Renault’s Alpine AS1 Sports Car On Track For 2016 Debut

Development of Renault’s reborn Alpine brand may have hit some hurdles early on, but a new interview with exective Bruno Ancelin reveals that the brand’s promised 2016 debut is still the target.

Announced in 2013, the reborn Alpine was originally expected to come out of a collaborative effort with Caterham, but differing opinions on how to proceed ultimately saw Renault buy out the British company’s share in the project.

Speaking with UK mag Auto Express in Geneva, Ancelin said that the first model in the new Alpine range, known as the ‘Alpine Sport 1’, will debut next year.

Ancelin added that more models will follow, although it remains to be decided if the range will consist of hardcore sports models only, and hybrid powertrains are also under consideration.

“Which technology and which kind of engines do we need, which kind of body styles, will all of them be sporty cars or will some of them be SUV?” Ancelin told Auto Express.

“We must address all these questions.”