Alpina says a new supercar is on the way. It will be produced at the brand's new research and development facility in Viry-Chatillon, France. It could be electric; Alpine has new batteries for "extreme operating conditions for supercar-type applications."
Even though we don't get the Alpine brand in America, we can still fawn over the no-nonsense A110 sports car from abroad. The Porsche Cayman competitor makes 252 horsepower and weighs a scant 2,429 pounds—and it sounds like an absolute blast to drive. But Alpine is working on something even more powerful, the problem is, it probably won't have the same lightweight qualities as its little brother.
According to Autocar, Alpine is opening a new research and development facility at its Viry-Chatillon Formula 1 engine production site dubbed "Hypertech Alpine." The R&D base will be home to all things electric for the Alpine brand moving forward, including a new performance car currently referred to as the "Future Alpine Supercar." Clever.
"Creating this Hypertech Alpine center is key to Alpine's development strategy and, more broadly, to the group's innovation strategy," said Alpine CEO Philippe Krief. "It is a turning point in the history of the Viry-Châtillon site, which will ensure the continuity of a savoir-faire and the inclusion of its rare skills in the group's ambitious future while strengthening Alpine's position as an 'innovation garage.'"
The yet-to-be-named vehicle will be built alongside an electric A110 and reportedly use Alpine's new future solid-state battery packs designed for "extreme operating conditions for supercar-type applications." It will also adopt ultra-efficient electric motors jointly developed with Ampere—Renault's new EV and software sub-brand.
Visually, the new supercar should look similar to the Alpenglow Hy4 hypercar concept the company debuted back in May. Alpine design chief Antony Villain told Autocar that the concept was developed with a production car "in mind".
It should be noted, though, that Alpine hasn’t outright confirmed that its next performance vehicle will be electric. All signs simply point to battery power. With a new A110 EV on the way and the brand’s breakthroughs in battery and electric motor technology, Alpine will likely want to showcase that technology in an all-electric supercar.
But who knows, maybe one of those leftover Formula 1 engines finds its way underhood. It’s not like they’ll need them after 2025 anyway.
