Alpine has postponed its US launch but still plans to launch a range of larger electric luxury cars
The Renault-owned performance brand had planned a US launch for 2027 as part of its strategy to achieve 150,000 annual sales by 2030 but postponed the plans indefinitely after the Trump administration's imposition of a 25% import tariff on all European-built cars.
Key to its success in the US were to be a range of larger models to break into the D- and E-segments. These are understood to have included a Porsche Cayenne rival to sit above the Macan-sized A390, plus a further two E-segment cars by 2030 - possibly another SUV and a saloon in the vein of the Lotus Emeya.
Alpine's postponement of plans to launch in the US, the most important global market for these range-topping models, raised questions over their continued viability. But while the brand has not indicated that it is back on track for a Stateside rollout, it is still developing bigger cars as part of a push to bolster its premium positioning.
Speaking to reporters at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the company's chief designer, Antony Villain, said Alpine's goal is "more and more to move up now, rather to go down", so it will not launch any models smaller or more affordable than the A290 hot hatchback. Instead, it will shift its focus to larger and more profitable models.
Villain said: "We need something in the D- or E-segment, not especially for Europe, because Europe is still more a C-segment market. But if we want to expand more globally, we will need, probably, bigger cars.
"The US was in our plan. Of course with the situation, we put it on hold but the US is still the biggest market for sports cars - but not only: there are some other countries where they look for bigger cars. We have to find our ways, but yes we are still working on that."
Villain did not say which markets outside of the US and Europe the brand is now targeting with its new flagship models but said they will play an important role in Alpine's "emancipation" from its parent, Renault.
"Five years ago, Alpine was like a 13-year-old kid – needing money from their parents, a bit joyful and not fully serious," he said. "Now it's like we are becoming 18: we will need to find a job, make our own money, develop our own network - a bit more serious. But not too much.
"So it's emancipation, but still being in a group, because we have the chance to have a strong group behind us and that's something really strong. It's always playing between on which topics we need to be totally independent, and on which ones we really need to have the back office and the group behind us."
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