Return of the Alpine
January 7, 2008 by Matt Brogan
Rumours abound this afternoon of Renault reviving the phenomenon that was the Alpine A110.
French manufacturer Alpine (pronounced Alpeen) used rear-mounted Renault engines in their 1960s racing and sports cars and the prospect of the nameplate returning has sparked a mass of interest, especially in the UK.
Expected to go on sale in Europe from 2010, and aimed at competing with the likes of Mazda’s RX-8 for example, the new Alpine will boast a turbocharged petrol engine which will most likely be mid mounted (think Toyota MR2).
Running gear is currently being tested in a Megane body at the Nurburgring in Germany though no spy pics are yet available. Rest assured, we’re on the case!
Print it: 
if we can’t get the clio III… then what chance do we have of seeing this in australia
Perhaps Grant, but fingers crossed hey?!
I was a huge fan of the A110 and would love to see the return of an affordable mid-engined sports car.
It would be good to see a car from europe take on the Mazda RX8 or even the Nissan 350Z. It may persuade some buyers and move them away from the two of them and persuade them to buy a Alpine!
True, what hope is there when the Clio III still hasn’t arrived?
I just hope it is affordable too. The mini and the bettle were. But they aren’t these days. I sadly see this being much the same.
steve
If they really want to do it its got to be a 100% effort in order to compete with the BM’s Mercs and Co. at there levels. It will only have a V6 though as Renault don’t have a V8.
Why do you lot want the Clio III, its a vile car built by Frogs of all things.
A vile car?
You have to remember that in it’s country of origin these “prestige” cars from France are nothing more than the local holdens, corollas and the like. But the difference is, they handle and go better, chew less fuel and are much more refined.
The only reason they are considered a more up market sector is because the competition in Australia is crap.
If cars were named after the feeling you got when you drove them there would be things like the Toyota Mundane. The Holden Watch me lean the opposite direction to the corner. French cars (which I love) might be built by peasants with no shoes on a factory floor of mud, but they build exceptional chassis’ and steering. Anyone but the ignorant can’t deny that.
And so what if the Alpine only gets a V6. The French are synonymous for putting tiny engines with huge horsepower into even smaller cars. Besides, what’s wrong with a blown 4 cyl engine these days? Some outperform V8’s. And to me, that pretty much negates the reason for 8 pistons. Not that I hate V8’s I love the sound, the torque. But I appreciate the engineering of a small and powerful engine over a large one any day.
Steve
And Frogs are?