The Alpine Cars Thread

[FiestaST]

Alpine A110 Legende GT makes first UK appearance

French sports coupé one of two limited edition models due to go on sale in 2020

Alpine has brought its limited edition A110 Légende GT to the UK for the first time.

The French sports car made back-to-back appearances at the London Concours and Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace - two of only a handful of motor shows to go ahead since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Légende GT is billed as “the most refined interpretation of the A110 to date”, and conceived as a more long distance-friendly version of the acclaimed sports car.

Based on the current A110 Légende, the GT can be told apart from the standard car by its gold badging and 18in alloy wheels, translucent white rear light clusters and amber-coloured leather seats. It will be sold in three colours: Deep Black and Abyss Blue, which are already available on the standard A110, and a new option called Mercury Silver, seen in public for the first time here.

The car’s seats are six-way adjustable as standard, while additional bespoke interior features include a 12 o’ clock steering wheel marker, brown panel stitching, carbonfibre trim elements and a commemorative numbered plaque on the centre console. An extra storage unit between the two seats underlines the variant’s touring potential.

Alpine A110 Legende GT makes first UK appearance | Autocar

French sports coupé one of two limited edition models due to go on sale in 2020

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[FiestaST]

Future of Alpine secured in restructured Renault group business

New CEO Luca de Meo reorganises group around four core sections, with Alpine now headed by Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul

Renault has detailed a plan to revive its fortune by restructuring the business around four core pillars. One of those is Alpine, which has a new brand boss and a secure future after months of speculation.

The new strategy is being deployed by the group’s new boss, ex-Seat CEO Luca de Meo. The four core business units are the Renault, Dacia and Alpine brands, plus a New Mobility operation.

"The company needs to change its ‘game module’ and move from a search for volume to a search for value and profitability” said de Meo. “The organisation around four strong brands and large cross-functional functions would make it possible to work in a simpler way, more oriented to the markets and customers, with a team spirit, to seek the best possible result”.

De Meo heads up the Renault brand, with sales and marketing EVP Denis Le Vot piloting the new structure at D

Future of Alpine secured in restructured Renault group business | Autocar

New CEO Luca de Meo reorganises group around four core sections, with Alpine now headed by Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[Solitude]

So out of interest's sake. Do we get these in South Africa yet and if not, will they still be coming to South Africa?

 

[FiestaST]

No plans, not viable for our market.

 

[FiestaST]

Mon Dieu! Alpine is entering Formula 1

Bye bye Renault F1, hello Alpine, with Alonso and Ocon on driving duties

Hands up who was expecting this? Renault’s Formula One team will take the name of Alpine from the 2021 season, putting one of rallying’s most legendary marques at the top table of circuit racing for the first time.

It’s welcome news, too. Rumours had circulated that Alpine – which currently manufactures the A110 and A110 S in Dieppe – could face an uncertain future as Renault juggled its finances post-lockdown. While unlikely given how young the A110 sports car still is, Alpine’s appearance on next year’s F1 grid presents a very welcome quashing of those murmurs.

“This is a key step to accelerate the development and influence of the brand,” says the bumf. “The team’s engine will continue to benefit from Groupe Renault’s unique expertise in hybrid powertrains and its E-Tech name will be retained.”

Mon Dieu! Alpine is entering Formula 1

Bye bye Renault F1, hello Alpine, with Alonso and Ocon on driving duties

www.topgear.com

 

[FiestaST]

Alpine to become a “mini Ferrari”

Under new boss, Renault brand will continue with A110 and aim to conquer electric performance

Alpine will become a core part of the Renault group’s strategy in future, according to new boss Luca de Meo, with a key mission to make electric cars “thrilling and emotional”. The A110 is also set to live on with a number of variants.

Having recently announced that Renualt’s Formula 1 team will be renamed Alpine from next season, de Meo explained: “You had three entities: an F1 team, the Renault Sport engineering unit and a plant in Dieppe that was half-empty where the A110 is produced. Plus a brand like Alpine, which has some cachet and heritage which you can’t buy.

“In a company with strong financial issues [like Renault], the temptation is to say let’s stop this, let’s stop that. But what I saw was the possibility to bring these things together and create - if you’ll allow me the poetic licence - a mini Ferrari, putting Formula 1 at the centre of a business ecosystem and creating a brand which has motorsport, engineering, production and distribution.”

Alpine to become a “mini Ferrari” | Autocar

Under new boss, Renault brand will continue with A110 and aim to conquer electric performance

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[FiestaST]

Joe Achilles first drive of the A110S

 

[FiestaST]

Alpine A110S vs A110: Which is the better sports car for UK roads? | CarGurus UK

 

[FiestaST]

Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 vs Alpine A110 S shootout - Auto Express

 

[FiestaST]

Alpine and Lotus to co-develop new electric sports car​

British and French brands to build on shared lightweight focus for electric A110 successor

Alpine and Lotus will team up on the development of a new electric sports car which will serve as the likely successor to the Alpine A110.

Group Renault and Geely-owned Lotus have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together in a number of areas, including the joint development of the new machine.

Alpine and Lotus will now undertake a “comprehensive feasibility study” for the potential new machine, which will be developed using expertise from both Lotus and Alpine, which now incorporates the old Renault Sport division.

While no details of the machine or timeline have been given, the Alpine version will likely serve as the successor to the current A110 as the brand is transformed into a fully electric line-up. Lotus is also expanding its EV line-up, and the joint development will help the two firms to offset the high costs that will likely result from developing a dedicated lightweight electric sports car platform.

Alpine and Lotus to co-develop new electric sports car | Autocar

Expansion of historic Alpine brand will also usher in new electric hot hatch and electric SUV

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

No plans, not viable for our market.

sure that might change seeing as Japan might want these.

 

[pinball wizard]

I hate this car. It's such a good car and a perfect concept, but it is so damn ugly from the front. And from the side it looks a bit, well, wrong.

 

[A3@MBB]

I hate this car. It's such a good car and a perfect concept, but it is so damn ugly from the front. And from the side it looks a bit, well, wrong.

Its design is perfectly penned to bring homage to the Alpine A110 from the 60's.
I think the designers did a great job and is instantly recognizable on the road.

 

[pinball wizard]

Its design is perfectly penned to bring homage to the Alpine A110 from the 60's.
I think the designers did a great job and is instantly recognizable on the road.

I'm well aware of what it is meant to be and the history behind it. I still have eyes in my head and my own idea of what looks pleasing to me and what doesn't.

 

[FiestaST]

Alpine A110 vs Toyota GR Supra | PistonHeads

 

[FiestaST]

Alpine A110 Legende GT 2021 UK review​

Should I buy one?​

You can’t – at least from new. All 400 examples of the Légende GT are spoken for, which I suppose answers the question of whether £60,000 is pushing it for the four-cylinder Alpine A110. Evidently it is not, though rarity will have helped the car’s cause.

But even were it not limited, this kind of money is not at all unreasonable when you consider even the basic the A110 in engineering terms.

Architecturally, the French car is more supercar than the 718 Cayman, and much more bespoke in feel than an M2 Competition. That said, for less than £5000 more than what this Alpine costs, you can have six cylinders in the Cayman GTS. Ultimately, you can argue the value-for-money case both ways.

What Alpine should recognise is that while the Légende GT’s unique cabin additions give it a lift, there remains something of the toy car about the place. In some ways that charming, but not when you're talking about materials.

If Renault wants future Alpine models to sell in volume and generate good profits – if, in a nutshell, it want them to be seen as luxury products – it needs to focus on delivering an interior ambience to match the superb chassis engineering. The Légende GT in a step in that direction, but no more.

Alpine A110 review | Autocar

France’s revered sports car brand is back and chasing some heavyweight scalps

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[FiestaST]

Used car buying guide: Renault Alpine GTA

This agile, rear-engined V6 French coupé was distinctive and rare even when new, never mind today

Only those of a certain age are likely to recognise the Renault Alpine GTA and its successor, the A610. Although they were well reviewed, Alpine was an obscure brand, and when production of the A610 ceased in 1995, it slipped away quietly.

It resurfaced only in 2017 with the arrival of the Alpine A110 and now it’s also the name of the rebranded Renault Formula 1 team. In short, things are at last looking up for Alpine and people are beginning to talk about its old performance coupés again.

The GTA was launched in the UK in 1986. It had a steel backbone chassis with outriggers and the body was a combination of plastic and glassfibre panels. They helped keep the car’s weight down to just 1140kg. The engine (buyers could choose from two V6s, a 158bhp carburetted 2.9-litre and a 197bhp 2.5-litre turbo) was mounted at the back. The turbo version could crack 0-62mph in 7.0sec. Both used the same five-speed manual gearbox but fourth and fifth gears were slightly taller in the turbo model. Be warned: the 2.9’s carburettor is a complicated Solex unit that requires lots of fiddly adjustment of its vacuum pipes to fuel the car smoothly. For this reason, a four-barrel Holley conversion is popular.

The GTA had a very low drag coefficient, achieved in part by a clever nose job. However, the only way to get air to the radiator was to deflect it using a plastic cowl or scoop. Some owners didn’t appreciate its significance and many cowls have been broken or discarded, causing the engine to overheat. Make sure your find has its cowl.

In 1990, the turbo-based Le Mans special edition arrived. It had a wider body with BBS-lookalike wheels made by ACT. Only 26 right-hand-drive cars were made and today it is the most sought-after and valuable model, with prices ranging from £15,000 for a project car (if you can find one) to £35,000 for one in good condition.

Used car buying guide: Renault Alpine GTA | Autocar

This agile, rear-engined V6 French coupé was distinctive and rare even when new, never mind today

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[FiestaST]

Renault Sport nameplate axed as Alpine takes the lead

Renault Sport is a name that you’ll associate with some seriously formidable performance hatchbacks, but fans will soon need to get used to the name Alpine as Renault has rebranded its performance division.

As of now, Renault Sport Cars will become known as Alpine Cars. Alpine was relaunched as a sub-brand in 2017 with the release of the A110 sports car, but now the division will take charge of Renault’s entire performance portfolio. Renault’s Formula One team has already been rebranded in accordance.

According to Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, Alpine Cars aims to be “a premium sports brand at the forefront of innovation and technology”.

“As part of the reorganisation of the Renault Group by brand, it is essential that the various entities that make up the Business Unit bear the Alpine name and embody the values and ambitions of the brand,” Rossi said.

Alpine remains tight-lipped about its future product plans but Auto Express reports that the new Renault Clio is likely to be the first to get the Alpine treatment, possibly followed by the Captur. However, the future is electric and to that end Alpine says that is is currently developing a “100 percent electric” future Alpine range.

Renault Sport nameplate axed as Alpine takes the lead - CAR Magazine

Renault Sport fans will soon need to get used to the name Alpine as the French carmaker has rebranded its performance division.

www.carmag.co.za

 

[FiestaST]

Renault boss committed to Alpine becoming EV brand

Luca de Meo outlines early plans for Alpine's future; will use learnings from experience with Cupra

Groupe Renault CEO Luca de Meo remains committed to his plan to develop Alpine into an EV-only brand – but is exercising caution, due to his experience splitting Cupra from Seat.

De Meo joined Renault in January 2020, following four years leading Seat. In 2018, he confirmed plans for Cupra to become a standalone marque, starting with a hot version of the Seat Ateca, before launching the Cupra Leon and the bespoke Cupra Formentor.

Comparing that experience with his plans for Alpine, de Meo was quick to downplay suggestions that it will become a 'premium' marque.

He said: "I don't like to use the word premium at Renault, because I've been working for a premium brand, and I know how difficult it is to create a premium brand from scratch.

"It's not only about doing good cars, it's about everything: technology, distribution, reputation in different segments, residual values etc."

Plans for Alpine to become an EV brand were confirmed last year, and this week Renault officially retired the Renault Sport moniker, pledging to use the Alpine name for future performance versions of its volume cars.

Renault boss committed to Alpine becoming EV brand | Autocar

Luca de Meo outlines early plans for Alpine's future; will use learnings from experience with Cupra

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[FiestaST]

Renaultsport becomes Alpine

New name, same place for Renault RS.

Renault has announced that its go-faster division will henceforth have a new name.

The company’s Renaultsport department is responsible for some of the most celebrated hot hatches in recent memory. It has been a great brand builder for Renault, elevating the standing of products such as Clio and Megane.

But now, things will change. Renault is reorganising its corporate organogram and has decided to use the revived Alpine sportscar brand as its overarching name for all quick Renaults.

What this means, is that your future Renault performance car will now carry an Alpine badge. How Renault will manage this branding complexity within a mode range such as Megane, is unclear, but the good news is that no fundamental technical changes are expected.

The future Alpine badged cars will still retain that same handbuilt uniqueness – and differentiation – that Renaultsport delivered. Renault is retaining the staff complement of 300, at its Les Ulis facility.

Although hardcore Renaultsport RS fans might be annoyed at the naming change to Alpine, there is great potential in this reorganisation.

RenaultSport becomes Alpine

New name, same place for Renault RS. Renault has announced that its go-faster division will henceforth have a new name. The company’s RenaultSport department is responsible for some of the most celebrated hot hatches in recent memory. It has been a great brand builder for Renault, elevating the...

www.cars.co.za