Alpine, the resurrected French sportscar maker, is clearly very confident that its upcoming return to the roads after a 20-year sabbatical has got keen drivers and keen collectors excited.
Despite the fact that the new Alpine is yet to be unveiled or even have little things like its engine size confirmed, the company is offering 1,955 people the chance to purchase a Première Édition, and to do so via a bespoke smartphone app.
Available for Android and iOS, the app will allow users to make a €2,000 deposit, to choose whether their car is finished in blue, white or black, and to pick which of the cars in the 1,955-model run they want. That number will be displayed on a dashboard-mounted plaque.
"The interest that the announcement of Alpine's return has generated across the globe inspired us to give sports car enthusiasts and Alpine fans early opportunity to reserve the new car. The Première Édition versions of the new model will be the first to come off the line, and we wanted to allow Alpine fans to choose the number of their car," said Alpine's Managing Director Michael van der Sande.
French automotive giant Renault, which owns the Alpine brand, has adopted the mantra "slow and steady wins the race" in its approach to breathing new life into the once great company. It's taken 10 years to get from initial idea to the Première Édition, partly due to shelving plans following the financial crisis, but partly because when the Alpine does go on sale, it won't be competing for sales with the Ford Focus RS or the Toyota GT86 -- it wants the Porsche Cayman's traditional customers.
"Alpines made such a mark because of the elegance of their designs, their nimble handling and their memorable successes in world class motor racing and rallying," said van der Sande.
So it has the same racing legacy - Alpine's on-track record stretches back to 1955 when the company was founded. And the new model, like the current Porsche Cayman, will have rear-wheel drive and a mid-mounted engine. What's more, the company has finally confirmed that this motor will enable the car to go from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
However, even with the bespoke app installed and the deposit paid, potential owners still have no idea how many cylinders that engine has or if it's turbocharged. All Alpine is saying about the launch model is that it will have "exclusive appointments" and will cost between €55,000 and €60,000.
As for the standard production model, expect to see it finally make its official debut at the 2017 Geneva motor show this March. Sales are expected to commence at the end of 2017 in Europe and Asia.
Comments
0 comment