Alpine has revealed its A424_β concept - a precursor to the French marque's official World Endurance Championship (WEC) car, which is set to make its racing debut in 2024.
The A424 will compete in the WEC's highly competitive hypercar category, which already features manufacturer-backed entries from Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche and Peugeot, and will also compete at next year's Le Mans 24 Hours.
Development and tech
The Alpine A424's frame is the work of both Alpine and Oreca, while the Signatech team will be responsible for the running of the cars. Signatech already has an established relationship with Alpine, winning two WEC championships together in 2016 and 2018-19 in the LMP2 class.
Power will be sourced from a 3.4-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine developed by French engineering company Mecachrome. With a power output of 675hp, the car will also utilise a 50kW Bosch hybrid system, in line with regulations.
Alpine's Formula One engineers are said to have lent a hand during the new racer's development, using Mecachrome's endurance experience to "draw up specifications, define the architecture and calibrate it for the desired performance range," according to the hypercar's chief engineer, Christophe Chapelain.
The concept's design draws inspiration from the Alpenglow concept car, first showcased at the 2022 Paris motor show, particularly in the detailing along the car's flanks. Alpine's 'A-Arrow' motif is visible in the car's rear lights, while the large rear wing allows for an aero-friendly fin to run from the roof all the way to the rear end of the car.
"In keeping with our values, this new prototype projects the A-Arrow brand into the future whilst following in the footsteps of our creations," said Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi.
"It is racy, elegant and distinctive with its symbolic and iconic design. It embodies both our present and our future, thanks to the involvement and investment of our designers in its development."
One eye on the past - and the future
The A424_β's name contains references to both Alpine's racing past and its future endeavours. The first '4' in the car's name is thought to reference the 1978 Le Mans-winning Renault-Alpine A442B, while the '24' refers to the endurance race it plans to enter - and the year in which it will do so.
This year marks ten years since Alpine made a formal return to racing with Signatech, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its Oreca-built A450 in 2013.
"Our ten-year adventure has resulted in European and world titles in several disciplines. More than ever, we are genuinely proud and pleased to represent Alpine at the pinnacle of endurance racing," said Philippe Sinault, team principal of Alpine's endurance team.
"The support of Alpine Racing and Oreca will be invaluable in ensuring that we are in the best possible position and make this magnificent prototype further cement Alpine's place to the French and international motorsport zenith."
An electric future
Alpine is set for an all-electric future, as its parent company Renault announced last year that the performance marque would only make electric cars from 2026 onwards. These include the upcoming tuned version of the new Renault 5 and two new SUVs - all powered solely by battery.