What Happened to Alpine?

You might recall that Renault Group’s 2021 ‘Renaulution’ strategy included the reboot of Alpine as an all-electric performance brand (which sounded a lot like a French Porsche), with the help of an unspecified “top-notch player”.

Two years later, they announced plans for a seven-model range for 2030, which included an A310 (a 2+2 based on the next-generation electric Alpine A110’s platform) and two new “D/E segment cars” (reportedly targeting the Porsche Cayenne).

But the latest ‘FutuREady’ suggests a much more modest plan, with no suggestion of anything more premium than the recently launched A390 compact SUV. The A310--originally expected to be more premium entry inspired by the similarly-named Renault coupe built from 1971 to 1984--is apparently dead, replaced by a lower-investment A110 2+2.

Launching anything--a brand, a carline, a new technology--into today’s chaotic automotive environment is challenging, and I can’t blame Renault for taking a more cautious approach with Alpine, given the levels of uncertainty in global markets. It’s just rather a shame, that’s all...

#renault #alpine #electricvehicle #ev #automotive