Podcast Episode Details

Alpine Is Eyeing America, but an SUV May Decide Its Fate

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Alpine is Renault's performance brand, and its long-rumoured arrival in the United States has had a few tariff-related speed bumps along the way. But the idea is far from abandoned. Talk of an Alpine A110 for American buyers, paired with the possibility of a performance SUV, suggests the brand is still serious about crossing the Atlantic. The conversation has shifted from whether Alpine should come to America to what it would need to launch with to actually survive there.

The A110 is Alpine's Anchor

In an interview with Auto Express, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief made it clear that any US expansion has to start with the A110. Not because it is the most commercially sensible product, but because it defines what Alpine is. Even as Alpine pivots deeper into electrification, the A110 remains its philosophical north star. Lightweight, focused, and built for drivers rather than spec sheets. That same thinking trickles down to the rest of the lineup, including the A290 electric hot hatch. That said, the A110 also exposes a hard truth. While American enthusiasts have shown increasing interest in distinctive, niche sports cars, that audience alone doesn't always translate into sales. Alpine understands that passion builds credibility, but it does not keep showrooms open.

A Performance SUV Makes Sense

If the A110 builds the brand, something else would have to keep it afloat. Krief has acknowledged that Alpine needs a higher-volume product for the US, and history shows that SUVs sell like hotcakes, even ultra-expensive performance SUVs. The issue is size and positioning. Alpine’s current A390 electric crossover is compact by American standards, especially in a market where larger SUVs are the norm. A bigger performance SUV, closer in spirit to an electric Porsche Cayenne than the smaller Macan, would make far more sense. The risk, as Krief told Auto Express, is diluting Alpine’s identity by chasing mass appeal. The balancing act, as Krief told Auto Express, is ensuring such a vehicle does not drift too far from Alpine’s DNA. To make matters even more complicated, demand for EVs has dropped significantly over the year, leading to aging EVs piling up on dealer lots.

Alpine's Cautious Roadmap, but Promising Future

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Published on 3 days, 1 hour ago