Renault may unveil its first modern Alpine sports car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race next month. The concept would preview a production car that would rival models such as the Audi TT and Porsche Boxster. Renault is reviving the Alpine brand 20 years after it was axed to create an image booster as it seeks to move upscale in Europe to improve profitability.
CEO Carlos Ghosn has approved a 600 million euros investment in the brand as he works to take Renault up against the German car brands. Carlos wants to resurrect the Renault supercar, the Alpine A610. In 1991, Renault launched a sports car with the engine positioned at the rear, the Alpine A610 and it was the successor of GTA. The car was developed by Alpine factory, owned by Renault and it enjoyed the best technology in terms of performance. Under the hood was a V6 rear offering 250 or 280 hp from a 3-liter turbo. This sports car can reach 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h. (pictured below)
The concept previews a sports car with an output of up to 250hp that would be priced between 30,000 euros and 35,000 euros. This would give the car a selling price of just below an Audi TT and much less than the Porsche Boxster. Looking at the recent launch price of the Audi TT in Malaysia at Just below RM290k, this new Renault could be sold in Malaysian showrooms for below RM250k. Interestingly, this sports car could be followed by an Alpine-badged SUV.
Bernard Ollivier, head of Alpine has last mentioned that he will launch Alpine at the end of next year and sell the sports car in Europe and key emerging markets in 2017. The car will have a rear-mounted engine and production will be about 3,000 units a year with a peak of 5,000. It will be built at Renault’s factory in Dieppe, northern France, he said.
The Alpine car will have a lightweight design with technologies from Renault’s alliance partners, Nissan and Daimler. Renault unveiled an Alpine concept, the A110-50 concept car on the sidelines of the 2012 Monaco Formula One race. The car was powered by a 400-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine mounted in a mid-rear position.
Alpine was founded in the 1950s and became well-known among sports-car enthusiasts for the A110 and Berlinette, which was introduced in 1962. Renault halted Alpine production in 1995 because of poor profitability. Sales peaked at about 2,000 cars a year in the 1980s.
