Jean Rédélé the father of Alpine

Died Friday 10th August Aged 85

R.I.P.

R.I.P.

my sincerest condolences to your friends and family and a thank you to all you achieved and will be remembered for in life

[stephendell]

See the homepage for a small tribute.

Jean Rédélé founder of the Alpine marque sadly died on Friday 10th August aged 85 years. Our sincere condolences go out to all his family and friends.

The French Prime Minister Francois Fillon expressed his "sadness" following the death of Jean Rédélé on Friday at his Parisian residence.
"By creating the Alpine, ...this talented industrialist wrote the most beautiful pages in the epic story of French motor sport", added the French
Prime Minister at the end of a fitting tribute.

You can find out more about the life of this great man and the cars that he created here: http://www.renaultalpineownersclub.com/ ... istory.htm

Let us hope that the memory of Jean Rédélé will live on for many years through the pleasure he will continue to bring drivers at the wheel of the marque he built... 'Alpine'.

[stephendell]

Email received today:

I was privileged to meet the great man after the 1969 Le Mans race. I went
to the factory after the event with three English friends in our much
modified R8 Gordinis. We were like a bunch of urchins with our noses
pressed up against the factory gates in Dieppe. We were doing our very
best to blag our way in to the factory for a visit, when Jean Redele
pulled up at the gates - we were blocking him from getting in!

Far from getting the security guards to throw us out, he was intrigued
that a bunch of Brits was so interested in his cars. We were subsequently
ushered into the foyer and given the red carpet treatment, which included
sitting in the Index winning cars.

A great man and one we Alpinistas should all be eternally grateful to,

Terry Sands.

[Alpineandy]

Page 61 of todays 'Times'.