The current project to replace the Alpine A110 has just fallen through. Explanations.
You are never better served than by yourself. This will perhaps be the lesson that will be learned by the management of the Dieppe manufacturer which, once again, is ending its collaboration with a major manufacturer which aimed to develop a brand new model. Indeed, at the beginning of the 2010s, Alpine had already thanked the British firm Caterham with which it was then considering the genesis of what will become the new A110, in 2017. Rebelote this year after the announcement of Lotus, published on May 22: ” more than two years of working on the vision of a future electric-powered sports car, Lotus and Alpine have decided not to pursue joint development of a sports car.
The future Alpine A110, initially planned to be 100% electric, will therefore have to wait, although it was scheduled for 2026. According to our colleagues from L’Argus, differences as to the mode of propulsion of this Berlinette and its English alter ego would be the cause of this rupture. While the Chinese giant Geely, owner of Lotus, is considering an exclusively electric future for its range, Alpine would finally opt for a multi-energy vision of its coupé in order to leave the choice between electric or thermal engine to its future customers. The recent advances inherent in synthetic fuels, in particular advocated by Porsche, seem to have had repercussions on the policy of Alpine which, for its part, would consider supplying this future block with hydrogen.
Restyling of the A110 required to wait
Therefore, it is difficult to imagine Alpine respecting its initial schedule which provided for the deployment of its A290 city car in 2024, followed by the A390 SUV in 2025, then the new Berlinette the following year. This could ultimately be postponed to 2027, or even 2028, further extending the life cycle of the current A110. A situation that will probably push Alpine to restyle this model in order to refresh its face and its services, the beautiful beginning despite everything to show the weight of the years.
Other projects with Lotus
Lotus, however, states that ” We will continue to discuss other future opportunities”, hinting at a potential collaboration in the development of future D- and E-segment SUVs planned by Alpine by the end of this decade. We bet that the replacement for the Lotus Eletre will be used to develop the future high-performance crossovers of the French brand.
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