Alpine sports car Vision revealed 16 | 02 | 2016
THE ALPINE SPORTS car is back, well almost: and this is the latest official hint at how the famous Renault sub-brand will look when it finally goes on-sale in Scotland next year (see more photographs of the Alpine Vision Concept).
Ahead of its unveiling at next month's Geneva Motor Show, this Alpine Vision concept — unveiled near Monaco this week — previews the production model bosses claim will be ready for sale in 2017.
Following on from the concepts displayed at last year's Le Mans 24 Hours and the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Alpine Vision remains strictly a concept.
Despite that, the company claims it’s capable of 0-62mph in less than 4.5 seconds, thanks in part to its lightweight, mid-engine layout.
According to Alpine design director, Antony Villain, the Vision “ticks all the boxes expected of a modern, exclusive Alpine sports car. It blends a fiery spirit, inspired by motorsport success, with Alpine’s legendary expertise, plus a French flavour found in every detail”.
Similar to the concept which appeared at Le Mans last June, the Vision concept gets a low, sleek profile with sculpted sides which mould into pronounced rear haunches. These narrow to give the illusion of an elongated tail, but the twin exhausts previously seen have become a single pipe in the centre of the rear bumper.
Related: Renault hints at RS Alpine
What's of greater significance though is, these latest photographs give us a first glimpse into the interior of the Alpine's futuristic cockpit.
Here the designers have used a complex array of leather, fabric, aluminium and carbon fibre to give the car a modern yet retro feel. The quilted bucket seats are accompanied by race-inspired harness seatbelts, while the doors get black leather trim with contrasting white stitching.
Located in front of the driver, the instrument panel comprises a customisable TFT display, flanked by sporty carbon fibre.
The steering wheel is trimmed in thick black leather, framed by the automatic gearbox’s shift paddles. The buttons and air vents are backlit in Alpine Blue.
The standard Alpine is set to be powered by an all-new 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine with around 250bhp. It's expected this will be followed by a racier model, tuned Renaultsport version, with possibly more than 300bhp.
Naturally Renault is remaining tight-lipped about prices, but expect the standard Alpine — the production car revealed before the end of 2016 — to cost anything around £45,000, with the Renaultsport version nudging over the £50k mark.
Related: F1 to bost Renaultsport sales
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Jim McGill