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1976

Chrysler Alpine

A family hatchback designed in Coventry and voted Europe's best.

ALP 76R
Chrysler Alpine
Photo: Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The story

Chrysler's British design studio drew a clean five-door hatchback and the French arm supplied the engines. It was European Car of the Year for 1976. When Peugeot bought Chrysler Europe it became the Talbot Alpine, with a saloon version called the Solara.

Inside

Soft seats, a big glass area and a folding rear seat, when most rivals still had a boot.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Copper Beech
Did you know?

Its engines were known for a rattly tappet noise that owners learned to live with.

Meanwhile, in 1976

A long, hot summer brought drought, and Concorde entered passenger service.

Best-selling single of 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me by Brotherhood of Man

Buying and running

Before you buy a 1970s car

  • Rust is common in sills, wheel arches, front panels and the bottom of the doors.
  • Check the wiring and electrics carefully, as they age badly.
  • Many volume-selling cars still have good parts support, but badge-engineered and low-volume models can be harder to source.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.

Flat out 020406080100120 MPH
100 mph
First built1975 in France; built at Ryton from 1976
Age today50 years since launch
Built atRyton, near Coventry
On sale1976–1985
Years in production9 years
Number madeSold in large numbers across Europe
Kerb weight900 kg (approx.)
Fuel economy36 mpg combined (approx.)
Engine1.4-litre four
Power85 bhp
Top speed100 mph
Speed rankingJoint 127th fastest of 164
0–60 mph13 seconds
Price when newFrom about £2,200
In today's moneyAbout £20,500
Designed byRoy Axe

Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.