The tie-up recalls Lotus-Renault collaborations of the past that began with a Renault engine in the Lotus Europa of the 1970s. In a quirk of fate it is also interesting to recall that Alpine’s renaissance was initially in collaboration with Caterham Cars. That didn’t work out but it didn’t stop Renault backing a new A110 that has gone on since launch to garner plaudits all around the world.
Little more is known about the new electric A110 at this stage except that it will be part of what Alpine calls its 100 per cent electric line-up. It has long been known that Lotus is working on an electric sportscar as more affordable foil to the Evija halo model, suggesting synergies with an Alpine version are likely.
Alpine is not stopping at sportscars. Its “electric dream garage” also includes a 100 per cent electric B-segment hot hatch based on the new CMF-B EV platform developed with Nissan. There will also be an electric Alpine SUV: a performance sports crossover based on a larger version of the same EV platform.
“We’ll be on the tracks and on the roads, authentic and high-tech, disruptive and passionate,” says new Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi.
“We’re putting F1 at the heart of our business, leveraging our in-house expertise and best-in-class partners such as Lotus to inject our cars with leading-edge performance, technology and motorisation. This collaboration along with our transformation mark the beginning of a new era in which we’ll be taking the Alpine name and line-up to the future.”