The four-cylinder A310 is the less celebrated but arguably purer expression of the Alpine coupé formula: a fibreglass body over a steel backbone chassis, a mid-rear Renault 1605 cc inline-four, and a notably low kerb weight. Norev's die-cast 1:18 resin model brings this rare grand tourer to the display cabinet in the marque's defining Bleu Alpine finish.
A Grand Tourer Born in Dieppe
Introduced at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, the Alpine A310 was conceived as a more refined successor to the A110 Berlinette. It wore a fibreglass body over a steel backbone chassis — architecture that kept the four-cylinder car exceptionally light. The 1605 cc Renault pushrod engine, mounted mid-rear and paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, gave the A310 a power-to-weight ratio that rivalled contemporary competitors from Porsche and Fiat in the European grand touring market.
Bleu Alpine and the Four-Cylinder Rarity
Production of the four-cylinder A310 ran from 1971 to 1976, when the V6-engined successor took over. Total output was modest, making the inline-four car genuinely scarce today. Bleu Alpine, the signature house colour of Société Anonyme des Automobiles Alpine, carried the same hue worn by the championship-winning A110 rally cars of the early 1970s, cementing its status as the most historically resonant finish for any A310. The six headlights at the front, alongside the pop-up headlights and the distinctive Kamm-tail glasshouse, remain the most recognisable styling details of the original design.
Norev's 1:18 Scale Model in Die-Cast Metal
Norev renders the A310 1600 Coupé in die-cast metal at 1:18 — a scale large enough to resolve the fastback roofline, the glasshouse, and the delicate pop-up headlight pods that define the original 1971 design. Die-cast construction ensures consistent panel definition and colour fidelity, with Bleu Alpine applied across the body. At this scale, the proportional relationship between the long fastback tail and the compact four-cylinder nose is accurately conveyed in a way smaller scales cannot achieve.
In the Display Cabinet
The A310 1600 in Bleu Alpine pairs naturally with an Alpine A110 Berlinette in the same colour, tracing the lineage from the rally-winning Berlinette through to the first generation grand touring coupé. It also sits well alongside the later A310 V6, illustrating how the platform evolved from 1971 to the mid-1980s. For collectors drawn to the 2017 Alpine revival, this 1:18 piece anchors the heritage shelf that contextualises the modern A110's lineage. The model stands out on the shelf and suits a standard single-car display space without requiring exceptional depth.
