Not the allegedly desirable sports convertible, but a poverty version of the more powerful Rapier fastback coupe. Based on the floorpan and nose-section of the mundane Hunter (which itself had a cheapo alter ego, the Minx) the Alpine looked quite fashionable in a mid-Atlantic way, with its huge rear window and open-plan pillarless sides. In fact, it looked like a Mini Plymouth Barracuda, a revered muscle car in its day. The Alpine was a bore to drive, however, lacking the twin carbs of the Rapier and its overdrive gearbox. It was also heavy to steer, your bottom stuck to its plastic seats in summer and froze on them in winter, and it understeered its way through corners on budget crossply tyres that were passe even in 1969. Outwardly it had plain wheel-trims (unlike the Rostyle alloys on the Rapier pictured here), painted rather than chromed sills and no overriders on the bumpers. Surely almost extinct?
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