Photo: Renault
Let's be honest; even though Renault has kept its word and is reviving the Alpine sportscar, we were caught totally unprepared. Somehow, we forgot to make a quick million on the stock market, so there's no way to buy it.
But we know the Alpine brand will try to mirror the successful strategy of Porsche. Does that mean the Alpine Vision Concept we saw earlier could also spawn a convertible? We certainly hope so after seeing this rendering by X-Tomi Design. Renault is good at making convertibles in many different styles. For example, the discontinued Wind model had a piece of metal that swings back, while the Megane CC has a complex folding hard-top configuration like the BMW 4 Series.
But there hasn't been a fabric top on a Renault since the Mk1 Megane of over a decade ago. This formula would be perfect for the Alpine. Because it's a small car, it could have a manually-operated top, just like the Miata. We are clearly overthinking this, especially when there's not a lot of information about the production car.
For now, we know only that the concept car shown by the French is 80% production-based. The rumors say that it will weigh 1.1 tons (2,425 lbs), making the Alpine a lot lighter than a Cayman but still heavier than the carbon-built Alfa Romeo 4C. Speaking of which, the Italians chose to make a Targa instead of a cabriolet. This simple solution would be ideal for preserving the structural rigidity and adding as little weight as possible. However, it just doesn't strike us as being French enough.
Renault is playing the engine card close to the chest, and nobody knows precisely what will power the Alpine revival. The last rumor suggested an all-new 1.8-liter turbo would be derived from the 1.6-liter of the Clio RS. We are aware that the Megane RS should also have such an engine, but it may be down on power. You see, while the least powerful Porsche 718 Boxster or Cayman packs 300 PS, the Alpine will offer between 250 and 300 PS.
Driving dynamics and style are critical, but losing a drag race against a Golf R might spoil the appeal of the Alpine sportscar.
But there hasn't been a fabric top on a Renault since the Mk1 Megane of over a decade ago. This formula would be perfect for the Alpine. Because it's a small car, it could have a manually-operated top, just like the Miata. We are clearly overthinking this, especially when there's not a lot of information about the production car.
For now, we know only that the concept car shown by the French is 80% production-based. The rumors say that it will weigh 1.1 tons (2,425 lbs), making the Alpine a lot lighter than a Cayman but still heavier than the carbon-built Alfa Romeo 4C. Speaking of which, the Italians chose to make a Targa instead of a cabriolet. This simple solution would be ideal for preserving the structural rigidity and adding as little weight as possible. However, it just doesn't strike us as being French enough.
Renault is playing the engine card close to the chest, and nobody knows precisely what will power the Alpine revival. The last rumor suggested an all-new 1.8-liter turbo would be derived from the 1.6-liter of the Clio RS. We are aware that the Megane RS should also have such an engine, but it may be down on power. You see, while the least powerful Porsche 718 Boxster or Cayman packs 300 PS, the Alpine will offer between 250 and 300 PS.
Driving dynamics and style are critical, but losing a drag race against a Golf R might spoil the appeal of the Alpine sportscar.
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