The image reflects much of what Renault has already confirmed. Namely, the Alpine will feature a highly aerodynamic low-slung design that will borrow a handful of styling cues from the iconic A110 Berlinette that was built during the 1960s and the 1970s. It will be bigger than the truly Lilliputian A110 but it won’t be as big as a Porsche 911. Instead, Alpine is targeting mid-engined driver-focused machines like the Alfa Romeo 4C, the Porsche Cayman, and the Lotus Elise.
Alpine’s next model will be powered by a four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Renault parts bin, but the similarities between it and the original A110 will stop there. In the upcoming coupe, the four-banger will be mid-mounted instead of rear-mounted and it will use at least one turbocharger to generate 250 horsepower in its most basic state of tune. Power will be sent to the rear wheels via a manual transmission and a limited-slip differential, though a dual-clutch automatic will likely be offered as an option.
The Alpine is expected to start between €35,000 and €40,000, figures that convert to approximately $39,000 and $44,000, respectively. Renault believes it can sell anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 examples a year, and we hear the automaker hasn’t completely ruled out offering the car in the United States.
Production is scheduled to kick off in Dieppe, France, late next year and the coupe will go on sale in early 2017. With that in mind, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it in the metal for the first time at next year’s edition of the Paris Motor Show.
