Alpine enters the The United States in 2027 with an all-electric lineup, the French performance brand announced on Monday.
Alpine was founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé as a motorsport company, which later launched its own sports cars on the market using Renault components. In 1973 it became part of Renault and continued to launch its own sports cars with a focus on the European market.
Alpine became an independent company in 2021, the year it replaced Renault in Formula 1. Alpine will build on its F1 exposure before expanding into the US and possibly China, two markets where F1’s popularity is growing strongly. Alpine also participates in the World Endurance Championship, where one will start next year LMDh racing car in the premier Hypercar class.
Alpine said Monday it is partnering with investment firm RedBird and dealer group AutoNation to expand globally. Renault CEO Luca de Meo said in February that Alpine could partner of AutoNation to sell cars in the United States In other markets, it will rely on Renault’s dealer network.
On the racing side, RedBird, along with Otro Capital and Ryan Reynolds-backed Maximum Effort Investments, are investing €200 million (about $218 million) to buy a 24% stake in the Alpine F1 team. According to Alpine, the deal will be worth about $900 million to the team.
Alpine currently owns only road car the A110, a mid-engined sports car launched in 2017, with sales of just a few thousand units per year. For its US entry, Alpine is launching two vehicles that are believed to be SUVs in the same segment as the Porsche Cayenne and Macan. Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi said earlier this year that the platforms for those models could be sourced from another company. He pointed to Zhejiang Geely as a natural fit, since the Chinese car giant is already working on several joint projects with Renault.
Alpine is also developing its own platform and other proprietary technology for its future sports cars. An electric sports car platform known as the Alpine Performance Platform (APP) will underpin the redesigned A110, which will be offered in coupe and convertible body styles. It will also be supported by a four-seat coupe named A310. Formerly Alpine planned to work with Lotus on a sports car platform.
Also in the works compact crossover and one A290 subcompact hot hatch, both will use Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance platforms. The A290 was previewed with a concept car in May and will go on sale in 2024 as Alpine’s first new electric vehicle. The compact crossover will arrive in 2025, and the redesigned A110 in 2026. The first US model will arrive in 2027, with the second likely around 2028. The timing of the A310 was not mentioned.
In addition to EV technology, Alpine is also investigating the use of hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines. Alpine presented the technology that eliminates carbon dioxide emissions 2022 Alpenglow concept.
“Our goal is to expand from a niche segment brand to a full-fledged global brand,” Rossi said in a statement. “By combining a larger selection and international expansion, we aim for an operating profit margin of over 10% by 2030, thereby putting our business model on a permanent basis.”
This article was originally published by Motor Authorityeditorial partner ClassicCars.com
