In the end of 1966 the founder of the French car company Alpine – Jean Rédélé – arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, having been invited by the ETO (export trade organisation) Bulet.
While in Bulgaria, Rédélé was introduced to the famed Bulgarian car racer Iliya Chubrikov, who was given the opportunity to test-drive the Alpine A110 on the Circle Highway (at that time still in construction) around Sofia.
The raw material for the manufacture of the fibreglass was initially imported from France, but later came from the GDR (East Germany) and Poland.
The first several Bulgaralpines were assembled at the end of 1967 when the stunning sports car was an absolute hit in Europe and the United States (a ridiculous claim), which of course gave a great deal of pride to Bulgaria.
However, some well-to-do consumers, such as the well-known Bulgarian film director Vassil Mirchev, bought a Bulgaralpine for private use.