In its irresistible quest to the top, Alpine is launching an assault on the American summits, starting with the most famous ascent across the Atlantic: Pikes Peak. This adventure, which has been underway since November 2022, has accelerated in recent weeks with the first runs of the Alpine A110 Pikes Peak, specifically designed for the event. After tests in the Drôme and in Val Thorens validating the technical solutions, this new car is now getting ready to take off on Monday for the United States, where new challenges await it throughout the month of June.
“Alpine’s history has been built on challenges. From Jean Rédélé’s first ventures to our present-day challenges, the brand’s DNA is as vibrant and present as ever. This quest for performance leads us to always aim higher, towards the summits. Hill climb racing has always been a passion of the A-arrow enthusiasts. Today, our unquenchable thirst for competition brings us to Pikes Peak, a motorsport event that has captured the imagination for decades. We look forward to being there with our partners from Signatech and Raphaël Astier, racers whose drive is matched only by their unwavering hunger for challenge. To race on a legendary course, we needed a car fit for the event. The Alpine A110 Pikes Peak is here. It is the culmination of Alpine’s art. Aggressive, extreme and stylish, this project again embodies our roots, present and future, all in a country of strategic importance. We stay humble, but we are determined to give our best on the other side of the Atlantic to write a new and unforgettable chapter in the history of Alpine through this magnificent adventure to the clouds.” Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO
Alpine wants to leave a lasting impression
“Pikes Peak is a must-do motorsport event. We have all been motivated by the iconic footage of this climb, and this dream has naturally found its way into our teams. We are competitors, and the challenge is appealing, to say the least. We know quite well that this is a different, particular and specific exercise on an atypical course, but that only makes the challenge all the more motivating. We want to stamp the Alpine name on this event, and this first-ever participation will allow us to set ourselves among the stiff competition in our category. Although we are not aiming for the overall win, we know we can rely on a versatile and high-performance car with this Alpine A110 Pikes Peak designed for the event. We are also fortunate to have the support of our loyal partners Elf and Michelin as well as one of our best ambassadors, Raphaël Astier, who brings his wealth of experience in this event after his international title with Alpine. This entry also allows us to consolidate Alpine’s position as a brand present in all forms of motorsports.” Philippe Sinault, Signatech CEO
PIKES PEAK, THE MYTH
Featuring among the most legendary races, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is one of the longest-running automobile competitions in the United States. Held in the Rocky Mountains since 1916, this motorsport landmark has undergone many changes over the past century, but remains among the most challenging sporting events.
Affectionately known as “the race to the clouds”, this hill climb features a 19.93 km long course with 156 turns, starting at an altitude of 2,865 metres and finishing about 1,440 metres higher. The cars, bodies and nerves are put to the test. The difference in air pressure significantly influences engine power output throughout the course, whilst the drivers often have to deal with a particularly dusty road, changing weather conditions, different exposures to the sun, blind curves and the ever-present threat of the ravine!
Always ready to take on the toughest challenges, the Alpine and Signatech teams will tackle Pikes Peak on Sunday 25 June with the Alpine A110 Pikes Peak, which has been the object of a masterpiece of engineering to grasp the subtleties of this iconic climb.
Did you know?
The Alpine A110 won the well-known French Le Mont-Dore hill climb in the Under 1300cc class in 1965 with the late Jean-Pierre Jabouille. Five years later, Jean Ortelli won the national Groups 3 & 4 titles with the Alpine A110 1300. And in 2020, Anthony Dubois echoed this resounding success by taking the GT Sport crown in the French Mountain Championship with an Alpine A110 GT4.