Renault revived Alpine, which became part of the Renault Group in 2017 with a new lightweight A110. Alpine was founded in 1955 and rose to fame in the 1970s following being acquired by Renault, taking rally victories with its A110 sports car and triumphing at Le Mans in 1978.
It seems that Renault wants to turn the page on its exit through the back door in the United States, and thinks that Alpine might reach the northern country within a decade.
According to a report from the Automotive News site, CEO Laurent Rossi revealed in a recent call that two new models are being developed with the US market in mind.
Alpine plans to enter the United States with a midsize electric crossover and a larger SUV EV, with the goal of arriving between 2027 or 2028. It already had a presentation in South Beach where there was almost no press.
“The United States is the main destination for these cars” and he compared the crossovers to the Porsche Macan and the Cayenne coupe in terms of how they position themselves in the market,” Rossi said.
The United States is crucial in driving Alpine’s volume. Right now Alpine only sells the A110, with 3,546 total sales in 2022, added Rosi.
Rossi said the goal is to exceed 150,000 annual sales by 2030, and he believes that entering the US market will generate most of the additional volume.
Alpine is still debating which platforms the EV crossovers will be mounted on; Along with Renault partner Nissan, the company is considering using platforms from Geely’s premium brands, including Volvo, Polestar and Zeekr.
Alpine will present three electric vehicles for the European market. First it will be a performance version of the upcoming electric Renault 5.
This will be followed by a sporty compact crossover, currently known as the GT, which will bring torque vectoring, more powerful engines and unique battery chemistry to set it apart from more conventional Renaults.
Finally and developed in collaboration with Lotus, an electric successor to the A110 will arrive by 2027.
Recent promises to return to the US by other French automakers have yet to materialise, and it is believed that it will still be several years before Alpine’s expansion in the US begins, if at all. achieves.
That if Alpine meets its schedule to enter in 2027, it will be the first time since the early 1990s that Renault will have a presence in the United States.
