Renault
and Caterham are joining forces to design and build new sports cars,
reviving the famous Alpine badge. In an announcement made this morning it was confirmed that the sports cars,
which will be badged as Alpines and Caterhams, will be built at Renault's
plant in Dieppe, Normandy, where Renault currently produces race cars for
its Renaultsport division, as well as the Renaultsport Clio hot hatch. The
cars will be "distinctive, differentiated, and carry the respective DNA
of Alpine and Caterham Cars." The deal is understood to have stemmed from Renault supplying engines to the
Caterham Formula One team and means that Renault will sell 50 per cent of
its stake in Automobiles Alpine Renault to create an even partnership with
Caterham (Renault currently owns 100 per cent of Alpine). From January the
company will be officially called the Société des Automobiles Alpine
Caterham, and headed up by Bernard Ollivier, who has worked for Renault
since 1977 in planning, finance and management, eventually holding the
position of "Vice President, Transformation of Renault". Renaultsport Technologies and Caterham Technology and Innovation (the Caterham
Group's engineering and technology division) carried out a feasibility study
on the joint development of a sports car, concluding that they could combine
their skills to build models in large and small volumes. Each company aims
to launch a car within the next three to four years. Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of Renault, said: “This innovative partnership
with Caterham embodies a longstanding ambition: the creation of a sports car
with the Alpine DNA. It carries both opportunities for the Dieppe plant and
the development of its historic expertise.” Initial speculation was that the companies would build a car based on
Renault's Alpine A110-50 concept, which it unveiled earlier in the year to
mark 50 years of the Alpine Berlinette. It featured a space-frame chassis
with carbon-fibre bodywork and a mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6. However, a report
on Autocar.co.uk suggests that the first car to emerge from the partnership
will be a two-seater with an alloy chassis, costing about £35,000. Commenting on the venture, Ollivier said: "The road map for each car is
clear and simple: respect the DNA of both Alpine and Caterham Cars. With the
passion and expertise of the staff dedicated to this project, we are sure of
meeting this aim”. Tony Fernandes, Chairman of the Caterham Group, said: “I have not felt as
excited about a new venture since I launched AirAsia in 2001 and I want to
thank Carlos Ghosn and Carlos Tavares and everyone in our new Renault family
for having the belief in Caterham Group to create this partnership. "Many people doubted us 11 years ago when we launched our airline and I
am sure that there will be doubters again this time, but we will not fail
your trust. We know the markets we are going into and, particularly in my
playground in Asia, there is a huge opportunity to replicate the AirAsia
model and give consumers access to exciting, affordable products that marry
our interests in F1 and technology and help make their dreams come true.” (Telegraph)
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