Renault’s chief operating officer Carlos Tavares said that the company is “ahead of schedule” in reaching an agreement with a partner who will help it to revive the Alpine sports car brand. It’s possible that an announcement will be made at the Paris motor show. Tavares described this partner as having a management with a similar view of the market.
It will also have to be able to launch a parallel model using the same chassis as the Alpine but with “different styling and tuning.” He said that Renault requires a partner that can make an investment in the new Alpine. He said that since Alpine has a “great history,” they hope to build “emotional cars” that will stay true to this thinking.
Tavares talks about the new Alpine as “the A110 of the 21st century.” Currently, its engineering and styling are being worked on. He declined to discuss the mechanical layout but he said that it’s not likely to have a rear engine (which the A110 had). He also said that they’re done making the platform layout and that the proportions are looking “pretty good.”
While the new Alpine will be “quite low”, it won’t be as low as the original car, which had received many complaints for its difficult cabin access. He said that convenience is a vital aspect of modern packaging but that there won’t be a lot of compromise to be made since the car has to keep its special character and has to appeal to one’s emotions. This is why the car won’t get too many refinements.
