All-New Alpine Sports Car Coming Before Year’s End

Renault is apparently adding the final touches to the all-new Alpine sports car, which is expected to be unveiled by the end of this year.

The as-of-yet-unnamed model will be presented during a standalone event, according to the brand’s chief, Michael van der Sande, who spoke with AutomotiveNewsEurope on the matter, at the sidelines of the 2016 Paris Auto Show.

“We will do something relevant to Alpine. We have so much history and future to talk about that we didn’t want to do it at a show”, van der Sande said.

Set to target the likes of the Alfa Romeo 4C, Porsche Cayman, and the Lotus Elise, the French two-seater will adopt a mid-engined and rear-wheel drive layout, and unlike some of its competitors, it will be “usable as a daily car“, according to the Alpine official. Rumor has it that its price tag will sit slightly above the €50,000 (~$55,000) mark and power should come from a 1.8-liter turbo’d four-banger, expected to develop approximately 250 horsepower, or even up to 300 horsepower, in a sportier variant.

The public’s reaction to it will be key to Alpine, which, depending on how well it will be received, will consider the introduction of other models.