- 27,163
- United Kingdom
The Renault Alpine- official pics of the new A110
- Thread starter RocZX
- 512 comments
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- 7,928
- Wreckage, Turn 1
- PrecisionXCIV
From the side view it appears there is more metal between the ground and the top of the car, look at how much bulkier the front bumper is for instance. The ND has smaller dimensions than the NA in some aspects but the new car looks beefier.
- 27,163
- United Kingdom
Missed this before. I really hope it's manual too. I'm far from being a manual elitist, but Renault doesn't have a good track record of making quick, responsive DCTs, and they do have a reasonable track record of making good manuals - the one in the Megane RS is pretty snappy and pre-DCT Clios were good too. I know shift quality can suffer in a mid-engined layout but I'd be prepared to take that chance rather than have a poorly set-up DCT that strips the fun out of it, à la Alfa 4C.
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- 11,327
- Marin County
A VQ35 powered, sub 3,000lbs, manual trans equipped, midship coupe from quirky Alpine would be something high on my want list. Please make it. Please sell it in the US.
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
Maybe? I personally think there is plenty of room in what I'd largely consider the "entry level luxury" group of cars, sporting or otherwise. I think an Alpine product, priced reasonably, with familiar parts could do well - but I'm of the mindset that Nissan would have to sign off on the whole thing. If there is one thing that will completely cripple the Alfa Romeo launch, it'll be the absolutely abysmal number of dealers, particularly as the product lineup unfolds enough to be a reasonable alternative to Acura, Volvo, Buick and the like.
- 6,041
- Puget Sound
- Crash852
Agreed on that one.
Maybe they'll be better once the mainstream Alfa stuff starts arriving, but from what I've read so far, it isn't the lack of dealers but dealers themselves. The 4C launch dealer experience so far have generally left a lot to be desired, and it doesn't help that cars are not arriving when they are promised and with almost no useful communication from Alfa Romeo USA or Alfa Romeo headquarters.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
Oddly enough, I had a weird experience with this yesterday.
Stopped by my "big" FCA dealer to take a look at a used Chevy Sonic, and on my way out, I decided to stop by the Fiat/Alfa/Maserati end to see if they had anything new. Turns out they had a new 500X, first in the area, as well as a 4C tucked away in a special place inside. I happened to talk to the GM of that end of the dealer, and right away we got off on the right foot talking about what's good and what's not these days, and he had a whole list of complaints about how FCA handles their deliveries on almost everything.
Apparently it is an absolute madhouse when it comes to ordering, as each brand is operated completely independently of one another. Maserati will deliver exactly what they want, when they want it, never is their supply constrained. Fiat and Alfa, on the other hand, is a scattershot bunch of orders and deliveries, more dependent on what FCA thinks will sell in West Michigan than what will actually sell. According to him, when they're ordering Fiats and Alfas, they fill out a vague list of things that they'd want, and they might get some of it. Its how they ended up with this really slick chocolate brown 500, but he knows it'll be harder to move because of the stick and color combo. The 4C on the other hand? They got two, sold them immediately, and then the supply dried up. The 4C they have currently they bought from another dealer - at invoice - and brought it up here. To have as a display. That'll be sold, eventually. What?
The GM is really excited to have Alfas, particularly when they offer a 3/C/ATS sized competitor in the next year or so. But if the ordering is that bad, man, I don't know if I envy his position.
- 6,041
- Puget Sound
- Crash852
That confirms everything that I've read about FCA and Alfa dealers ordering the 4C. Cars that they didn't order would sometimes randomly show up on the lot, while cars that were ordered won't be delivered until months after when they were supposed to arrive, and when they do, with no notification beforehand. For some dealers, they would take a customer deposit and put in an order, but Alfa Italy won't acknowledge that they have received the order, leaving it in limbo. Then there are 4Cs that are shown in the build tracking system that they're built and at dock, but then would sit at dock for 2 or 3 months with no movement. All this is not even considering that, like you mentioned, FCA would ship cars to dealers with options that they think would sell rather than taking dealer input. Or FCA wouldn't ship any regular 4Cs to the US until most if not all the Launch Edition ones were sold, and when the regular edition 4Cs came, they were all required to have at least an option package that would boost the MSRP significantly above the advertised base model price.
I was really interested in the 4C, but reading all the stories and woes online makes me really glad that I'm not buying one new and dealing with that crap.
I just hope Alpine would have something better than that figured out and have all their ducks in a row if they do decide to offer something for sale.
I was really interested in the 4C, but reading all the stories and woes online makes me really glad that I'm not buying one new and dealing with that crap.
I just hope Alpine would have something better than that figured out and have all their ducks in a row if they do decide to offer something for sale.
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- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
This was the problem with the Dart launch two/three years ago, it was a problem with the 500 launch however long ago that was, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same thing with the Jeep Renegade, too. Base trim models loaded with unnecessary features, higher trim models with mind-boggling packaging choices - all reason why they won't sell, with prices over-inflated. I seem to remember something from last year where the average MSRP on a Dart was north of $23k, but the ones that were selling were all under $20k, and Dodge wanted to better meet that demand. Thus far, I haven't seen any of that.
I was under the impression the first two 4Cs they got weren't Launch Editions, but the third one that they currently have, is... Somewhere around #160 or so. With a $5000 market adjustment.
RocZX
Premium
- 8,849
- New York
Patent drawing of the production Alpine from Dec. 2014
http://www.automobile-magazine.fr/actualites/scoops/renault/retour_d_alpine
http://www.automobile-magazine.fr/actualites/scoops/renault/retour_d_alpine
- 9,232
- Valongo
- Hcclipper
Well, that's almost exactly like the latest Alpine concept car minus the paint scheme and the cross tape headlights (and rims). Barely any differences as it is. It doesn't seem to have a rear spoiler, however, which is curious. A neat rear-center-mounted exhaust tip as well.
- 11,327
- Marin County
I like it a lot. I like that it doesn't look like everything else. I like that it has relatively subtle detailing. I like that it's pretty. Please bring it to the USA with a $30k starting price. Please.
- 5,065
- Fort Worth
- That_sneaky_azN
Is it weird that I could see this as a roadster?Patent drawing of the production Alpine from Dec. 2014
http://www.automobile-magazine.fr/actualites/scoops/renault/retour_d_alpine
- 15,316
- TRAPPIST-1g
- ProjectWHaT
That would be amazing and make me regret buying my Genesis.
But I'm guessing it's going to start bare bones at $60k and none will be sold bare bones.
Basically the same as the 4C.
- 11,327
- Marin County
I'm not sure it will be that high. Alfa at least had the illusion in the states of a once great marque. Memories of sporty little red roadsters. Marinade that in enough years with rosy-enough tinted welding goggles to forget some of the more tragic offerings, and you can sell a blood red Alfa for $60k.
Renault though? Nobody old enough to remember Renault's last visit to the states would have fond or nostalgic memories of them. The Le Car is probably what people would remember, and that's not good. And Alpine? Not a chance, the name has zero marketing cache in the US. I don't think they could sell a $60k Renault in the US fresh off the boat.
Aside from the Alliance, which was actually worse, this is what most people in the US probably remember a Renault as.
Edit: The Audi TT starts at just about $40k here. I could see Renault trying to compete with the TT. 40k seems like a fair place to start with a 4 cylinder.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
The problem Alpine would have here, at best, would be people confusing it with Alpina.
I think that, if Nissan/Renault would decide to sell the car in North America, they'd have to handle it like they did for the GT-R's launch. Aside from the GT/Forza kids, it was a relatively unknown property in the US, and it managed to do quite well. Although French vehicles don't have quite as much of a fanbase (I think we could make a better case for Citroen in the States than Renault), doing a special corner of a Nissan dealer to sell a reasonably affordable sports car alongside the GT-R, with a promise for it to be serviced at any Nissan dealer, it could do well.
At $40-60k, it would be a very interesting Cayman and TT competitor, but Nissan might not like it eating some of the G37/Q40(?) lunch.
- 7,928
- Wreckage, Turn 1
- PrecisionXCIV
New Renault Alpine set to utilise a Turbocharged 1800cc engine with up to 300hp.
Interestingly, the power unit is based on the 1.6 TCe found in the Clio RS (pictured above). And like the Alfa Romeo 4C, there are no plans for a manual offering.
Interestingly, the power unit is based on the 1.6 TCe found in the Clio RS (pictured above). And like the Alfa Romeo 4C, there are no plans for a manual offering.
- 9,232
- Valongo
- Hcclipper
Argh, no manual option? That's a minus in my book, sadly. It really seems that Alpine is planning to rival the Alfa Romeo 4C, and many aspects are similar. Turbocharged engines, automatic gearboxes... I do like the power output, as long as the chassis can handle it...
- 9,232
- Valongo
- Hcclipper
Well, I wasn't expecting it to have only a manual transmission. I was merely expecting at least a secondary option to have one. But alas, Alpine has opted to offer just an automatic. Nothing wrong about the deciding to do such, it's just that one driver could always wish to have his Alpine with a manual, that's all.
- 40,422
Did anyone really expect the hard edged 400hp V6 retro-ish screamer to make it to market 3 years later as a 250hp fart generator with blobby early 00s concept car styling? Expectations are irrelevant for a car that already had the goalposts moved so much, but it would have been nice.
- 27,163
- United Kingdom
I genuinely don't mind it having a DCT, as long as the DCT is actually good. The one in the Clio RS at the moment is not a good transmission. Nor is Alfa's DCT in the 4C, really.
I prefer the new Alpine to the A110-50 concept, honestly. The old one was great, as a concept. But the new one looks great as an actual car. Can't agree with the "early 00s concept car" thing either - in the metal it's every inch a modern-looking car. And one mercifully free of ridiculous details, superfluous flab, and gimmicks. Great proportions, too.
