

was only Alpine in the UK.

ah.... would explain why there wasn't a single English page I could find when I googled 'Renault Alpina'... Quite cool, although you'd wonder about the build quality.

Nick

Nope, it's Alpine everywhere. The Spanisch bloke made a typo.

Alpine was a small constructor who ameliorated Renaults for competition. Then they became house-tuner and because he was succesfull, small and cheap Renault took over, placed a lot of administration and generally screwed up the affairs.

The small and agile A110 made way for the a310 (engine in the back like a Porsche 911) but the magic of the Berlinnetta (a110) was lost never to be found again.

The name (and the factory in Dieppe) carried on , melted together with Gordini (another famous Renault tuner for engines, nichnamed "le sorcier" (the magician)). Sportier models R5 Alpine etc continued to come out but they were nothing but different badged cars.

Then the competition departement of Renault (rallye) settled at Dieppe and the name Alpine as the car Alpine (now with a V6 turbocharged) became smaller and smaller. Several facelifts later, all unsuccesfull, and the car Alpine as well as the name Alpine were axed, to be replaced by "Sport"

Renault Spider Sport was their first sortie and in line with the Alpines a mayor failure. Now only some tuned up models (like the Megane Sport) leave Dieppe because Renault is a bit relauctant to close that factory (being on home soil, unions etc)

Renault tried to place small production runs abroad (Renault Williams or Renault V6 in the UK with Williams and Walkingshaw) but that also failed.

Driven quite some Alpines, the latest are fine cars but were terribly unreliable. Dealership and overall support of those cars is nearing non- existant: you have more chance of coming out of them with more problems than you went in. Look at a turbo Apline like a 944 Turbo but with a lot of reliability issues.

Sad but conform French tradition.

Tom De Moor

Oh and after the mains failed at 189k with the last owner, he had the crank reground, all new bearings, matched pistons and had the valves lapped and new lifters, timing chain and cogs. Pretty much full rebuild. So it is a 200k shell, and a 20k engine. Second hand low mileage box and recon turbo also fitted at the same time save having to do it later.

Just that convertible roof and the windscreen pillar to sort really, and some TLC to the drivers leather. That is the only thing showing 200k miles of life.

Good 900 turbo ragtops are worth big £. Surely it's worth forking out to have it fettled and then flog it for a decent amount?

[...]

And ALPINA B. Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. of Buchloe are ALPINA everywhere, though cars were assembled under licence by local agents in some, mainly RHD, markets until the mid '80s. In the UK this was Sytner's of Nottingham who remain the importers to this day.

A

[...]

That's 8bhp more than a 528i due to the ALPINA exhaust as per B9 3.5, but the motor itself is standard.

There's a B9 3.5 on ebay too -

- but it lookskinda rough. :(

...245bhp though.

Project???

A