Alpine has arrived at the 2026 Paris Motor Show with the most striking design study in its recent history. The A310 Vision is a retro-futuristic two-seat sports car concept that revives one of the French brand’s most iconic nameplates — the A310, which first appeared in 1971 — and reimagines it for the modern era with proportions that go head-to-head with the Porsche 911.
The timing is appropriate, as the original A310 celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, while the V6 version turns 50. Rather than simply dusting off the nameplate, Alpine’s designers took a more rigorous approach. Alpine’s designers wheeled an original A310 into the middle of the studio and hand-sketched around it, asking what the wedge would look like if it were penned in 2026 instead of 1971.
Proportions That Command Attention
The result is a car with dimensions that make an immediate visual statement. Measuring 4.55 meters long, 2.03 meters wide at the rear, and just 1.18 meters tall, the concept has a low, wide stance that wouldn’t look out of place next to a 911. motor1
That 1.18-meter height is what defines the A310 Vision’s character above all else. For reference, the current Porsche 911 stands 1.28 meters tall. The Alpine concept is a full 10 centimeters lower — an extreme dimension that gives it a ground-hugging presence rarely seen outside purpose-built racing machinery.
Alpine has given the concept triangular wheels and an aluminum body that resembles stainless steel, plus a black lower section inspired by its Formula 1 cars. The front lights feature a pop-down effect that activates only when the car is running. The interior features 1970s-style orange glass and a cockpit that, says Alpine, is inspired by organic shapes and controls influenced by hi-fi systems.
The semi-transparent canopy is one of the concept’s most unusual details. Rather than an opaque body with glass windows, the A310 Vision uses a partially see-through cabin structure that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior — creating the impression that the cockpit is suspended within the bodywork rather than contained by it.
The Alpine Performance Platform and What It Means
The A310 Vision was developed around the new Alpine Performance Platform (APP). This is a purpose-built architecture designed specifically for sports cars rather than adapted from a crossover or family car platform — a distinction that matters for the A310 Vision’s potential path toward production.
Interestingly, Alpine has also confirmed that the APP platform could be modified to run an internal-combustion powertrain, an option that could be utilized for low-volume specials like a production A310 Vision. That detail — a platform that can accommodate either electric or combustion power — gives Alpine maximum flexibility in determining how a production version would be powered, and leaves the door open to a pure-combustion variant for buyers who want the traditional sports car experience.
The A310 Vision is confirmed by Alpine to be the first member of its new low-volume product line known as Projet Spécial. That confirmation is significant. It moves the A310 Vision from the category of pure design exercise into something more purposeful — a first signal that a low-volume production version is at least being considered within the company.
No Powertrain Confirmed — But Expectations Are High
Alpine hasn’t disclosed any powertrain specifications for the concept, so there’s no official horsepower figure or performance estimate to discuss. However, something over 500 horsepower is likely, given Alpine’s existing performance targets and the APP platform’s known capabilities from the A390 SUV.
The absence of a powertrain announcement is consistent with the concept’s positioning as a design study and platform demonstration. If Alpine confirms a production version, specifications will follow. For now, the A310 Vision is a statement of intent — proof that Alpine’s design team can produce something as emotionally compelling as anything coming from Stuttgart or Maranello.
What Could Come Next
Alpine design chief Villain said this “really extreme” concept could appear on only a limited-series car. That framing suggests a scenario similar to what Bugatti does with its Programme Solitaire creations or Ferrari with its Icona series — a handful of bespoke examples produced for private clients at significant cost.
For enthusiasts, the A310 Vision represents something the automotive world has been missing: a genuinely low, wide, driver-focused sports car concept from a French brand with authentic motorsport heritage, built on a platform that makes production viable. Whether it becomes more than a concept is a question Alpine has not yet answered. What it has answered, unambiguously, is whether Alpine’s design team is capable of creating something truly special. They are.
