X

Alpine Vision Concept looks ready to battle Porsche, Lotus (pictures)

Renault has pledged to bring back French automaking brand Alpine, and here's the latest proof -- the Vision Concept, which leans heavily on the legendary A110 coupe for its design.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
01-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
1 of 18 Renault

Expect very compact dimensions and a focus on light weight in the production Alpine.

00-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
2 of 18 Renault

The Alpine Vision Concept is said to be 80 percent representative of a production model due next year.

14-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
3 of 18 Renault

The Vision Concept's nod to the storied A110 sports car is obvious.

02-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
4 of 18 Renault

The Vision Concept is mid-engined, unlike all other Alpines before it, which were rear-engined like the Porsche 911.

15-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
5 of 18 Renault

The split-light front-end design is this concept's clearest visual link to the A110.

16-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
6 of 18 Renault

The Vision Concept's rear three-quarter view is very attractive, with a powerful stance.

17-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
7 of 18 Renault

Those wide fender flares add visual aggression and promise planted handling.

13-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
8 of 18 Renault

It's no surprise the Alpine Vision Concept is being shown in these hues -- they're a riff on French racing colors.

03-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
9 of 18 Renault

Back to front, this Vision Concept is unexpectedly handsome and modern.

04-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
10 of 18 Renault

A unique open-wheel design shows off seriously large brake hardware.

05-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
11 of 18 Renault

Think parent company Renault doesn't have renewed motorsports ambitions for its Alpine brand?

06-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
12 of 18 Renault

Simple controls and a large TFT display dominate the driver-focused cockpit.

07-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
13 of 18 Renault

No manual transmission here, this is a paddle-shift unit.

08-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
14 of 18 Renault

Good visibility is important in sports cars, if often hard to come by. This concept looks better than most.

09-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
15 of 18 Renault

Supportive-looking seats and racing harnesses telegraph intent.

10-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
16 of 18 Renault

Alpine built its legend on mountain corners like this.

12-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
17 of 18 Renault

There's a bit of Audi in the concept's rear lighting, but that's no bad thing, is it?

11-alpine-vision-concept-leak.jpg
18 of 18 Renault

The future looks brighter for the Alpine brand than it has in years.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos