Alpine Cars
Euro · 4 models
Alpine: France's Lightweight Sports Car Icon
EuroAlpine is Renault's French sports car and motorsport brand, celebrated for lightweight, agile rear- and mid-engined sports cars and now pushing into electric performance.
Alpine models we cover
Alpine traces its roots to 1955, when Jean Redele, a Renault dealer and rally driver, began building lightweight sports cars using Renault mechanicals wrapped in fiberglass bodies. The philosophy was simple and enduring: keep weight low and the driving experience pure rather than chasing raw horsepower. That approach produced the original A110, a giant-killer in international rallying that beat far more powerful machinery on tight, technical stages.
The original A110 became a legend by winning the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally and taking the inaugural World Rally Championship manufacturers title in 1973, cementing Alpine's reputation as a scrappy, engineering-focused underdog. Renault took full ownership of Alpine in 1973, and the brand continued through the A310 and A610 before going dormant in 1995 as Renault folded its sports car ambitions into other projects for over two decades.
Alpine was revived in 2017 with an all-new A110 that recaptured the original's lightweight, mid-engined formula using modern aluminum construction and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, drawing praise as a more focused, lighter-weight alternative to cars like the Porsche Cayman. Today Alpine is expanding into electrification with models like the A290 hot hatch, and the brand carries its motorsport DNA forward as the name behind Alpine's Formula 1 team, alongside continued participation in endurance racing.
Frequently asked questions about Alpine
Who owns Alpine?
Alpine is owned by Renault. Jean Redele founded Alpine in 1955 using Renault mechanicals, and Renault took full ownership of the brand in 1973.
What is Alpine best known for?
Alpine is best known for lightweight, agile rear- and mid-engined sports cars, most famously the original A110 rally car and its modern successor.
Did Alpine win any major rallies?
Yes. The original Alpine A110 won the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally and captured the first World Rally Championship manufacturers title in 1973.
Is Alpine involved in Formula 1?
Yes. Alpine lends its name to Renault's Formula 1 team, reflecting the brand's long motorsport heritage alongside its road car lineup.
Is Alpine making electric cars?
Yes. Alpine is expanding into electrification with models such as the A290, an electric hot hatch, as part of the brand's shift toward EVs.
