Alpine is the French answer to Porsche and Lotus. A subsidiary of Renault, they build cars defined by one rule: agility above all else. Famous for the rallying A110 Berlinette and winning the first-ever World Rally Championship, Alpine proves you don't need a big engine to be fast; you just need to be light.
Explore the current production vehicles.
The legendary French sports car, reborn. The modern A110 is a masterpiece of lightweight, mid-engine design that delivers one of the purest, most agile, and most joyful driving experiences in the world. A true connoisseur's alternative to a Porsche Cayman.
The 'Berlinette,' a rally-winning icon. The original A110 was a tiny, rear-engine, fiberglass-bodied marvel that became the first-ever World Rally Champion. Its beauty, agility, and giant-killing performance have made it a true automotive legend.
The final evolution of the classic Alpine GT. The A610 was a powerful, rear-engine, turbocharged V6 sports car, a true French exotic that represented the pinnacle of the brand's grand touring heritage before its long hiatus. A rare and potent 90s classic.
The futuristic, wedge-shaped sports car of the 1980s. The GTA was a lightweight, fiberglass-bodied GT with a rear-mounted V6 engine, famous for its incredible aerodynamic efficiency and sharp, modern styling. A true icon of its era.
The future of the electric hot hatch. The upcoming A290 is a high-performance, all-electric city car based on the Renault 5, designed to bring Alpine's legendary agility and fun-to-drive character to a new, sustainable generation of drivers.
A stunning vision of the future of sustainable performance. The Alpenglow is a radical, hydrogen-powered hypercar concept that showcases Alpine's future design language and its commitment to a zero-emissions, high-performance future, both on the road and at Le Mans.
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In the mountains of France, horsepower doesn't matter. Agility matters. This is the philosophy of Alpine (pronounced Al-peen), founded by Jean Rédélé in 1955. Using humble Renault engines, he built lightweight fiberglass sports cars that could dance around heavy Ferraris and Porsches on snowy mountain passes.
Alpine is not about straight-line speed; it is about the joy of driving. It is the French equivalent of Lotus, but with a bit more style and a lot more rally pedigree.
The car that defined the brand is the A110 (1961â1977). It was tiny, rear-engined (like a Porsche 911), and incredibly low.
Its moment of glory came in 1973, the inaugural year of the World Rally Championship (WRC). Alpine didn't just win; they dominated. They took the top three spots at the Monte Carlo Rally and won the championship by a landslide. The image of a blue A110 sliding sideways in the snow is one of the most iconic images in motorsport history.
After being dormant since 1995, Renault revived the brand in 2017 with a new A110. It is a modern masterpiece.
It is a mid-engine sports car that weighs almost nothing (by modern standards). Automotive journalists frequently rank it above the Porsche 718 Cayman for pure driving fun. While the Porsche is clinically perfect, the Alpine is playful, loose, and eager to rotate. It is a car that wants to play.
Here is the bad news for American readers: You cannot buy one.
Alpine does not currently sell cars in the United States. The new A110 is illegal to import because it doesn't meet US crash standards (and Renault doesn't want to pay to certify it). This makes it one of the most coveted "forbidden fruits" for US enthusiasts. If you see one in America, it arguably has manufacturer plates or is visiting from Mexico.
If you want an Alpine in the US, you are looking at the vintage market:
Alpine is for the driver who values finesse over brute force. It is a reminder that the best way to go fast is to add lightness.
As of 2026, Alpine is in the final stages of its North American expansion strategy. The French brand has confirmed an official US market entry for the 2027 model year. This move is spearheaded by a new generation of 100% electric vehicles designed specifically with American safety and performance standards in mind.
While the iconic internal combustion A110 was not officially sold in the US, the upcoming "Dream Garage"âconsisting of the A110 EV, the A390 crossover, and a large electric SUVâwill be available through a dedicated retail network currently being established in major luxury hubs across the United States.
The Alpine A110 R Ultime is the ultimate "swan song" for the gasoline-powered A110, limited to just 110 units globally. It features a tuned 1.8-liter turbocharged engine producing 345 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque when using high-octane fuel (RON 102).
With a 0-60 mph time of approximately 3.7 seconds and an AkrapoviÄ® titanium exhaust, this model represents the peak of Alpineâs internal combustion engineering. Although primarily for the European and Japanese markets, several units have been secured by US collectors for "Show or Display" use due to their historical significance.
Yes. Under the 25-year import rule, any Alpine vehicle manufactured at least 25 years ago is exempt from DOT and EPA restrictions. In 2026, this officially includes all original 1960s/70s A110s and even early 2000s models like the Renault Sport Spider (often associated with Alpine heritage).
Importing these requires filing NHTSA Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1. These vehicles are highly prized at US events like The Quail for their rally-winning pedigree and lightweight fiberglass construction.
The Alpine A390 GT is an all-electric "sport fastback" SUV designed to compete with the Porsche Macan Electric. It features a tri-motor AWD system and an 89 kWh battery pack, delivering roughly 400 horsepower.
Built on the Ampere-developed platform, the A390 GT is the cornerstone of Alpineâs 2027 US launch. It offers a 0-60 mph time of under 4.8 seconds and focuses on active torque vectoring to maintain the brandâs signature agility in a larger, family-friendly footprint.
The upcoming Alpine A110 EV (scheduled for a late 2026 debut) utilizes a dedicated 800V electrical architecture. This allows for ultra-fast charging, capable of adding 80% range in approximately 15-20 minutes at a 350 kW DC fast charger.
Targeting a weight of around 3,000 lbs (1,400 kg), it aims to be one of the lightest electric sports cars in the US market. Early engineering goals suggest a range of nearly 370 miles (WLTP), providing plenty of capacity for American weekend canyon runs.
The Alpine A290, a high-performance version of the Renault 5 EV, is currently focused on the European market. While its compact dimensions make it perfect for cities like Paris or London, Alpine has not yet confirmed the A290 for a US release in 2026.
However, US enthusiasts are monitoring the brand closely, as the A290 GTS trim produces 220 hp and features a "boost" button on the steering wheel derived from Alpineâs Formula 1 technology, making it a potential rival for the electric Mini Cooper SE.
The Alpine Performance Platform (APP) is a bespoke, modular architecture developed entirely in-house for Alpineâs future sports cars. Unlike shared group platforms, the APP is optimized for extreme lightness and mid-engine-style weight distribution.
This platform will underpin the 2027 US-bound electric A110, an upcoming A110 Roadster, and the revived A310 four-seater. Its flexibility allows for dual-motor RWD or tri-motor AWD setups, ensuring every electric Alpine maintains the "Agile" DNA of the original 1955 brand.
The modern A110 was designed by Antony Villain and his team, who successfully reinterpreted the iconic lines of the 1960s A110 Berlinette for the 21st century. The design focuses on compactness and aerodynamics without the need for a large rear spoiler on the base models.
For the upcoming US electric models, the design language is evolving into the "Pu+Ra" aesthetic seen on the A390 concept, featuring slim LED light signatures and aggressive, wind-sculpted bodywork.
The BWT Alpine F1 Team serves as a high-speed laboratory for Alpineâs road-going EVs. Technologies such as energy management software, advanced carbon fiber composites, and aerodynamic simulation tools are directly transferred to the "Dream Garage" models coming to the US.
Owners of the A110 R Ultime, for example, benefit from an Aero Kit that provides 100 kg of downforce at track speeds, a direct result of F1 wind-tunnel testing in Enstone and Viry-Châtillon.
Yes, Alpine is the dedicated premium sports brand of the Renault Group. Following a reorganization in 2021, Alpine absorbed the Renault Sport (R.S.) division, making it the sole flagship for all high-performance and racing activities within the group.
This corporate backing provides Alpine with the financial stability and technical resources (including the Ampere EV software division) necessary to successfully launch a luxury brand in the competitive United States automotive market.