RE: Renault and Caterham join forces

[CarlT]

TobesH said:

Didn't realise the Clio 200 was built on a special production line at the Alpine Factory. Makes the car all the more appealing to me.

The new Clio Renaultsport is also being built in the Alpine factory.

[CarlT]

Kolbenkopp said:

My take:

Renault people (or some management consultants) identify the Dieppe factory and associated cars as not profitable. New RS CLio is then neutered so it can be made on the standard production line.

Problem: French workers have very big boules, closing even a small site is going to be a major pain.

Meanwhile, the Alpine rebirth project gets very positive feedback. This could be used to keep Dieppe people busy, but does not make financial sense in the short term, risk to high -- so can't be done say the managers.

Solution: you look for a partner with *money*. Ideally one that has an interest in advanced manufacturing processes, a factory + workers and perhaps a desire to source parts from a major manufacturer.

Partnering with Lotus would have been the other way around. Need a factory, a well established alloy tub chassis process and the people to build it? Perfect fit.

Personal conclusion so far:

- st. I love Lotus. Renault/Nissan/Infiniti would have been a nice fit for a big player partner. Looks like they don't want or, more likely, can't afford it. Not good.

- Hang on to your Dieppe made Clios. Special cars, won't come back.

The new Clio RS is being built on Dieppe as well!

[stephendell]

It would seem that the plan is to build and market two different looking cars on the same platform a la VX220 / Elise scenario. Both cars to be available in LHD & RHD and marketed separately by their respective dealer network.

[Kolbenkopp]

CarlT said:

The new Clio RS is being built on Dieppe as well!

Yep. Looks like it and glad to be wrong.

« Après l’accord de fabrication qui devrait être donné en fin d’année et si les tests sont concluants, 25 Clio 4 RS sortiront chaque jour de l’usine, prêtes à être vendues, soit un régime de 5 000 voitures par an. Un nombre qui pourrait toutefois augmenter si le succès commercial est au rendez-vous »

Pending final agreement due at the end of the year they'll build up to 25 cars a day.
Source: http://www.76actu.fr/la-renault-alpine-devrait-res...

[CarlT]

Kolbenkopp said:

Yep. Looks like it and glad to be wrong.

« Après l’accord de fabrication qui devrait être donné en fin d’année et si les tests sont concluants, 25 Clio 4 RS sortiront chaque jour de l’usine, prêtes à être vendues, soit un régime de 5 000 voitures par an. Un nombre qui pourrait toutefois augmenter si le succès commercial est au rendez-vous »



Pending final agreement due at the end of the year they'll build up to 25 cars a day.
Source: http://www.76actu.fr/la-renault-alpine-devrait-res...

I know!

[GTRene]

some testing of the 2 (Renault and Caterham) is going on and for this testing they use a familiar bases, I like it already















Exige on steroids for test uses because its going to be (for both) a mid engined rwd car
with around 300hp and the caterham will even get a bit more so a story says, but its going to take to 2015...but the pricerange looks good.

http://www.autoweek.nl/nieuws/24106/alpine-caterha...

[GTRene]

some more bigger pictures.









more>

http://www.caradvice.com.au/242566/renault-alpine-...

[otolith]

Sod the Renault/Caterham, I'll just have that mule!

[SonicHedgeHog]

So this is a Caterham/Alpine test car with a modified Exige body? Strange.

[MarshPhantom]

otolith said:

Sod the Renault/Caterham, I'll just have that mule!

Very nice.

[GTRene]

indeed and without the spoiler looks very nice too...

I thought I remembered some parts of such car and indeed its Reverie bodywork

http://www.reverie.ltd.uk/product_list.php?group=A...

[Megaflow]

SonicHedgeHog said:

So this is a Caterham/Alpine test car with a modified Exige body? Strange.

It's not that strange. Manufacturers will use what ever is readily available for the first test mules, this one happening to be a competitor is also convenient because it might throw some people of the scent for a while. McLaren used Ultima kits cars for the F1 development, the first one, Albert, had some McLaren inspired suspension on it and a Chevy engine. The second one, Edward, had a complete F1 powertrain installed in it.

[DonkeyApple]

Megaflow said:

SonicHedgeHog said:

So this is a Caterham/Alpine test car with a modified Exige body? Strange.

It's not that strange. Manufacturers will use what ever is readily available for the first test mules, this one happening to be a competitor is also convenient because it might throw some people of the scent for a while. McLaren used Ultima kits cars for the F1 development, the first one, Albert, had some McLaren inspired suspension on it and a Chevy engine. The second one, Edward, had a complete F1 powertrain installed in it.

It's also potentially a marketing two fingered salute at the same time.

[spacesimon]

Thats an elise chassis. Least the front is.

s

[GTRene]

just came across this...
still needs some work but also a lot is done, with the Reverie kit, could be nice with some fast engine in it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-LOTUS-EXIGE-MET-BLU...