Renault Alpine sportscar to inspire future models

Renault’s design boss Laurens van den Acker has said that the upcoming Alpine sports car could be considered to spawn a wider family of future models.

Speaking to our sister publication, Autocar UK, at the recently concluded Moscow motor show, van den Acker said there was “a hope” that the sports car would spearhead a range of Alpine-branded vehicles when it goes on sale internationally, in 2016. “As with many things, we need to have a good business first. We all love Alpines but we all want to make money as well. Let’s get the first car right and then I hope I can start doing Alpines for the rest of my life,” he said.

Design work on the car is understood to be at an advanced stage, and although delays were caused by Caterham’s departure from the project, senior executives have already signed off the car’s styling. “Carlos Ghosn (Renault-Nissan boss) has seen the car and he’s happy,” said van den Acker. Final details are being kept closely under wraps, he admitted. 

Late-stage engineering mules of the Alpine model are about to hit international roads, with Renault Sport boss Patrice Ratti saying the car will be “more about driving pleasure than pure power”. Ratti also said that the near production-ready model – which is tipped to get 250bhp – doesn’t look anything like the Alpine concept car revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2012.