Alpine

It's safe to say the automotive industry is currently undergoing the greatest shift since its very inception, with electrification and autonomy widely agreed to form the basis of the future of the new-car market. It can seem almost daily that a major car maker unveils a new electric vehicle, or announces plans to go all-electric in the coming years and decades – so often so that it can be a challenge to keep track of and stay on top of every brand's plans.

Renault's sports car brand, Alpine, is set for a major shake-up in the coming years, with the announcement overnight it will ditch conventional internal-combustion power in the coming years.

Months after taking over as temporary CEO at Alpine, Cyril Abiteboul has been replaced by former Google executive Laurent Rossi. Abiteboul also announced his sudden departure from the Alpine Formula One Team – formerly the Renault F1 Team. While his appointment to the Alpine road-car division was originally publicised as a short-term gig in September 2020, his departure from the F1 team has come as a surprise to the sport.

The Alpine A110 Sportsx concept has been unveiled at the International Automobile Festival, at the Invalides complex, alongside a selection of cars from the brand's past. Said to be inspired by the A110 race car which won the 1973 Monte Carlo rally, the Sportsx has a jacked up suspension package for 60mm of extra ground clearance. Thanks to a broader track and extended wheel arches, the body of the Sportsx is 80mm wider than run-of-the-mill versions of the A110.