Jean Rédélé
Jean Rédélé ( born May 17, 1922 in Dieppe, † August 10, 2007 in Paris) was a French racing driver, engineer and car builder. He was the founder of the French sports car manufactured by Alpine.
Origin
Jean Rédélé was the son of Emile Rédélé, Renault dealer in Dieppe. He originally had to go to professionally own way and sought after he had passed his diploma in 1946 at the State Academy of Higher careers in industry and commerce, a civil service career on. However, his father convinced him to continue the war destroyed the Renault dealer. So Jean Rédélé took over at age 24 as the youngest Renault representatives of France, the workshop of his father.
Motorsport
Getting Started
Jean Rédélé interested in since his youth for motorsports and began to take advantage of the opportunities that he had his own workshop. The first race went Rédélé Jean as part of a bet with a local Peugeot dealer and won with his Renault 4CV against its Peugeot 203 The first official race drove Jean Rédélé 1951 with a Renault 4 CV and won. In 1952 he finished third in the Tour de France for automobiles and made his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This was followed by class wins and placings in races such as the Mille Miglia.
The designer
1950s
Rédélé was convinced by the concept of the 4CV and began implementing his idea to build his own vehicle; a vehicle based on the Renault 4CV with technology, that would be even better suited for racing due to an improved body and a tuned engine. His father Jean Escoffier, who owned a workshop in Paris, supported him. In Paris, the first prototypes are built, which were successfully used in the race.
A prototype was shown in 1954 at the New York Auto Show. In 1955, Jean Rédélé in Renault 's main factory in Billancourt its sports cars: three production-ready Alpine A106 in the colors red, white, blue in accordance with the French national flag. The design of the body of the A106 was by Giovanni Michelotti, a part of the art of the Renault mass production, the engine was in the rear of the vehicle. In the same year Rédélé founded his company Alpine. The brand name Alpine that was given to his car was a reference to the victory at the Criterium des Alpes 1954 (Alpine Cup ).
1956 began series production of the A106 as a street version. The bodies were manufactured by Chappe et Gessalin. Until 1960 251 vehicles were assembled by hand, more than 40 under license in Belgium. The transitions to successor were fluid and started with a modified engine and changes to the rear of the vehicle. The Alpine A108 replaced the previous model. The production of the bodies of the A108 takes over Jean Rédélé now itself The car was offered as a 2 2 coupe and convertible. In 1960, the body of the vehicles was changed significantly, the new form coined 17 years, the appearance of the Alpine. The stern remained unchanged for now. 1960 Rédélé presented at the Paris Auto Show its new model, a two-door sports version of the A108: the Alpine A108 Berlinetta, an uncompromising sports car and quickly established itself in the French motorsport.
1960s
1961 closed Rédélé a contract with the manufacturer Willys -Overland, the ( was the trade name of these cars Willys Interlagos ) 1962 mounted the Alpine A108 Berlinetta in Brazil under license and established further contacts in Spain. From 1963 there was the Alpine A108 Berlinetta, later the Alpine A110 made .
In 1962 Jean Rédélé presented the successor of the Alpine A 108 Berlinetta, the Alpine A 110 Berlinetta and a new sports coupe 2 2, the Alpine GT4 on the Motor Show in Paris. The Alpine GT4 was a 4.05 -meter-long sports coupe with four seats. With 112 units had been built, it is a rarity today. The better-known Alpine, the new Alpine A 110 Berlinetta was externally very similar to the Alpine A 108 Berlinetta, but was given a new tail and the engine from the Renault R8. Only at the Paris Salon of 1966, the Alpine A110 Berlinetta was presented with the typical auxiliary lights.
1963 Rédélé constructed his first race track vehicle, the Alpine M63 equipped with a Gordini engine type 55. The racing debut had the Alpine M63 at the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring in 1963. Three other Alpine M63 were made for the 24- hour race at Le Mans in 1963. Started in 1964 three Alpine M63 in the 12 Hours of Sebring. Two of the cars were sold after the race and remained in the United States.
1964 Jean Rédélé announced his entry into the Formula 2 and Formula 3. The first race of the Alpine M64 was again held at the Nürburgring. 1965 was another racing prototype, the Alpine M65 is presented. In 1966, a revised Alpine M66, also known as Alpine A210, built. The car reached a top speed of 250 km / h; by changes to the engine it could be increased to 270 km / h. 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans the lettering Alpine -Renault was placed in the blue race cars for the first time. There were other racing vehicles such as the Alpine A211 and the A220 Alpine.
As of the 1965 Jean Rédélé could sell his production vehicles as Alpine -Renault on the Renault dealer network, so that it reached even more customers. In the same year the Renault R8 Gordini engine appeared on the French market, which was then used in the Alpine A 110 Berlinetta. After a test, the German magazine Auto, Motor und Sport praised 1967 the Gordini engine. He had a sensational driving performance and excellent running smoothness. Already in 1966 the Auto, Motor und Sport tested also an Alpine A110, the tester then uncharted territory. He described the trip with the following words: " No doubt, we sat in a race car in disguise. [ ... ] The tachometer flies downright to 7000 rpm, and even in fourth gear, the urge seems undiminished forward to stop. [ ... ] The performance of the Alpine let our popular sports cars almost seem like two-seat dummies. [ ... ] The Alpine builders involved the creation of an uncompromising driving machine that realizes optimum performance and handling characteristics. This goal was achieved. [ ... ] You have to be counted among the bestliegenden rear engine cars, which are currently being built the Alpine. "
Jean Rédélé expanded his contacts and began steadily from 1968 to 1973 in Bulgaria the A110 again under license under the trade name Bulgaralpine to sell. In Mexico, there were built under license, which came as Dinalpin on the market.
In 1968, Renault, its overall activities in motor sport in the hands of Jean Rédélé and Alpine. 1970 was the Alpine A110 Berlinetta the new Renault 12 Gordini engine, which accelerated the almost 700 kg light Alpine to 215 km / h. 1971 won Alpine with the Alpine A110 1600 Rallye Monte Carlo, as well as the French Rally Championship. The Alpine A 110 Berlinetta was the beginning of the 1970s at an unbeatable engine sports car in international rallies. With 70 employees, the Alpine team was one of the greatest teams in rally motorsport. The Alpine A110 won all the major titles of rallying.
1970s
In 1971 the car plant in the French Dieppe was incorporated into the Renault group. 1973 took over the majority of shares in Renault Alpine. Jean Rédélé took the lead position as President Directeur General, which he retains until 1978.
Also in 1971, brought a new Alpine sports cars on the market, the Alpine A310 was produced until 1977 parallel to the A110. The front of the A310 is derived from the wind tunnel edged, futuristic design; initially the vehicle is equipped with four-cylinder engines; In 1977, the appearance is changed and incorporated the European V6 engine.
1978 won a race car from Dieppe, the Alpine A442, the 24 - hour race at Le Mans.
When Jean Rédélé 1978 Alpine left, he took over the management of several Renault-agencies in France. In 1991, he still had car dealerships in Dieppe and Paris. The remaining shares of his company he sold in 1978 at Alpine Renault, who continued the brand until 1995. The rights of the brand Alpine belong to this day the Renault group. The automotive plant in Dieppe is still preserved and now builds Renault vehicles.
On 10 August 2007 Jean Rédélé died at the age of 85 years in Paris.
Afterlife
On August 30, 2008 in Dieppe to commemorate Jean Rédélé a monument dedicated to "Monument Rédélé Jean ", in the Avenue de Bréauté. At the opening ceremony many of his vehicles were issued. Another monument in France, a cast in bronze Alpine A110, reminiscent of the great victories in motorsport.
In 2012, the 50th anniversary of the Alpine A110 Renault presented in honor of the rally legend before a sports car prototype named Alpine A110 -50. The vehicle has except its blue color no similarities with his namesake Alpine A110, it will be presented at the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco. The vehicle is very similar to the Renault DeZir, a study of 2010. However Alpine A110 -50 was not the first study of Renault, which bears the name Alpine.