Photo: Renault
According to a report from British publication AutoCar, the Renault Alpine sportscar's debut has been pushed back. The reason for this is not powertrain development, at least not yet, but styling.
A crucial part of Renault's revival, the Alpine is hotly anticipated by fans of the brand. The architecture of the car is being developed together with Caterham, who will have their own version with a different engine and styling.
The Renault version will place a higher emphasis on design, will be heavier and more powerful, plus it's expected to cost more. Autocar reports that a mockup of the Alpine coupe was shown to a test group of people with "mixed results". Of course, any rival to the Porsche Cayman needs to be absolutely stunning if it's to have any chance of success, so a rethink is taking place.
Going back to the drawing board will cost Renault precious time, as the debut could be pushed back to 2016 or later. The bad news isn't limited to the French carmaker, as Caterham has finished their design already, but won't be able to put it into production until their partner is ready as well.
When asked about the validity of these supposed problems, Caterham CEO Graham Macdonald politely said that "there are ongoing frustrations on both sides, but we knew there would be challenges from the start."
The Renault version will place a higher emphasis on design, will be heavier and more powerful, plus it's expected to cost more. Autocar reports that a mockup of the Alpine coupe was shown to a test group of people with "mixed results". Of course, any rival to the Porsche Cayman needs to be absolutely stunning if it's to have any chance of success, so a rethink is taking place.
Going back to the drawing board will cost Renault precious time, as the debut could be pushed back to 2016 or later. The bad news isn't limited to the French carmaker, as Caterham has finished their design already, but won't be able to put it into production until their partner is ready as well.
When asked about the validity of these supposed problems, Caterham CEO Graham Macdonald politely said that "there are ongoing frustrations on both sides, but we knew there would be challenges from the start."
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