Tuesday 8th November 2005

Renault to revive sporty Alpine

French carmaker plans new F1-inspired RWD coupé

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Renault Alpine A610 - time for a replacement?

Renault is to make more of its F1 technology link and revive the Alpine name. It will launch a new high-performance sports coupé within the next two years, according to a story in Autocar.

Front-engined with rear-wheel drive, it'll be the first Renault with this layout since the 1952 Frégate, and the first Alpine since 1995's A610 V6 Turbo. The underpinnings come from Nissan, thanks to the technology transfer arrangement between the two companies.

The report suggests that Renault is still considering whether to base the car on Nissan's 350Z or use a bigger chassis that's still under development. The crucial issue here is price: the smaller car would sell for around £25-30k, while larger one would go for around £40,000 -- where the air is thinner and the sales fewer.

The aim is to fill a gap in Renault's portfolio. Since the demise of the Clio V6, the company has no overtly sporty model, and nothing on the road that demonstrates its F1 investment and expertise. Autocar also reports that Renault boss Carlos Ghosn is impressed by the way that the 350Z has turned Nissan's image around -- in part at least -- and aims to do the same.

It makes sense for Renault to be able to point to a sporty car that includes some F1 technology, even if it's only a paddle shift gearbox. Let's hope Ghosn decides to go ahead with it.

• More on the Renault Frégate

[cirks]

Excellent news. If the old 'Renault reliability/electrical gremlins' can be sorted (which they probably can with Nissan involvement) it could be a very nice car - particuarly if as good as the GTA was in its day.

[jazzyjeff]

The A610 was a brilliant and criminally underrated car.

It's a shame though that this new car is unlikely to be built using Alpine expertise at the Alpine factory... :-( Surely a 'reskinned Nissan' will do more to promote Nissan's sporting heritage than Renaults???

[smele]

The old Alpine was a good car. Always thought that it gave Renault a better image, even if the car was a little troublesome. Hope they keep it in the 30K area. More performance and less guff would be my request, sort of Mustang style.

[Gulliver]

jazzyjeff said:

The A610 was a brilliant and criminally underrated car. It's a shame though that this new car is unlikely to be built using Alpine expertise at the Alpine factory... :-( Surely a 'reskinned Nissan' will do more to promote Nissan's sporting heritage than Renaults???

People tend to forget that Renault is actually brilliant at engine technology.

Everytime Renault got involved in the F1 circuit, they got manufacturers world prize within a few years. See the RS4-5-6 engines with Williams in the 80s, then today with their F1 success in engine technology.

[ubergreg]

Mid-engine would have been closer to the F1 ethos though, and the last Alpine...

[Marki]

Gulliver said:

Everytime Renault got involved in the F1 circuit, they got manufacturers world prize within a few years. See the RS4-5-6 engines with Williams in the 80s, then today with their F1 success in engine technology.

Lets not forget also that they led the Turbo race in F1 perfecting it

[james_j]

It should be good as Renault have always made good engines (most of the time) and have always been able to make cars with good steering feel (hopefully they can rekindle that as they've gone a bit "dumbed down" with their latest models' electric steering).

[johnjr]

had always dreamed of owning an alpine and dos so hope taht its not a jazzed up nissan coas that would ruin it. possibly change the name of fregate but would like renault to be left alone to build this one. it sounds good

[Twincam16]

Technically the last Alpine was the Clio V6 - it was built at the Alpine factory, as was the Sport Spider and the 5 Turbo 2.

I'm a bit disappointed that it's going to be a rebodied Nissan. I knew Renault didn't want to make a V6 version of the new Clio so I was hoping they'd 'evolve' the outgoing Clio V6 platform and fit a coupe body. Oh well.

Renault did plan to 'revive' Alpine before in the late '90s with a coupe version of the Sport Spider (presumably to take on the Exige) but it never properly materialised.

[GOM]

I've done 100,000 miles of trouble free motoring in my GTA V6 Turbo and it's currently undergoing a ground up rebuild for the next 100k. As I'm moving to La Belle Francais I look forward with great anticipation of a new Alpine. Bring it on Renault!

[baddawg]

Yes the Sport Spider coupe was called the Hellem it had 3 engine configurations being tried init normally asparated 3ltr 24v V6, Bi turbo 24v V6 & a V8 unit allegedley Ferrari derived which was fitted into a spider racer, they also built a few Helem Bi turbo race cars not sure how many were actually built in total.
It's good Renault are reviving Alpine shame there going to use Nissan kit it isn't actually goiing to show there F1 prowess using another manafacturers parts but they do need a sporting/tuning arm/brand like Alpine.

[Gentelman]

Perhaps their thinking is that if they use the Nissan chassis that is one less step they have to undertake in their plan to return to the United States?

[Joe T]

Cant beleive they are not going to do a limited run of Clio V6's just to finish the line off.
I also think it will be a great shame to use Nissan technology on the new Alpine,
I wonder what will happen to the factory at Dieppe, many a time over the years I have nearly crashed into the barrier going up the hill trying to see whats parked up outside the factory.

So the A610 will be the last real Alpine?

Cheers
Joe

[ukaskew]

If I remember correctly the V6 was built in Sweden (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) so Dieppe won't be short of work by that going out of production. The new Renaultsport Clio will be built there soon as they have now finished the 182/Cups/Trophy's, and they still knock out the Clio Cup racers at Dieppe.

[LuS1fer]

Marki said:

Gulliver said: Everytime Renault got involved in the F1 circuit, they got manufacturers world prize within a few years. See the RS4-5-6 engines with Williams in the 80s, then today with their F1 success in engine technology. Lets not forget also that they led the Turbo race in F1 perfecting it

Let's not forget that at the same time, in their passenger cars, they were using an engine the equivalent of a BMC A-series and the rest of their engines were dog-rough.

Renault had a stronger image back in the 80's with the string of R5 Gordini, Turbo, Turbo 2, R5 Turbo, R21 Turbo and Alpine. When I last went into a Renault showroom to enquire about a Megane 225, it was all about safety and NCAP and shhh, don't mention those sorts of cars in here.

[dinkel]

[shot2bits]

Used to love the A610 as driven by Marcus Tandy in Eldorado!

[bumpkin]

the race clio v6's were build in Dieppe, the road cars were built by twr. the dieppe factory is just an assembly plant, technically their low volume plant - when i was there they were building diesel espaces and drop top megans. they do have prototype workshops that are very good where the very small batches are built.

i wonder who will design it? in house or one of the sportscar design houses.

[djmojo]

I personally would love to see a New Alpine (or Alpeen as it's pronounced!). Don't know about a reshelled Nissan (although you could argue that all Nissans are Rennos since Renno own Nissan outright), but the 3.5 V6 engine would be a good start. To be a 'proper' Alpeen they'd have to stick it in the back (and maybe turbo it!), and they'd have to add gremlins to the electrics (as any Alpine owner will tell you!)
Hopefully they'll be able to market it in the UK as Alpine rather than Renault and dilute the brand the way they did in the 80's and 90's (cos Peugeot had the rights to the name). Here's hoping!

[Alpineandy]

Should be new chassis with mid engine.
Z350 engine is a 'group' motor so 'no problem'.