Editor’s Choice: Alpine A110

While the Lancia Stratos is seen by many as the archetypal rally car of the Seventies, it was the Alpine A110 – one of which Legends Automotive currently holds in its inventory – that set the scene for the World Rally Championship as we know it.

First produced in 1962, the rear-engined A110 was a rallying thoroughbred, even though it only began to make a name for itself towards the end of the decade. The late Sixties saw the competition accolades start to mount up, but it was the early Seventies which saw the little car cement its place in the rallying hall of fame. It won the 1971 International Championship for Manufacturers and the inaugural 1973 World Rally Championship, locking out the podiums at the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally both years.

Those looking to reprise the successes of the A110 in classic rally events could do a lot worse than the 1971 example currently on offer from Legends Automotive. It has the relevant FIA papers, the desirable Gordini drivetrain and a few trophies of its own under its belt – as well as the obligatory images of its body-off restoration and maintenance receipts. And for such a tidy UK-residing example of a rare car so steeped in competition éclat, £57,500 seems a reasonable outlay.