What child doesn't dream of driving a real car? In the sixties, it was not even common for every family to have a car, so the desire to get behind the wheel at an early age seemed utopian. With the Mini Alpine Renault A220, that dream came true for some.
From the mid-sixties on, Alpine made frantic attempts to be the first to reach the finish line at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Together with Renault, the manufacturer would have to continue its development for many years to taste the sweet taste of victory. We're talking 1968, the year the Alpine A220 was first used. Although the desired success was not forthcoming, this blue sports car made a huge impression, on all ages of course. Moreover, this great machine was also in the limelight at other events.
Competitions with scaled-down replicas of these tough cars date back to that time, and of course Alpine Renault shouldn't be missing. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest even organised an official competition for them, the 24 Minutes of Le Mans! At the start of the race, the beautifully recreated Ferrari 330 P2, Ford GT 40 and yes, the miniature Alpine Renault A220 would appear. The flashy-looking vehicle was no less than 2.66 metres long, which was approximately on a scale of 3 to 5. Incidentally, they were also used at various local events.
Of this small Alpine, 58 were made by DOG (Distribution d'Outillage Général), under the management of Michel Brouare in Briare (Loiret). A few of them survived; one is in the collection of the Manoir de l'Automobile in Lohéac. A second one was displayed for a long time in the window of the service department of the Alpine factory at the Avenue de Breauté in Dieppe.
Beneath the diminutive bodywork, which closely resembles the A220, there was a real steel chassis, while the power was provided by a single-cylinder JLO two-stroke engine, which required 3.5 per cent oil to be mixed with the petrol. Starting the engine was by means of a pull cord, just like with a lawn mower. The clutch worked automatically and a chain hds been chosen for the transmission from the engine to the left rear wheel only. The fact that only one wheel was driven gave the necessary exciting effects. Equipped with beautiful three-spoke Alpax wheels, the Mini Alpine Renault A220 reached a top speed of 80 km/h, which made it a spectacle for driver and audience alike.
The plastic body was mounted on rubbers (silent blocks) on the chassis. Front and rear were removable. The seat had a fixed position, while the pedals were adjustable. Furthermore, there was a real front and rear window and these racing cars were originally made with a targa roof. The weight was 104 kg. It also featured rack and pinion steering, working headlights, drum brakes and the bearings of a Renault 4.