On Second Thought, Maybe Alpine Shouldn't Come To The US
They say to be careful what you wish for. This week, as Alpine announced its objective to enter North America in 2027 and sell a seven-car range by 2030, I understand what they mean. This isn’t the Alpine many of us wanted, but it’s the Alpine we’re going to get.
Reggie Watts and His Hand-Me-Down Renault
Backing up, the expansion of Alpine is a key pillar of parent company Renault’s “Renaulution Plan,” which I didn’t like typing any more than you liked reading. The brand’s offerings will be 100-percent electric by next year, reminding us that the A110 as we know it today will bid farewell in 2024. It’ll be replaced by an EV sometime in 2026.
That stings, as it means we entirely missed the A110’s revival act, but then there was no way Alpine was ever spending money to certify a six-year-old niche enthusiast car for an entirely new set of regulations. Still sucks, though.
In addition to that electric A110, Alpine will introduce a roadster variant and a new A310, which will share the A110’s platform but offer seating for four. There will also be two unnamed “D/E segment cars” — as in, midsize and executive — down the line. But the first Alpine products beyond the existing A110 will be the Renault 5-based A290 and the GT crossover, due in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Now, last month’s A290_β concept gave us a solid indication of what Alpine’s got on deck. It looked good and is also kind of ginormous sat next to an A110, but then many cars are. We’ll see if it heads to the States in 2027. The automaker will partner with RedBird and AutoNation to establish a footprint on this side of the pond, as it alluded it would.
The Alpine A290_β at left, next to the electric Alpine A110 E-ternité concept.Image: Alpine
Beyond that we’ve got six other cars, one of which is a crossover that will reportedly share underpinnings with the Nissan Ariya. Yes, corporations need to make money and reach people where they are and all that, but there’s something to be said for growing consciously and in stages. Porsche got away with the Macan and 72 permutations of the Panamera because it’s Porsche, and anything it builds is couched in a long tradition of at least moderately enjoyable enthusiast cars. Alpine as a brand goes back a long way, sure, but it doesn’t have the track record.
Until today Alpine was a Renault spinoff peddling one, humble, lightweight sports car. Seven years from now it fancies itself a purveyor of a half-dozen EVs of all sizes, with sporty flair. Like everyone else. On one hand, this was always Alpine’s destiny. On the other, much like discovering a favorite band far too late, we’ll be left wondering what it would’ve been like to experience Alpine in its prime.
