Alpine, which is a part of Renault Group, has unveiled an LMDh-class track-only supercar named A424_β. Co-designed with chassis manufacturer Oreca, it will compete in the WEC’s highest available category.
Alpine has been taking part in the LMP2 category for ten years, but has never entered LDMh until now. The name of the model simultaneously hints at some of the company’s past racecars, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the projected year of launch. The letter beta at the end implies that the design is already past the alpha stage and should soon be completed.
Overall, the car with its recognizable light signature at the front end is inspired by the last year’s design study, Alpenglow. That one was presented as a preview of the company’s future production cars for the streets, but it apparently also gave birth to the A424_β.
Per the championship regulations, all LMDh-compliant vehicles must be equipped with electrified powertrains rated no higher than 500 kW (680 PS / 671 hp). There are also numerous other specific requirements, such as an Xtrac gearbox, a Bosch motor-generator and a Williams Advance Engineering traction battery. Manufacturers are still free to decide what internal combustion engine to put under the hood of their part-electric supercar. Alpine settled on a 3.4-liter turbocharged V6 capable of revving up to 9,000 RPM.
