- Alpine, which was revived by Renault in 2017, aims to launch some electric crossovers in the United States in 2027 or 2028. (Pictured above is the Alpine Alpenglow concept from the 2022 Paris Motor Show.)
- CEO Laurent Rossi compared the crossovers to the Porsche Macan and Cayenne Coupe and said they would be a significant part of Alpine’s goals of reaching 150,000 sales by 2030.
- Alpine is also launching three cars for Europe in the coming years, including an electric version of the A110 sports car and a performance variant of the upcoming electric Renault 5 hatch.
UPDATE 23/17/23: Alpine seems serious about its expansion plans into the United States, with Car news reports that the French sports car brand is in talks with AutoNation, one of the country’s largest car retailers. The partnership would sell the brand’s upcoming EVs at AutoNation dealerships, with Renault CEO Luca de Meo suggesting the relationship could go even further, although no specific details were provided.
Founded in 1955, Alpine rose to prominence in the 1970s after it was acquired by Renault, picking up rally victories with its A110 sports car and triumphing at Le Mans in 1978. Renault revived the brand, now part of Groupe Renault, in 2017 with a new lightweight A110. The nimble sports car has remained forbidden fruit in the United States, but now it appears that Alpine may be coming to the US within the decade. According to a report today by Car newsCEO Laurent Rossi revealed in a recent call that two new models are being developed with the US market in mind.
Unfortunately, the future US-bound Alpine does not include a low-slung sports car. Instead, they’ll be a midsize electric crossover and a larger EV SUV, targeted for 2027 or 2028. Rossi explained that “the US is the main destination for these cars” and compared the crossovers to the Porsche Macan and Cayenne coupe in terms of how they are positioned in the market.
Rossi said he sees the US as crucial to boosting Alpine’s volume. At the moment, Alpine only sells the A110, with 3,546 total sales in 2022. The goal is to surpass 150,000 annual sales by 2030, and Rossi said that entering the US market “will account for most of the additional volume create.” He said Alpine is still debating which platforms will drive the EV crossovers; along with Renault’s partner Nissan, the company is considering using platforms from Geely’s premium brands, which include Volvo, Polestar and Zeekr.
Before those Alps reach American shores, the French automaker will debut three exciting EVs for the European market. First up will be a performance version of the upcoming Renault 5 electric hatchback. It will be followed by a sporty compact crossover, currently referred to as the GT, which will bring torque vectoring, more powerful motors and unique battery chemistry to set it apart from more mainstream Renaults. Finally, an electric successor to the A110 is coming by 2027, developed in collaboration with Lotus.
It will be several years before Alpine’s U.S. expansion begins, and promises to return to the U.S. by other French automakers have yet to materialize. But if Alpine meets its 2027 timeline, it will be the first time since the early 1990s that Renault will have a presence in the United States. And even if the dynamic A110 never reaches our shores, we’re still excited to see what Alpine can deliver in the late 2020s.
This story was originally published on January 19, 2023.
