It Turns Out Alpine is Bringing the A110 to the US After All
Earlier this year, we caught wind that Alpine planned to bring a series of crossovers and SUVs to the U.S. market. Now, reports indicate that the French automaker is also delivering the Alpine A110 to the U.S. In addition, there may be a new four-seat Alpine sports car in the works.
Alpine’s parent company confirms new models for the U.S. market
In January, the first reports emerged indicating that Alpine’s parent company, Renault, planned the development of two new electric vehicles for the U.S. market. At that time, the expectations were a compact crossover and an SUV. Critically, early indications left the vaunted Alpine A110 sports car out of the conversation.
Now, however, Renault and Alpine appear to be changing course. Not only has the French conglomerate reiterated its plans for a U.S. expansion, but now an electric version of the Alpine A110 is headed for showrooms in America.
In addition, Alpine is set to revive the A310 badge for a larger four-seat coupe to sit above the A110. This would give the French brand two sports cars in total, paired with the two planned SUVs for a total of four models.
The first Alpine car models arrive in the US in 2026
For American buyers, the first Alpine car arrivals begin in 2026. This scheduled delivery coincides with what the brand dubs its “world expansion phase”. This includes the introduction of the expanded model lineup and the switch to electric power. Even better, the stylish and exotic A110 is now a part of that first wave of Alpine cars coming to America.
Beyond that, the revived Alpine A310 EV sports car adds a second sports car in late 2027. The announcement of these new models coincided with the brand’s commitment to the U.S. market. That launch will now include three models coming to the U.S., including the next-generation A110 EV and a pair of SUVs.
EVs ease access to American markets
Alpine’s commitment to bringing an entirely electrified lineup to the U.S. isn’t much of a surprise. Bringing a new car to the American market is already a tall task. U.S. regulations require extensive crash testing, specific design parameters for pedestrian safety, and a host of other red tape that costs millions to sift through.
It’s the same reason we got the GR Corolla rather than the GR Yaris, and it’s why so many new automakers are popping up in the EV era. The regulatory hurdles for EVs are much lower than for gas-powered cars. For a low-volume automaker like Alpine, the spend to bring a gas-powered car to the U.S. wasn’t justifiable. But the lower cost of getting an EV specced to U.S. regulations makes it an easier pill to swallow.
There is also a sense of Alpine trying to capitalize on Formula 1’s rising U.S. popularity. The Netflix series, Drive to Survive, and three U.S. races have given Alpine the most visibility it’s ever experienced in the American market. As recently as this week, actor Ryan Reynolds invested in the Alpine F1 team, giving the brand even more pop-culture headlines to capitalize upon. The only hope now is that the hype train stays on the tracks for the next four years.
