Renault and UK sports car maker Caterham Group said on Monday that they would form a joint venture to develop sports cars and planned to launch one model each within four years. The deal will revive Renault's Alpine brand, which ceased production in the 1990s. Caterham will take a 50 percent stake in the Societe des Automobiles Alpine Caterham (SAAC) venture, which will build the cars at Renault's plant in Dieppe in northern France. ''Through our partnership with Caterham Group, we can enter a new phase: the design of a vehicle that will embody the very essence of Alpine, a vehicle that will rekindle sporting passion once more. It could become a reality within the next three or four years," said Carlos Tavares, chief operating officer of Renault, in a statement on Monday. Earlier this year, Renault said it was considering adding two upscale brands, including Alpine, as part of a move to further expand into emerging markets and decrease its reliance on Europe's shrinking volume car market. Under the plan, Renault would eventually have four brands in total, with the Romania-based Dacia selling no-frills autos, Renault offering volume cars, Alpine serving as the sports car make and a fourth marque, the Initiale Paris, becoming a luxury brand. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20121105/ANE/121109935#ixzz2BLwyaO1z
I thought Alpine was the tuning arm of Renault much like JCW is to MINI. Not a brand by itself. A110 Alpine, pure sex. :drool I love the Dino, but heck the A110 was a rally car & that trumps the Dino in my twisted mind. :crazy:
Alpine was a French manufacturer of racing and sports cars that used rear-mounted Renault engines. Jean Rédélé (1922 - 2007), the founder of Alpine, was originally a Dieppe garage proprietor, who began to achieve considerable competition success in one of the few French cars produced just after World War 2. The company was bought in 1973 by Renault.