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A French Mexican: 1971 Alpine A110 GT4

If you’ve been on the hunt for a car that is exotic, handcrafted, exclusive, yet affordable this Mexican built 1971 Alpine A110 GT4 Dinalpin might be the car for you. These cars were handcrafted in Mexico and only 118 were ever built. This beautiful example is currently in Coahuila, Mexico and can be found here on eBay.

This car has fantastic lines and looks more like an Italian car then a French one, but it still has a bit of French quirkiness. We are sure this car would grab a lot of attention at any car show and it would likely be the only one there. This car is number 99 of the 118 built in Mexico and is supposedly a documented car. These cars a typically very affordable and usually trade hands for under $15,000 for clean drivers.

This car has been well cared for over the years and is in good shape. The interior looks to be original and is in nice condition. The seller’s English isn’t the best, so the listing is a bit difficult to follow, but from what we understand everything is in working order.

Like most Renaults of the era, the engine is stuffed in the back of the Dinalpin. This makes it difficult to see the engine, but what is visible looks clean. The small 1.3 liter Renault straight 4 only produces about 120 hp, but this is the same engine used in the other Alpine A110s and is often tuned for rally use. Finding mechanical parts for this car shouldn’t be too difficult, as they use standard Renault parts. Body parts might be more challenging to find, but the body it’s self is fiberglass and should be repairable.

The A110 has become extremely popular for use in historic rallies and this car is eligible for nearly any event one would want to enter. Given its condition, it wouldn’t take much to get it rally ready and would make for a fun entrant. And with its advanced six shock suspension design, should provide tons of fun on twisty back roads.

This car is in wonderful condition and appears to be ready to enjoy. Being that the car is located in another country, we would be sure to go see it in person before paying out any money. We would also check on bringing it into the country. Importing and licensing older cars is fairly simply nowadays, but we would still check on it before buying it.

Source: eBay

Comments

  1. Avatar Catfishphil

    Hmmm. Bringing it in from Mexico could be a huge barrier…

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  2. Avatar blue

    Can I just have the clouds in the background?

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  3. Avatar scot c

    ~ @ Catfishphil ,
    if that’s the case give me one good reason not to repeal NAFTA ! ;])

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  4. Avatar Dolphin Member

    The Alpine Renault A110 is, for me, the best looking sports car France ever made. The Mexican Dinalpin is derived from the French A110 but somehow the body lines of the French A110 are better. They modified the nose for the Mexican version and gave it different lights, plus they did away with the fender flares…BUT this Mexican A110 still looks good. And it’s only at about $11K close to the end, so it may end up being a buy for someone. The reserve might be a lot higher given this car’s rarity, but it will still likely cost less than buying in Europe and shipping to No America.

    I would guess that you wouldn’t meet one person a month who knew what this car is, so the distinctiveness factor for these is high. The only negative is the rear engine placement. The French A110s coped with that by using lots of negative camber, which this Mexican one doesn’t seem to have, so watch it at first—no lifting in corners—and decrease camber at the rear if necessary. Another approach is to take it easy and just enjoy the look out front over that yellow hood and those terrific gauges on the dash.

    BTW, it is no problem to import cars from one country to another within Mexico/US/Canada especially if they are 25 or more years old. I have done it with 3 vehicles so far and it was no problem. Just go on the appropriate website for your country and be sure you know what to do. The major limitation for 25+ year old cars is that the car meet the safety requirements for the year it was made, but this car is so old I would guess there would be little or no problem importing it—but check the regs to be sure.

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  5. Avatar Gert-Dietmar Hajda

    Hi Folks
    interesting to see a such car. but it hasn t the design from the original Renault Alpine A 110.
    It seems it made for “harmfull” use for retired persons. Im from Germany and I was very angry
    that my former wife doesn t allow me to buy a such car ( I was younger and don t have this
    wife anymore). The original car was a “Hammer” (this is a saying in Germany) very much fun
    to drive especially in curves but nothing for US-American roads. I was last year 4 weeks
    in Califonia and I know the roads-
    At the moment I have an old Mini Cooper and a Glas 1300 GT (body design by Pietro Frua)
    and I bought a BMW 2000 CS in California and I wait for this car to come. It s still in
    Milbrae
    O.K. have a good time and hoping I can have some chats.

    all the best from one of the most exiting cities in the world

    Berlin

    Gert

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  6. Avatar TMP

    120hp out of 1.3Ls? Is this a typo?

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  7. Avatar Dolphin Member

    Sold on eBay for $14.500.

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    • Avatar Juan

      Looking for a restoration project

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  8. Avatar James Wallhauser

    I was wondering about that 120hp also…seems unlikely.
    Lovely car, looks fun ya just gotta know how to drive it!

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  9. Avatar David

    I have a 74 A110 V85 that I purchased from Mexico. IT is all original and has the R12 1289CC engine. I also have the R16 1500cc Hemi engine which will take the dual Weber DCOE 45 carbs. All I’m looking for is a 5-speed transmission. Whatever anyone says, these cars are great. I can outrun my 27 year old toyota or mustang on N. Carolina hills and roads any day!

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    • Avatar Axel Ringhandt

      Hi David,

      I’ve lived in Mexico in the late 80’s and have founded those days a DINALPIN group (los DINALPINistas), of which the current Alpine Club of Mexico is the successor. I’ve brought home (that is Germany) an A110 DINALPIN convertible.
      Together with my old friends from those days, we’re trying to come up with a DINALPIN chronicle, as time is running out to document the history with people who actually lived it.
      Part of it would be some sort of registry of still alive cars. Would you get in contact with me, please, for some exchange on your DINALPIN? thx in advance for your efforts.

      Axel
      Note: Besides the Alpine Virus we suffer from the Cinquecento Virus …

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  10. Avatar jack looney

    The engine in the French Alpine A-110 was a 4 cyl hemi. of 1100 cc with dual side mounted Webers. The mex. engine shown is not a hemi. The hemi engine had a wider valve cover .

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