For years, American enthusiasts have watched from afar as one of Europe’s most exciting lightweight sports cars remained out of reach. Designed with a clear focus on balance, agility, and driver engagement, this French coupe has earned widespread praise as a true rival to the Porsche 718 Cayman. Despite growing interest, however, it has never officially been offered in the U.S. market.
That situation may finally be changing. Alpine has recently taken steps that suggest a potential expansion beyond its traditional markets, fueling speculation that its acclaimed sports car could soon make its way stateside. While nothing has been confirmed, the signs point to a shift in strategy that could open the door for American buyers.
If it does arrive, the Alpine A110 would bring a refreshing alternative to the segment, one that prioritizes lightweight engineering and driving purity over outright power. For enthusiasts, that could make it one of the most exciting new additions to the U.S. sports car market.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Auto Express and Auto News Europe.
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Alpine have been crashing testing the A110
The French brand seems serious about entering the market
There have been a number of rumors and rumbles about Alpine’s potential entry into the North American market. They already have a plan to enter the Canadian market in the next couple of years. Whenever these rumors pop up, enthusiasts get excited about the prospect of the A110 sports car arriving in the States. That possibility seems more likely than ever before, with the brand undertaking practical moves to enter the market.
Alpine is laying the groundwork
In December of last year, Alpine’s CEO, Philippe Krief, told Auto Express that the brand wanted to launch in the U.S. with the A110 as they believe that it is the heart of the brand. There is more evidence than ever before that they could finally be taking the necessary steps to make that happen.
Automotive News Europe, reported recently that Krief revealed the brand is currently crash testing the A110 in America. He did follow this up by saying that a final decision hasn’t been made yet as to whether the sports car will come to U.S. shores. However, crash testing is expensive and an important hurdle to overcome in order to sell cars in the States. This makes us hopeful that the brand is serious about entering the American market.
Who is Alpine?
Most people in America won’t know who Alpine actually is. Formula 1 fans might at least recognize the name. They are a French automaker and a subsidiary of Renault, a name that might be a little more recognizable. They focus on delivering sporty cars, with many of them being variants of vehicles Renault produces. Initially, they planned to enter the U.S. with their larger electric SUVs, but tariffs forced them to reevaluate that move.
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We will likely get the next generation model rather than the current one
Alpine’s American launch is probably still a couple years away
While news of crash testing definitely makes us excited for a potential new sports car in America, particularly one praised so heavily by driving enthusiasts, there is probably still a long wait ahead of us. We will likely only get the next generation of the A110, which is slated for a 2027 launch in Europe. Even then, somewhere around 2030 is probably a more realistic timeline for the coupe to reach America.
We’re sad we will miss out on the current A110
|
Engine |
1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four |
|---|---|
|
Transmission |
7-speed dual-clutch automatic |
|
Horsepower |
252-296 HP |
|
Torque |
236-251 LB-FT |
|
Driveline |
RWD |
|
0-60 MPH |
3.9-4.4 seconds |
|
Top speed |
155-177 MPH |
The current iteration of the A110 is one of the most praised sports cars to ever be built. Starting at around $75,000 (converting from Euros), it is priced very similarly to the Porsche Cayman. The comparisons to Porsche’s coupe don’t stop there, with the Alpine offering similar levels of engagement and driving verve.
You may be looking at its specs and thinking that a 296 horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine doesn’t sound all that impressive, but it is more than enough to get this coupe going. The A110 weighs around 2,425 pounds, which puts it in the same area as the Mazda MX-5. When you consider that, 296 horsepower suddenly seems like plenty. It’s mid-engine setup and bevy of race-ready components also give it balance that few other modern sports cars offer.
The next generation A110 is going electric
Something that might be disappointing to hear is that the next iteration of the A110 is going electric. This is the model that will likely make it U.S. shores, with a launch date sometime in late 2027. The brand has been pretty vocal about this move for some time. However, Phillipe Krief also recently revealed that the new A110 will launch with a platform that is capable of accommodating a gasoline engine. There was no further elaboration on his part, but this news will certainly please enthusiasts.
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The French automaker has some other exciting models on offer
A cool and quick SUV and hatchback
The A110 is definitely the Halo car for Alpine, but they have some other really cool models on offer as well. If they finally decide to make the move into the U.S. market, we could see them bring over the two other vehicles currently in their lineup. They are both EVs which offer plenty of style and the same sporty attitude as the A110.
The A290 hatchback
The A290 is a sporty little hatch that is based on the highly-praised Renault 5. It is an EV that puts down up to 220 horsepower and has a maximum range of 235 miles. While we think it is rather cool, we don’t really think the A290 is well-suited to the American buyer, meaning it isn’t likely that it will be brought over, unless there are some big upgrades made to its battery and motors.
The A390 SUV
Much more likely to follow the A110 is the coupe-styled A390 SUV. This sleek-looking crossover is also an EV, but it puts down between 400 and 470 horsepower, depending on which trim you opt for. The SUV also comes with a much larger 89-kWh battery pack, meaning and estimated range of between 310 and 345 miles. This is much more competitive compared to what is on offer in the states, and we could see it fitting in well among other modern EVs.
Alpine could create some serious competition
Alpine is a relatively niche brand, but they produce some absolutely fantastic cars. We love hearing of any progress they have made towards entering the U.S. because it just means there will be more cool cars on the road. The A110 can easily give enthusiast-focused coupes like the Porsche Cayman or the Lotus Emira a run for their money. We also think that the A390 should make current EV manufacturers a little concerned.
While we’re likely to still have to wait some time, we are excited about the prospect of Alpine entering the U.S. We also think that anyone who is a fan of sports cars should be thrilled at the potential for an American launch of the A110.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
