Tag Archives: Alpine

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Alpine’s Supercar Dreams Are Real—Just Not Ready Yet

When Alpine rolled the Alpenglow concept onto the stand at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, it felt like one of those moments—headphones out, conversation stopped, phones raised. This was Alpine, the brand best known for featherweight sports cars and rally-bred attitude, suddenly flirting with hypercar theater. Then, in 2024, Alpine doubled down with the Alpenglow Hy4, a fully functional hydrogen-powered prototype. Naturally, the internet jumped to the obvious conclusion: production Alpine supercar incoming.

Not so fast.

According to Alpine CEO Philippe Krief, the idea is very much alive—but deliberately parked a few corners down the road. And if anyone knows what it takes to bring a halo car to life, it’s Krief. Before taking the reins at Alpine, he cut his teeth at Ferrari, working on cars like the 458 Speciale—the swan song of the naturally aspirated mid-engine V-8—and the 296 GTB, Ferrari’s pivot into V-6 hybrid territory. He understands both the romance and the reality of supercars.

“The purpose of a supercar is to build awareness for a brand, explore new technologies that can feed back into the brand, and make some money,” Krief said at the launch of Alpine’s new A390 coupe-SUV in Spain. That last part—making money—is where things get complicated.

Krief is refreshingly honest about the challenges. Could Alpine build a supercar with its relatively small team? Yes. Could it make money doing so right now? Probably not. The engineering might be achievable, but the surrounding ecosystem—sales, service, customer experience—is just as critical, especially when buyers are dropping Ferrari money and expecting Ferrari-level treatment.

That’s where the Alpenglow fits in. For now, it’s a rolling manifesto rather than a pre-production promise. Alpine will continue to use it as a communications tool and, more importantly, as a laboratory for new ideas. Before taking the “last step” into a full-fledged supercar, Krief wants Alpine to grow as a brand and ensure it can deliver the kind of end-to-end experience supercar customers take for granted.

Still, don’t mistake patience for hesitation. The Alpenglow is already shaping Alpine’s future—just not in the way you might expect.

Look closely at the brand’s upcoming road cars and the influence is obvious. The next-generation electric A110 and the forthcoming A310 coupe and convertible will borrow heavily from the concept’s design language, especially up front. The sharp V-shaped nose and intricate lighting signatures have already begun filtering into production metal, most notably on the A390.

Underneath, Alpine’s future rides on the Alpine Performance Platform (APP), a modular, lightweight architecture designed to underpin the brand’s next wave of sports cars. While Alpine’s immediate focus is electric, APP is flexible enough to support hybrid powertrains—and Krief’s background suggests that capability isn’t accidental.

Back in May 2025, Krief tipped his hand on what a future Alpine halo car might look like mechanically. A pure EV? Not likely. Instead, he favors a hybrid setup centered around a V-6 engine. Not a plug-in hybrid, but something lighter and more focused—hybridized for performance rather than efficiency. More power without betraying Alpine’s core philosophy.

That philosophy becomes even clearer when Krief talks inspiration. Rather than chasing a modern Ferrari 296 head-on, his dream points backward. Way backward.

“My dream is rather a modern Alpine interpretation of the Dino,” he said—referencing Ferrari’s compact, lightweight V-6 sports car from the late ’60s and early ’70s. Not a fire-breathing hypercar, but a balanced, driver-focused machine. Less about headline horsepower, more about feel. In other words, very Alpine.

For now, no final decisions have been locked in. Alpine has a packed four-year product roadmap to get through, and Krief is careful not to overpromise. But one idea clearly excites him: using the APP platform to do “extreme things.” That means limited-run, high-impact models that go beyond styling exercises and deliver genuine engineering substance.

Think along the lines of the A110 R Ultime, launched in 2024 with a staggering £267,000 price tag. Financially, that car already lives in supercar territory. Philosophically, it serves as a template—low volume, high ambition, and designed to elevate the entire brand rather than simply pad a balance sheet.

“A halo model for Alpine is a model for the whole organisation,” Krief explained. The goal isn’t to sell tens of thousands of units. It’s to push technology, raise execution standards, and create a new benchmark for what Alpine can deliver—while quietly boosting the appeal of its more attainable models.

And yes, profitability still matters. Krief has seen it done at the highest level, and he knows it’s possible to build exotic cars that both market a brand and make money. But timing, as he stresses, is everything.

So if you’re waiting for an Alpine supercar to take on Ferrari and McLaren tomorrow, keep waiting. But if you’re watching a brand carefully lay the groundwork for something lighter, sharper, and unmistakably Alpine, pay attention. The dream is real. Alpine just wants to make sure it gets it right.

Source: Alpine

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Alpine Hints at Larger Electric SUV

Alpine is entering a period of rapid expansion, and the scale of its ambition is becoming increasingly clear. Over the next few years, the French performance brand will roll out a string of electric models, starting with the A390 mid-size coupe-SUV, followed by an all-electric A110 sports car and the A310 2+2 coupe. Beyond those confirmed arrivals, the roadmap becomes less defined, but Alpine’s long-term goal remains firm: a seven-car EV line-up, with room at the top for a potential flagship SUV.

That possibility was strongly hinted at during the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Alpine’s head of design, Antony Villain, spoke to Auto Express. “We need something for the D and E segment,” he said – a clear indication that Alpine is considering a larger, range-topping model to sit above the recently revealed A390.

A Bigger Alpine, But Not at Any Cost

At the A390’s launch, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief offered further insight into how the company’s thinking has evolved. While there are still no confirmed plans for a US market entry, it remains firmly on Alpine’s radar. If that move were to happen, Krief admits that the electric A110 alone might not be sufficient to support dealers and partners in such a competitive market.

“We will be ready to go to the US with APP,” Krief explained, referring to Alpine’s new Alpine Performance Platform. “We need to go to the US with A110 because this is the heart of Alpine. But in the US, maybe, it won’t be enough… maybe we need to have something more.”

That “something more” was once envisioned as a large SUV, but Alpine is now reassessing what form a US-focused model should take. The priority, Krief stresses, is volume – but never at the expense of brand identity. “We certainly need a model with higher volumes, but don’t want to make the mistake of going to the US with a big car that is outside the DNA of the brand.”

Redefining the SUV Formula

Alpine itself is reluctant to label the A390 as a conventional SUV, preferring the term “sports fastback”. The description fits: the car is only a centimetre taller than the A290 hot hatch, with a sweeping roofline and muscular haunches that prioritise style and driving engagement over outright interior space. With up to 464bhp from its tri-motor, all-wheel-drive set-up, the A390 represents Alpine’s interpretation of what a larger performance EV should be.

That philosophy could carry over to a future flagship, potentially badged A590. Krief sees the A390 as proof that Alpine can offer an emotional alternative to the mainstream SUV template. “The A390 feels like an SUV that is completely different,” he said. “If we are not able to do a car with this kind of feeling, we won’t do the car.”

Where the A590 Would Fit

While unconfirmed, the A590 name would align neatly with Alpine’s current naming strategy. Models ending in ‘90’ fall under the brand’s internal “Versatility” family, which includes the A290 and A390, while the more purist “Iconic” cars – such as the A110 and future A310 – carry ‘10’ suffixes.

Technically, the path forward is less straightforward. Unlike the electric A110, which will sit on the bespoke APP platform, the A390 uses a heavily modified version of Renault’s AmpR Medium architecture, shared with cars like the Scenic, Megane and Nissan Ariya. In its current form, this platform tops out at around 4.6 metres in length, which could limit how far Alpine can stretch it for a true D- or E-segment SUV.

A potential A590 would need to take on heavy hitters such as the BMW iX, Lotus Eletre and the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV – all of which push close to the five-metre mark. Renault has previously suggested the platform could support up to seven-seat vehicles, but whether it can realistically underpin a full-size flagship remains an open question.

Design Consistency, Driver Focus

What is certain is that Alpine intends to maintain a strong and recognisable design identity across its EV range. Expect the brand’s signature quad-headlight ‘V’ motif, a curved rear window inspired by a crash helmet visor, and a flowing roofline to continue. The dramatic Alpenglow hydrogen hypercar concept offers a glimpse of how this language will evolve, with future models set to borrow more of its visual drama.

Inside, Alpine is equally determined to stand apart. While newer models like the A290 and A390 have embraced larger screens, the brand remains committed to driver focus and usability. “Alpine drivers want to focus on driving and you don’t want screens everywhere,” Villain said, emphasising that physical buttons will continue to play a key role. “Buttons are important for Alpine… our cars will have lots of physical buttons.”

The Bigger Picture

A flagship Alpine SUV is far from confirmed, but the intent is clear. As the brand expands beyond its lightweight sports car roots, it is carefully exploring how to grow without diluting what makes an Alpine an Alpine. If an A590 does arrive, it won’t be about chasing trends or simply going bigger – it will be about proving that even at the top of the range, driving emotion still comes first.

Source: Alpine

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Alpine’s Electric A110: The Soul of a Sports Car, Rewired for 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for Alpine. The A110—the lightweight, mid-engined sports car that resurrected the brand and re-established its credibility with enthusiasts—is going electric. For purists, that sentence alone is enough to raise eyebrows. For Alpine, however, it’s the boldest statement yet in its ambition to become France’s answer to Porsche.

In a recent teaser outlining the brand’s roadmap to 2026, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief struck a confident tone. “With the next generation we will evolve, but keep the original DNA and spirit,” he said. “The result is just fantastic.” Krief also hinted that within the first six months of 2026, Alpine will begin revealing what he describes as “really exciting news” surrounding the electric A110’s arrival.

That confidence isn’t empty rhetoric. Krief—formerly Ferrari’s director of engineering—and ex-Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo have already shared substantial technical detail about the car with Auto Express, painting a picture of an EV developed with genuine sports car intent rather than compliance-led electrification.

The new A110 will sit on a dedicated electric sports car platform and targets a kerb weight of around 1,450kg. In the context of modern EVs, that figure is striking—and it puts the Alpine in the same ballpark as a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS. Range is expected to exceed 350 miles, while propulsion will come from two in-wheel motors. Krief is coy on power figures, but insists there will be “more than enough power—I can guarantee it.”

More intriguing is how far Alpine plans to push the A110 lineage. The electric coupe will form the foundation of a broader family, with a soft-top A110 Spyder already confirmed and an all-wheel-drive variant under consideration. The latter could borrow technology from the tri-motor setup being developed for the upcoming A390 electric SUV, signalling that Alpine sees performance EVs as modular, scalable products rather than one-off halo cars.

This strategy is central to Renault Group’s wider plan for Alpine. With factory-backed programmes in Formula One and the World Endurance Championship, the brand has serious racing credibility. The challenge now is translating that pedigree into a sustainable, seven-model premium line-up that can compete at the cutting edge of performance and technology. The A110 is the emotional and technical cornerstone of that vision—but its success depends on profitability elsewhere, particularly from higher-volume models like the low-slung A390 SUV.

Before departing Renault, Luca de Meo made no secret of his ambitions. “[The A110] is our iconic product, the Porsche 911 of Alpine,” he said. The historical symmetry is hard to ignore: the original A110 debuted in 1963, the same year Porsche launched the 911. Six decades on, Alpine is once again positioning its sports car as a long-term icon—this time in an electric era.

Full details of the electric A110 are expected to be confirmed in the first half of 2026, with a complete unveiling likely later in the year, potentially at the Paris Motor Show in October. Sales should begin in early 2027, followed by the A110 Spyder in 2028. Shortly after, Alpine plans to expand the platform further with the A310—a larger 2+2 coupe and convertible aimed squarely at the Porsche 911 itself.

For Alpine, electrification isn’t about abandoning character; it’s about redefining it. If the company delivers on its promises, the electric A110 could prove that “soul” isn’t tied to cylinders or fuel—but to intent, engineering and how a car makes you feel when the road opens up ahead.

Source: Alpine