Alpine still working on large electric SUVs despite shelving US launch
One SUV is thought to be a model designed to take on the Porsche Cayenne, while the other SUV would be the next step up in size. The sedan is expected to be a sedan around five metres in length.
Antony Villain, Alpine's chief designer, told Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed "we are working on [the large vehicle family] today".
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Mr Villain said it was necessary to have "something in the D- or E-segment" if the company is to "expand more globally".
Alpine's current European lineup consists of the A110 (bottom) mid-engine coupe, the A290 (above) — a hot version of the all-electric Renault 5 — and the A390 (below), a sporty electric "coupe" SUV.
Right now the A390 is the brand's largest car, and sits in the European C-segment. It measures 4615mm long, making it a little smaller than the first-generation Porsche Macan.
As part of the Renaultion plan, Alpine was aiming to sell 150,000 globally by 2030. A key component in reaching that figure was launching in the US by 2027.
In April this year, Renault indefinitely delayed Alpine's US launch due to the uncertainty around the tariff situation in the US.
As it stands, the tariff on cars imported to the US from the EU will rise to 30 per cent from August 1. The EU and US are currently negotiating an agreement that sources indicate will be similar to the one agreed to with Japan, where automotive imports are taxed at 15 per cent.
According to Mr Villain "there are some other countries where they look for bigger cars". Although the design chief wouldn't name names, the only other market where larger vehicles might sell in significant numbers is China.
It's not clear how Alpine could crack the Chinese market without producing vehicles there, as fully imported vehicles incur heavy tariffs.
Renault, Alpine's parent, currently doesn't sell any cars in China, but it does have a series of partnerships with Geely. The two operate a joint venture company to house their internal combustion engine development and production facilities, and Renault has access to some of Geely's platforms.
Under the plan announced in 2021, Renault would produce localised — namely restyled and rebadged — versions of Geely vehicles in South Korea.
Geely would in turn produce a clutch of Renault-ised Geely Group products in China. So far, the only fruit of this agreement is the made-in-South Korea Grand Koleos, which is essentially a lightly redesigned Geely Monjaro/Xingyue L.
If Alpine does end up developing and producing vehicles larger than the A390, it's unclear if they will come to Australia. The brand has says it will return to Australia with the A390, but other products have yet to be confirmed.
MORE: Everything Alpine
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Although Alpine isn't returning to the US as initially envisaged, the company is still working on two larger electric SUVs, and an electric sedan.
One SUV is thought to be a model designed to take on the Porsche Cayenne, while the other SUV would be the next step up in size. The sedan is expected to be a sedan around five metres in length.
Antony Villain, Alpine's chief designer, told Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed "we are working on [the large vehicle family] today".
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Mr Villain said it was necessary to have "something in the D- or E-segment" if the company is to "expand more globally".
Alpine's current European lineup consists of the A110 (bottom) mid-engine coupe, the A290 (above) — a hot version of the all-electric Renault 5 — and the A390 (below), a sporty electric "coupe" SUV.
Right now the A390 is the brand's largest car, and sits in the European C-segment. It measures 4615mm long, making it a little smaller than the first-generation Porsche Macan.
As part of the Renaultion plan, Alpine was aiming to sell 150,000 globally by 2030. A key component in reaching that figure was launching in the US by 2027.
In April this year, Renault indefinitely delayed Alpine's US launch due to the uncertainty around the tariff situation in the US.
As it stands, the tariff on cars imported to the US from the EU will rise to 30 per cent from August 1. The EU and US are currently negotiating an agreement that sources indicate will be similar to the one agreed to with Japan, where automotive imports are taxed at 15 per cent.
According to Mr Villain "there are some other countries where they look for bigger cars". Although the design chief wouldn't name names, the only other market where larger vehicles might sell in significant numbers is China.
It's not clear how Alpine could crack the Chinese market without producing vehicles there, as fully imported vehicles incur heavy tariffs.
Renault, Alpine's parent, currently doesn't sell any cars in China, but it does have a series of partnerships with Geely. The two operate a joint venture company to house their internal combustion engine development and production facilities, and Renault has access to some of Geely's platforms.
Under the plan announced in 2021, Renault would produce localised — namely restyled and rebadged — versions of Geely vehicles in South Korea.
Geely would in turn produce a clutch of Renault-ised Geely Group products in China. So far, the only fruit of this agreement is the made-in-South Korea Grand Koleos, which is essentially a lightly redesigned Geely Monjaro/Xingyue L.
If Alpine does end up developing and producing vehicles larger than the A390, it's unclear if they will come to Australia. The brand has says it will return to Australia with the A390, but other products have yet to be confirmed.
MORE: Everything Alpine
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Although Alpine isn't returning to the US as initially envisaged, the company is still working on two larger electric SUVs, and an electric sedan.
One SUV is thought to be a model designed to take on the Porsche Cayenne, while the other SUV would be the next step up in size. The sedan is expected to be a sedan around five metres in length.
Antony Villain, Alpine's chief designer, told Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed "we are working on [the large vehicle family] today".
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Mr Villain said it was necessary to have "something in the D- or E-segment" if the company is to "expand more globally".
Alpine's current European lineup consists of the A110 (bottom) mid-engine coupe, the A290 (above) — a hot version of the all-electric Renault 5 — and the A390 (below), a sporty electric "coupe" SUV.
Right now the A390 is the brand's largest car, and sits in the European C-segment. It measures 4615mm long, making it a little smaller than the first-generation Porsche Macan.
As part of the Renaultion plan, Alpine was aiming to sell 150,000 globally by 2030. A key component in reaching that figure was launching in the US by 2027.
In April this year, Renault indefinitely delayed Alpine's US launch due to the uncertainty around the tariff situation in the US.
As it stands, the tariff on cars imported to the US from the EU will rise to 30 per cent from August 1. The EU and US are currently negotiating an agreement that sources indicate will be similar to the one agreed to with Japan, where automotive imports are taxed at 15 per cent.
According to Mr Villain "there are some other countries where they look for bigger cars". Although the design chief wouldn't name names, the only other market where larger vehicles might sell in significant numbers is China.
It's not clear how Alpine could crack the Chinese market without producing vehicles there, as fully imported vehicles incur heavy tariffs.
Renault, Alpine's parent, currently doesn't sell any cars in China, but it does have a series of partnerships with Geely. The two operate a joint venture company to house their internal combustion engine development and production facilities, and Renault has access to some of Geely's platforms.
Under the plan announced in 2021, Renault would produce localised — namely restyled and rebadged — versions of Geely vehicles in South Korea.
Geely would in turn produce a clutch of Renault-ised Geely Group products in China. So far, the only fruit of this agreement is the made-in-South Korea Grand Koleos, which is essentially a lightly redesigned Geely Monjaro/Xingyue L.
If Alpine does end up developing and producing vehicles larger than the A390, it's unclear if they will come to Australia. The brand has says it will return to Australia with the A390, but other products have yet to be confirmed.
MORE: Everything Alpine
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
Although Alpine isn't returning to the US as initially envisaged, the company is still working on two larger electric SUVs, and an electric sedan.
One SUV is thought to be a model designed to take on the Porsche Cayenne, while the other SUV would be the next step up in size. The sedan is expected to be a sedan around five metres in length.
Antony Villain, Alpine's chief designer, told Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed "we are working on [the large vehicle family] today".
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.
Mr Villain said it was necessary to have "something in the D- or E-segment" if the company is to "expand more globally".
Alpine's current European lineup consists of the A110 (bottom) mid-engine coupe, the A290 (above) — a hot version of the all-electric Renault 5 — and the A390 (below), a sporty electric "coupe" SUV.
Right now the A390 is the brand's largest car, and sits in the European C-segment. It measures 4615mm long, making it a little smaller than the first-generation Porsche Macan.
As part of the Renaultion plan, Alpine was aiming to sell 150,000 globally by 2030. A key component in reaching that figure was launching in the US by 2027.
In April this year, Renault indefinitely delayed Alpine's US launch due to the uncertainty around the tariff situation in the US.
As it stands, the tariff on cars imported to the US from the EU will rise to 30 per cent from August 1. The EU and US are currently negotiating an agreement that sources indicate will be similar to the one agreed to with Japan, where automotive imports are taxed at 15 per cent.
According to Mr Villain "there are some other countries where they look for bigger cars". Although the design chief wouldn't name names, the only other market where larger vehicles might sell in significant numbers is China.
It's not clear how Alpine could crack the Chinese market without producing vehicles there, as fully imported vehicles incur heavy tariffs.
Renault, Alpine's parent, currently doesn't sell any cars in China, but it does have a series of partnerships with Geely. The two operate a joint venture company to house their internal combustion engine development and production facilities, and Renault has access to some of Geely's platforms.
Under the plan announced in 2021, Renault would produce localised — namely restyled and rebadged — versions of Geely vehicles in South Korea.
Geely would in turn produce a clutch of Renault-ised Geely Group products in China. So far, the only fruit of this agreement is the made-in-South Korea Grand Koleos, which is essentially a lightly redesigned Geely Monjaro/Xingyue L.
If Alpine does end up developing and producing vehicles larger than the A390, it's unclear if they will come to Australia. The brand has says it will return to Australia with the A390, but other products have yet to be confirmed.
MORE: Everything Alpine
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. 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The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year. The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be the beneficiary of $5 million in state funding to expand its berthing marina to accommodate up eight luxe superyachts in a move that it promises will be a boon for the regional tourism economy. Club CEO Paul O'Rourke said there were about 30 superyachts owned in Australia, but the country was a premier destination for repair and vessel maintenance in the Southern Hemisphere such that it was expected to account for some eight per cent of the global market by the end of the year, amounting to around 533 vessels. The funding is expected to be put towards building 200 metres of dedicated marina berth that is specifically designed to accommodate the larger vessels, with extra weight and power facilities. The move to expand the Newcastle marina on Hannell Street is expected to put Newcastle in a competitive stead with Queensland, long regarded as the Australian home for superyacht construction, and will represent the only such dedicated maintenance berth in NSW. Mr O'Rourke said, while Newcastle would not build the vessels, positioning the city as a maintenance hub for the yachts that are estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million a year to run, would unlock the Pacific for European travellers and see tourism spending flow through the Hunter. "There are probably over 30 superyachts in Australia at the moment," he said. "But the key is there are 100 coming. There are a lot of superyachts in Europe that all want to come to Australia and the Pacific, and at the moment we don't have the Pacific facilities." "We regularly get phone calls from boats out in Tahiti that want to come to Australia and park up. We haven't got the facility yet." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the NSW Government's investment of $5 million, to which the Newcastle yacht club would add 20 per cent of the overall $6 million build costs, made sense for the state's second city. "We are a maritime city," she said. "So, it makes sense for us to can have those yachts that can travel from as far far as Europe on their way up to Northern Queensland and to further places into the Pacific." "This will become their go-to stopover." The yacht club's Commodore, Barry Kelly, said the completed projected which is estimated to be about two years away, would be equipped to provide "medium-level" maintenance to the vessels, replacing parts and servicing engines and complex onboard systems, that would generate jobs in the region. "Superyachts spend about four times as much in the region as they do on the berthing," he said. "Our spend on maintaining this facility in the last financial year was about $800,000." The funding has been carved out of the NSW Regional Development Trust, which Regional NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said was to prop up merit-based projects that would create jobs and economic boons for regional economies. "We have made a big deal out of this new fund and this new way of investing in our regions," she said. "This is really going to make a big difference for the local economy." The $70 million Callisto - believed to have been the largest and most expensive yacht to visit Newcastle - was spotted in the marina in 2019. lt is owned by Barbados billionaire Derrick Smith who was reportedly a co-owner of the renowned Coolmore Stud, which has operations in the Upper Hunter, Ireland and the US. The Australian superyacht sector is estimated to have a fleet value of over $7.5 billion, with annual maintenance expenditure of over $575 million. Operational expenditure in Australia, including crew wages and berthing, is worth about $400 million. A proposal document for the project, seen by the Newcastle Herald, lists more than 400 vessels over 30 metres based in the Asia Pacific. The industry is said to support about 14,500 full-time jobs, paying about $1.2 billion in wages and salaries, and with Sydney reaching capacity, overflow was being directed to Queensland and Victoria. The yacht club's pitch to secure funding amounted to positioning Newcastle to cater to provide a state's-first and one-stop shop for the super rich to dock and have their vessels serviced, estimated to represent up to 1400 jobs. According to Superyachts Australia, the number of luxury vessels in NSW has increased by 52 per cent since 2021, with 17 accounted for in 2023. The economic impact of a visiting vessel was estimated to be about $1.34 million that year.
