There's potentially exciting news for fans of European sports cars because Renault Group is working on a way to bring the Alpine brand to the United States. The automaker is negotiating with AutoNation, the largest auto dealer group in the US, to sell the sporty French vehicles at its network of showrooms.
"It’s not easy because we are not present in the U.S. and we have to start from scratch,” Renault Group Luca de Meo told Automotive News. He didn't provide a timeframe for when the models could be on sale in the US.
Gallery: 2022 Alpine A110 facelift
De Meo indicated that there are alternate plans to bring Alpine to the US if the talks with AutoNation don't result in a deal. However, he didn't offer any specifics about what the other plans might be.
The Alpine brand returned in 2017 with the debut of the A110 sports coupe. At launch, power came from a mid-mounted 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 252 horsepower (188 kilowatts) and 236 pound-feet (320 Newton-meters) of torque. It came with a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox.
For the 2022 model, the hotter A110 S received a power upgrade to make 300 hp (224 kW) and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm). This allowed it to reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 171 mph (275 kph)
In October 2022, Alpine announced the A110 R as the hardcore range-topper of the lineup. Extensive use of carbon fiber, including for the hood and engine cover, keeps the weight down to 2,385 pounds (1,082 kilograms). The model can hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 177 mph. A revised suspension lowers the car by 0.4 inches (10 millimeters), and there are adjustable dampers.
Alpine plans to keep the current A110 in its lineup until the end of 2026 when an electric model would replace it. In 2027 and 2028, the broad plans to broaden the range by introducing electric SUVs. The automaker would roughly position them against the Porsche Macan and Cayenne. De Meo previously said he thought this pair of vehicles would sell well in the US.
