Renault reveals Alpine Vision Concept sports car

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Renault has revealed a near production-ready version of its upcoming sports car to be spun off the newly revived Alpine sub-brand.

The Alpine Vision Concept, set to be revealed in the flesh at the Geneva Motor Show in March, reflects 80 per cent of the style expected of the road car it will spawn in 2017. "If that’s the case, we reckon the end product’s going to be a real looker", says Car Magazine.

The vehicle strongly resembles the legendary Alpine A110 from the early 1970s and carries over many of the cues featured on the Alpine Celebration Concept car from 2015.

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It slightly morphs in one or two areas. For instance, the exhaust is now one large central exit compared to the twin pipes seen last year and the press pictures present it in one single colour – highlighting the transition to near production-ready model – in comparison to the eye-catching livery featured on the previous concept.

But it retains its low profile, bulging haunches over the wheels and long tail, as well as the circular pod-lamps embedded into the front architecture to really give the Vision Concept echoes of the A110 from all those years ago.

Inside, a mix of leather, fabric, aluminium and carbon fibre make up most of the furnishings, with contrasting black and white stitching on the quilted bucket seats giving a retro feel. A TFT screen display sits centre of the cabin, but the limited switchgear and low-slung driving positon signals this will be a very driver-focussed car indeed.

Alpine has not revealed any performance details yet, but has confirmed the concept is mid-engined and will use a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol mated to dual-clutch paddle-operated gearbox driving the rear wheels. Top Gear reckons it will come with around 250bhp – around 50bhp less than the Porsche Cayman – but that it will be significantly lighter than its rival at around 1,100kg (2,425 lbs) for a 0-62mph time of approximately 4.5 seconds.

Auto Express also believes power will be in the region of 250bhp, but a 300bhp Renaultsport version could arrive not long afterwards.

The company will be hoping to "seek customers sensitive to the marque's history" when the new Alpine goes on sale, Evo says. The original A110 was a rallying legend, so drivers attuned to motorsport should be drawn to the new car, considering its striking resemblance.

The company is bidding to do more than just play off a piece of history, though – Autocar says Renault has big plans for the Alpine sub-brand, with several new models and an SUV in the pipeline before the decade is up.

The production version will surface later this year, with sales beginning in 2017. Prices could range from between £40,000 to £50,000.