Skip advert
Advertisement

New Alpine A424_ß hypercar set for Le Mans 2024

The new Alpine A424_ß concept will take to the track in the 2024 World Endurance Championship and compete at Le Mans next year

This is the Alpine A424_ß: a concept that will soon become reality, signalling the French brand’s return to the top flight of endurance racing. When it hits the track next year, it’ll compete in the LMDh class of the World Endurance Championship.

The first ‘4’ of the name is said to reference the Renault Alpine A442B which took the brand’s last overall victory at the 1978 running of the 24-hour race, while the ‘24’ nods to both the length of the race, and the year in which the car will hit the track.

Alpine will partner with Oreca for the car’s chassis (one of four manufacturers open to the LMDh category), while the cars will be run by Signatech. Signatech and Alpine have worked together for many years, resulting in two WEC Championship titles - in 2016 and 2018-19 - in the LMP2 class, plus third overall at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Power will also be from a French source, with Mechachrome developing a 3.4-litre turbocharged V6 engine alongside Alpine’s Formula One engineers. 

While F1’s cost cap has reduced the time that its power units can go on the dyno, Alpine Hypercar’s chief engineer, Christophe Chapelain, says that the restriction “frees up dyno hours”, for the Mecachrome unit to be tested. F1 engineers were also involved in the V6’s development from the start, which enabled them to “draw up specifications, define the architecture and calibrate it for the desired performance range. As per the LMDh regulations, the V6 unit is combined with the standardised Getrag gearbox, Bosch hybrid system and a Williams battery. 

Those regulations also allow plenty of freedom with the exterior design, something which has enabled the A424_ß to project Alpine’s brand identity on the dramatic prototype body. Intricate LED headlights sit at the car’s front, while the tail lights display the brand’s A-Arrow signature. The Alpine Alpenglow concept, first revealed last year, lends much of its overall shape, but particularly the detailing along the A424’s flanks. A central fin runs from the roof-mounted air intake through to the huge rear wing assembly.

The A424_ß’s positioning in the LMDh category will place it in direct competition with existing entries from Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac and Vanwall, while Lamborghini also intends to enter the class in 2024. In addition, it puts them up against reigning World Endurance champions Toyota and French rivals Peugeot, which both compete in the LMH class, with Balance of Performance regulations allowing the cars to compete on a similar footing.

Click here for more on the forthcoming Alpine A290_ß hot hatch...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Chief reviewer

Alex joined Auto Express as staff writer in early 2018, helping out with news, drives, features, and the occasional sports report. His current role of Chief reviewer sees him head up our road test team, which gives readers the full lowdown on our comparison tests.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond
Best new cars coming soon - header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond

These are the biggest and most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more
Best cars & vans
1 Jan 2025
Paris Motor Show 2024: full show round-up and all the exciting new cars
Paris Motor Show 2024 - header image

Paris Motor Show 2024: full show round-up and all the exciting new cars

The all-new Renault 4, MINI John Cooper Works and Dacia Bigster were among the models on display at this year’s Mondial de L’Auto
News
16 Oct 2024
New Alpine Alpenglow Hy6 has twice as much power as original hydrogen-powered hypercar concept
Alpine Alpenglow Hy6 - front 3/4

New Alpine Alpenglow Hy6 has twice as much power as original hydrogen-powered hypercar concept

The Alpenglow Hy6 is powered by an all-new, twin-turbo V6 developed by Alpine specifically to run on hydrogen
News
14 Oct 2024
New Alpine A390_β concept hints at triple-motor electric SUV for 2025
Alpine A390_β concept in Paris - front 3/4

New Alpine A390_β concept hints at triple-motor electric SUV for 2025

Alpine's so-called ‘Sport Fastback’ is a coupé-SUV concept designed to take the French brand into uncharted territory
News
14 Oct 2024

Most Popular

New Renault Clio to shun electric power and stick with petrol and hybrid options
Renault Clio design render - front

New Renault Clio to shun electric power and stick with petrol and hybrid options

Renault’s sixth-generation Clio hatchback will get a clean look and hi-tech kit, and our exclusive images show what it could look like
News
12 Feb 2025
The small petrol car lives! Pint-sized Fiat Pandina due in 2027
Fiat Panda Cross - front static

The small petrol car lives! Pint-sized Fiat Pandina due in 2027

Fiat will build a new city-sized Pandina based on the new 500 platform, bringing a proper, petrol powered A-segment city car to market as early as 202…
News
12 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: retro Renault 5 for £232 per month, plus four years to enjoy it
Renault 5 - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: retro Renault 5 for £232 per month, plus four years to enjoy it

The reborn Renault 5 is one of the most feverishly anticipated cars in a long time, and at such a low price, our Deal of the Day for 8 February is a p…
News
8 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts