Since 2023 Alpine, a French sports car manufacturer, has been looking for a way to enter the American market. Even though the tariffs implemented by Trump’s administration earlier in the year pushed them back from the plan, the automaker still considers going to America.
In an interview with the Auto Express, Philippe Krief, Alpine CEO, doubled up on the brand’s earlier plans, the move being boosted by the upcoming Alpine A110 Electric sports car, and there could be a larger performance SUV as well.
Krief stated that the 110 wouldn’t be enough to keep the brand in the United States, saying, “We will be ready to go to the US with APP. We need to go to the US with the A110 because this is the heart of Alpine. But in the US, maybe it won’t be enough for dealers and our partners to sell.”
Initially, the thought was about developing a large SUV for the American market, and Krief was worried about selling a car that’s too far outside the DNA of the brand: “We certainly need a model with higher volumes, but we don’t want to make the mistake of going to the US with a big car that is outside the DNA of the brand.” From the interview on Auto Express.
Now the largest Alpine that’s on sale is the A390, which is a compact electric crossover and slightly smaller than the Porsche Macan electric vehicle. There are lots of demands for compact EV crossovers in the US, and people tend to go for something less expensive than what Alpine is offering. This drives the French automaker to build a larger electric vehicle, which will stand as a competitor to the Porsche Cayenne, adding a better companion to the 110.
The timeline for the brand’s entrance to the US market isn’t clear. When Alpine Alpine announced its intention to be in the US market back in 2023, almost 2 years ago, it was planned to launch in 2027. Even though that date is approaching, there are no official announcements made.
