Much like Toyota, Alpine thinks the combustion engine can be saved by making it run on hydrogen. While the Japanese automaker has been experimenting with GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatches with three-cylinder engines, Renault’s performance division started with a four-cylinder unit. Now, it’s displaying a supercar concept with an even bigger V-6.
The Alpenglow Hy6 is an evolution of the Alpenglow Hy4 we saw a few months ago. The previous car was a running prototype of the 2022 Alpenglow, a static concept. Gone is the turbocharged, 2.0-liter engine with 340 horsepower since it’s made way for a 3.5-liter V-6 with a pair of turbos. It belts out 730 hp and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) delivered to the rear axle.
Renault’s performance arm says it engineered the six-cylinder engine to run on hydrogen and linked it to a sequential transmission. The V-6 revs to 9,000 rpm and feeds on hydrogen stored in three tanks. Two are mounted in the side pods while the third one sits behind the cockpit. All three tanks are placed in ventilated compartments, and for safety reasons, don’t share anything with the cabin.
The Alpenglow Hy6 is motivated by a completely new V-6 that took two years to develop. It uses an aluminum block with a dry sump and produces 211 hp per liter. The mid-mounted combustion engine is nestled in an LMP3 carbon chassis and enables the supercar to exceed 205 mph (330 km/h) with zero emissions. There is an Inconel exhaust system built into the taillights but its role is to release water vapor.
Alpine has confirmed plans to put a supercar in production but it’s unclear whether it’ll have a hydrogen-fueled combustion engine or a fully electric drivetrain. In the meantime, the French brand is gearing up to make its debut in the United States in a couple of years.
Alpine is displaying the Alpenglow Hy6 at the 2024 Paris Motor Show together with the A290 electric hot hatch as a performance version of the new Renault 5. In addition, the A390 concept is also there ahead of next year when the production model will become the company’s first SUV. In addition, the limited-run A110 R Ultime special edition is also in the City of Lights this week as the brand’s most expensive car ever.
