Alpine A110 Berlinette 956

The A110 956 belongs to the earliest chapter of the original Alpine A110. For collectors, it offers a way to study the Berlinette before larger engines and later competition success shaped the popular image of the model. Its appeal depends on preserving that early identity.

History and documented identity

Club Alpine Dieppe records the A110’s 1962 presentation and the 956 cc version’s commercial availability from early 1963 to 1965. The introduction date and production period are therefore recorded separately. The club identifies Renault 8 mechanicals as the basis of this early A110. Club Alpine Dieppe — A110 history.

Design and collector significance

A restrained early specification can be more revealing than a car upgraded to imitate a famous later rally version. It lets the collector examine the model’s starting point: body details, mechanical identification and documentary history. That does not mean a modified car lacks interest. It means its value as evidence of the 956 variant depends on distinguishing original construction from subsequent alterations.

How to identify the right specification

The label 956 refers to displacement. It must not be inferred from an early registration year or from the appearance of an A110 body. Confirm the engine fitted now, the engine recorded when the vehicle was built and any documented replacements. An early chassis with a larger engine should be described as an early chassis in a changed specification, not automatically as an untouched 956.

Production, rarity and counting scope

There is no independently verified 956-only production total in this draft. Alpine’s retrospective accounts give conflicting broad Berlinette totals, and licensed regional production adds another scope question. None of those figures should be inserted as the exact worldwide production of the 956. The site’s <=7,500 eligibility condition therefore remains a review hold for this precise variant.

What to inspect before buying

Inspect the identification plates and chassis markings with a specialist familiar with early A110s. Review body repairs and photographs of structural work, then connect engine and gearbox changes to dated invoices. If an original engine is supplied separately, document its identification and relationship to the car instead of assuming that physical proximity proves a match. Check whether originality claims apply to the whole car or only selected components.

Where it fits in an Alpine collection

The A108 Berlinette provides the predecessor comparison; the A110 1100 shows the next engine-family step. Larger later A110 variants can help explain the model’s evolution, but their performance figures do not belong in the 956 specification table. Keep the modern A110 introduced decades later outside this historical production calculation.

Collector documentation checklist

• Separate the original build description from the car’s current specification.
• Keep chassis, engine and ownership evidence together in a dated file.
• Record which claims come from factory material, club research, an auction catalogue or the present owner.
• Retain photographs of restoration and significant component replacements.
• Keep completed production, regional allocation and known survivors in separate fields.

Frequently asked questions

Is 1962 or 1963 the relevant date?

1962 is the presentation year; the checked club history records commercial production from early 1963.

What does 956 identify?

The 956 cc Renault 8-derived engine version, subject to confirming the individual vehicle’s original and current specification.

Is the family total the 956 total?

No. No exact 956-only production number is entered.

Explore related Alpine profiles

• Alpine A108 Berlinette Tour de France
• Alpine A110 1100

Sources and research scope

• Club Alpine Dieppe — A110 history
• Alpine — Alpine passion through the years at Retromobile
• Alpine — Celebrating 60 years of Alpine

Historical facts follow the linked records; inspection guidance and collection comparisons are editorial analysis. Where sources use different counting scopes or a subtype remains broad, those limits are stated rather than resolved with an invented number.

Photography and credit

Early Alpine A110 Berlinette at Le Mans Classic 2016. The source labels the car 1962; its engine capacity is not independently established, so this is a family illustration. Photo: Dave Hamster / David Merrett / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0. Original file imported without content retouching. WordPress may resize display copies; the website layout may crop them.