There is mounting evidence that Alpine could bring the A110 stateside; the sports car is set to enter its next generation by the end of 2027.Alpine’s CEO said the A110 is undergoing U.S. crash tests, according to Automotive News Europe, suggesting the brand is serious about a possible U.S. launch.The A110’s platform will also be able to support gas powertrains, and we think Alpine would be wise to bring an internal-combustion version here.
French automaker Alpine, a subsidiary of Renault that focuses on sporty cars, has been toying with entering the United States market. The brand’s initial plan centered around large electric SUVs, but the Trump administration’s tariffs and waning interest in EVs led Alpine to reevaluate its move. Now, however, it seems that Alpine’s arrival in the U.S. could be led by the A110 sports car, which is going electric but might still spawn another gas-powered variant.
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Back in December, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief told Auto Express, “We need to go to the U.S. with A110 because this is the heart of Alpine.” Now there seems to be more evidence that the next-generation A110, which will launch with electric powertrains instead of the turbocharged four-cylinder found in the current version, could come to the United States.
According to Automotive News Europe, Krief said last week that the A110 is undergoing U.S. crash tests. While he cautioned that a final decision hasn’t been made yet as to whether the A110 will actually be sold here, crash testing is a crucial—and expensive—step in the process of certifying a car for sale in the U.S. It makes us think Alpine is serious about bringing the sports car to our shores.
Krief revealed another important update. While the new A110 will launch with an electric powertrain, the platform can also accommodate internal-combustion powertrains. He didn’t specify whether the A110 would feature an electric or gas setup if it reaches the U.S., but we have to imagine that the latter would be in contention, given the headwinds EVs currently face in this market.
Alpine
Alpine already sells the A390 EV in Europe.
The next-generation A110 will launch overseas by the end of 2027, but a U.S. entry isn’t likely until closer to 2030. There are still plenty of issues to work out with a U.S. launch, including building out a sales and service network. In 2023, Alpine reportedly held discussions with AutoNation about utilizing its network of dealerships, but it’s unclear what became of those talks.
The A110 lineup is also set to expand with the next-generation model, with Alpine planning a four-seater, possibly bearing the name A310, and convertible variants. Alpine is targeting a total weight of around 3300 pounds for the electric A110 and well over 300 miles of range. While Alpine’s priority for a U.S. launch might now be the A110, we wouldn’t be shocked if it’s still accompanied by an SUV if the French automaker does decide to come here.
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Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
