Alpine SUVs.
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French sports car brand Alpine is working on 2 new models. The bad news is that they will both be SUVs. The good news is they’re coming to North America.
The plan is to offer the 2 new models in the US by 2027. So far, they are targeting the Porsche Macan EV and the next-generation Porsche Cayenne Coupe EV. Both Alpine models will also be EVs. They are working as well on a sportier Alpine version of the new Renault 5 EV, but that isn’t coming over here. Which is a bummer. And also a next-generation electric version of the recurrent A110. Which is also not scheduled to come here.
It seems Alpine could follow VW and others in thinking North Americans will only buy SUVs, which is really too bad. I am sure there would be a market for a great-looking EV sports coupe. And the new Renault 5 EV is cheap enough so a more expensive Alpine version could still be almost affordable.
Still, 2027 is a long time. Almost anything could happen by then.
However, no one has ever heard of the Alpine brand in the US. Except for a handful of car nerds. Renault (who owns and runs Alpine) could soon find that out. It’s basically an even worse situation than Alfa Romeo was before they decided to re-enter the US market after decades of absence. At least some people remembered the name Alfa Romeo. And still, after a few years back, all they could sell in 2022 in the US was around 12 800 units. For the whole brand. I just cannot imagine a totally unknown brand like Alpine competing with Porsche in the US.
However, that’s exactly what Polestar is doing. Also targeting Porsche with their new Polestar 3 and Polestar 4.
I guess, why not…
Thinking of that little white Alpine version of the Renault 5 EV will keep me up at night. (No pun intended, honestly!)
Looks great. And maybe finally we can start seeing some vehicles in the between-space… ie. between having to sit pretty low (recent Honda cars) and having to sit truck height in the compact SUVs. Is there nothing in between anymore? How about a car that’s easy to get into and out of, without having 8inch of ground clearance? I’m so sick of modern cars. Send this to the US.