Renault Revives Production of Alpine Sports Car

Renault launches production of the Alpine A110 sports car at its plant in Dieppe, Normandy, the brand’s original home.

Renault Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn says the revival of Alpine production in Dieppe, where the original Berlinette was made almost 50 years ago, presented a challenge.

“Investment totaled more than €35 million ($41.1 million), 151 people have been recruited and the factory has been refurbished,” he says in a statement.

Following two years’ work, the Dieppe plant is one of a kind in Europe. It is capable of assembling the new Alpine A110’s all-aluminum body and chassis, while the paint shop’s new sanding and cleaning robots guarantee a premium quality finish.

The mid-engine 2-seater coupe is powered by a turbocharged 1.8L gasoline 4-cyl. which develops 252 hp. The car reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited at 155 mph (250 km/h).

The lightweight construction produces an estimated fuel efficiency of 38.6 mpg (6.1 L/100 km combined) and carbon-dioxide emissions of 138 g/km.

The A110 Premiere Edition marks the relaunch of Alpine, conceived as a standalone business unit within Groupe Renault. Its bloodlines include winning the inaugural 1973 World Rally Championship.

With production starting across the English Channel in Dieppe, Alpine also announces details of its U.K. sales network. It will be operational from second-quarter 2018, in time for the first U.K. customer deliveries.

The network will feature seven Alpine centers chosen for their locality to prime regions for sports-car enthusiasts. Each center will have bespoke Alpine advisors to ensure levels of knowledge, expertise and passion that match the brand and customer expectations.

The A110, first shown at the 2017 Geneva auto show, is expected to have U.K. prices starting at about £48,000 ($63,928).

Renault U.K. Managing Director Vincent Tourette says customers who reserved the Premiere Edition versions will be the first to receive their cars at the Alpine centers.

“The interest we’ve received since the A110 was first unveiled is extremely inspiring for the future of the brand,” he says.