There was a time in history where French automaker Renault had a brief but noted presence on the North American market. If you scour autoTRADER.ca today, you can probably still find a few used Renaults up for sale dating back to the early 90s. Today, the manufacturer sells in countries across the world, but Canada does not appear on the list anymore. And sometimes we wish it still was; especially with the release of Renault's latest sport coupe concept, the Alpine Vision.
Does it look familiar? Of course it does! The Alpine Vision is Renault's riposte to the Porsche Cayman and Alfa Romeo 4C and borrows some styling cues from its competitors-to-be, such as the rounded, sloping hood with the ovoid headlights. The silhouette feels slightly more symmetrical and maybe a tad less refined than its German and Italian counterparts'. The design also draws inspiration from the 1969 Alpine A110 Berlinette. The concept is also a clear indication of Renault's aesthetic direction with Alpine, a brand they hope to revive.
In the words of Renault chairman and CEO Carlo Ghosn, motorsport and sports cars are deeply rooted in the Group's DNA, words not to be taken lightly considering the manufacturer announced their return in Formula 1 racing.
The Alpine Vision sports a four-cylinder turbocharged engine that can allow the car to achieve the 0 to 100km/h in under 4.5 seconds. No further detail has trickled out regarding the concept. By the time the model meets with the Dieppe production line, and Renault promises it will, we might hope to see a return of the French brand in North America.
