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Report: Renault Alpine successor to debut at 2012 Monaco Grand Prix


We brought you news about the possibility of Renault reviving the Alpine name and producing a brand new concept based around the original car just a couple of weeks ago, and already more details about this possible, yet-to-be-confirmed car have surfaced.

Originally, Renault was rumored to have stated that a successor to the legendary Alpine A110 would debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show in late September, but according to Autoblog.nl, the new car could be debuting much sooner at the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix late this month. This wouldn’t be the only new car said to debut at the event, as reports have also suggested that McLaren will unveil the McLaren F1 successor in a private display during the festivities.

If this turns out to be true, then debuting the car at the Monaco Grand Prix could be a great move on Renault’s part, as it’s not only an integral part of Formula One and one of its key engine suppliers, but the media buzz around the famous race will help the French company get some recognition for reviving this legend.

The car in question will only be a concept version, and is rumored to be dubbed the ‘ZAR,’ although we’re somewhat doubtful that the ZAR name would make it to production. It seems a return to ‘Alpine’ would be preferable. Autoblog.nl has also revealed that the new Renault sports car may be completely electric and help lead the sports car market into more efficient territory.

However, if Renault does decide to create an electric Alpine for the 2014 or 2015 model years, it’s likely it would also offer the car with a conventional internal combustion engine if it really is a tribute to the original.

It’s yet to be confirmed if the Monaco display will be conducted in private or not, but if it is, expect a few shots to leak onto the net in the days following the event.



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2014 Renault Alpine


With sister company Nissan digging into the depths of its history to revive the old Datsun nameplate, Renault felt a little out in the cold. Well, the constructeur automobile Français, err, French automaker has decided yet again to revive its long lost sports car, the Alpine A110, sort of.

Renault has announced that a 50th anniversary Alpine A110 model will make an appearance at the 2012 Paris Motor Show (Mondial de l’Automobile 2012), which opens on September 29th and runs through October 14th. Keep in mind, Renault once explored this topic before, but axed it in 2009.

The original Alpine A110 debuted in 1961 and lasted through the 1977 model year. It had a rather Porsche-like design and had a number of engines ranging from a 66-horsepower 1,108 cc engine to an impressive 140-horsepower 1,605 cc engine.

There is no word as of yet what engine this retro revival will feature, nor what it will look like. Chances are, however, it will be very similar to the original. Given the fact that Renault also owns a large portion of Nissan, this tribute car will likely bear a few Nissan components.

An actual production model is unlikely, as Renault already features a compact sports car, the Wind, and having two similar cars in an already massive lineup could be harmful. Then there’s the fact that Renault-Nissan’s marketing head said “...for an Alpine to make sense financially, it would have to sell in North America and China.” We haven’t seen a Renault in the U.S. since 1989, so it’s a real stretch for it to ever see production.

There have been rumors afloat that the Alpine would be based off of the Nissan GT-R, but that would be a far different car than the original, which defeats the purpose of a tribute car.

Ultimately, Renault left us pretty much empty handed on details, so we all just have to wait patiently until September. Unless Renault decides to play nice and give us at least a glimpse.


Reborn Renault Alpine could be based on the Nissan GT-R; debut expected to be in Paris


Two interesting developments surrounding the expected revival of the Renault Alpine: First, it appears to be headed to the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Second, and more importantly, the car could very well end up being based on the Nissan GT-R.

Talking to UK website Headline Auto, Renault Marketing Director Stephen Norman said that the new Alpine will be made as a lightweight sports car that puts the emphasis on top-class performance and "made to the highest specification." Moreover, Norman has admitted that the French automaker is looking at tapping into their partnership with Nissan to look for and use existing parts from Nissan.

The only catch with going that route is the expected cost that would go with such an ambitious project. On that end, Renault might still end up seeking third-party partners to help in the development of the new Alpine. "We can’t lift things from the parts bin, we have to make a business case for it and we have not yet done that," Norman said.

Despite no confirmations on that matter, CarAdvice has speculated that Renault might be eyeing Nissan’s mighty supercar, the GT-R, as a possible peg for the new Alpine. If this new piece of information proves to be correct, then you can expect the buzz surrounding the return of the Renault Alpine to hit fever pitch when it’s expected to be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this September.



2012 Renault Clio RS Red Bull Racing RB7


The 2012 Geneva Motor Show press days are officially over, which would typically mean that the debuts have also come to an end, but Renault has chosen to go against the grain by unveiling a very cool Clio special edition after the fact. The new Clio R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7 was built as a tribute to Renault Sport Technologies and Renault Sport F1, and will be offered in limited edition to just five European countries. It will be priced at €27,900 (about $36,600 at the current exchange rates).

The new Clio R.S. Red Bull Racing RB7 is painted in a very cool Profond Black combined with Sirius Yellow F1-style blade, door mirror housings, and a diffuser. It has also been equipped with a set of 18" black Interlagos wheels wrapped around Bridgestone RE050A tires, the same as those fitted on the Megane R.S. Trophy which established a new lap record round the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife in June 2011. Under the hood of the special edition Clio is a 2.0 liter engine that delivers a total of 203 HP - or more than 100 Hp per liter.

The list of standard equipment includes: automatic climate control, automatic headlight activation, a hands-free card, yellow fabric Recaro bucket seats, a Renault Sport-badged gear lever knob, a personalized numbered plaque, and an audio connection box.



Spy Shots: Next Gen Renault Clio Testing Out In The Snow Again


Renault usually has an impressive presence at the Geneva Motor Show, but this year, they decided to lay low and focus on the other major shows of the year; like the 2012 Paris Car Show in October where the all-new fourth generation Renault Clio is set to make its world debut. The company is busy preparing the hatchback, and they’ve sent the upcoming Clio 4 out again for some winter testing.

The new Clio will be the first Renault model to feature the company’s new design previewed by the DeZir Concept. Renault will only be offering = a five-door version, but due to the hidden rear door handles, it will still look sporty. It will also be lower, wider, and more distinctive than the current Clio.

Rumors state that the car will be about 220 lbs lighter than the current generation, which will help out the list of engines customers will be able to choose from. Among them are a 1.5 liter dCi diesel engine with 74 HP or 89 HP, and petrol engines starting with a new three cylinder 900 cc turbo producing 89 HP and going up to a four cylinder engine producing up to 200 HP. Judging from the bigger brakes and the two exhaust pipes, this prototype may be carrying the 200 HP four cylinder engine.




New Lancia Stratos officially dead; Renault Alpine could be reborn


Now we can officially put all the talk to rest. The New Lancia Stratos, a one-off supercar that was built and designed by Pininfarina as a tribute vehicle to the legendary car of the 70’s, will remain a one-off. And we have Ferrari to thank - or blame - for that.

After the immense popularity generated by the New Stratos when it was unveiled a year ago, there was talk that Pininfarina was looking into building a limited run of the supercar for interested customers. But since the project hinged on Ferrari allowing the company to use the 430 Scuderia as the car’s platform, they had to receive the green light from the Italian automaker to proceed with the program.

Unfortunately, those folks from Ferrari have refused to allow a limited production run of the New Stratos with Ferrari CEO Dr. Amadeo Felisa seemingly content with the one-off project that was built for Michael Stoschek.

We’re pretty disappointed to see the Stratos’ renaissance end even before it actually began, but if there’s a silver lining in all of this, it’s that instead of the New Stratos, Koscheck and his people have set their sights on building a modern version of another old-time classic: the Renault Alpine A110 Berlinette. Talks with the French automaker are already in progress so we’re crossing our fingers that the Alpine will come back to our lives the way the New Stratos should have.



2012 Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet Floride


Renault has announced the special edition Megane Coupe-Cabriolet Floride, a model that was inspired by the classic 1960’s version. Just like that model the new Floride edition will be offered in France only with classic Floride Ivory livery, while for the rest of Europe the company will also offer a red exterior paint.

The Floride Ivory paint is combined with a high-gloss, piano black panoramic roof and standard-equipment 17-inch Sari aluminium alloy diamond-effect wheels also finished in ivory. The car’s name casted in a chromed 3D font typical of the era is also visible on the lower bodyside just ahead of the rear wheel arches.

The beauty of the exterior is combined with the elegance of the interior. The car gets seats fully upholstered in red leather, with the side bolsters picked out in ivory, the steering wheel is wrapped in two-tone red/ivory leather, while the dashboard is finished in red with an ivory trim strip.



2011 Renault Clio Renaultsport 200 Raider


Renault has launched in UK the special edition Clio Renaultsport 200 Raider. It will be limited to only 50 units and deliveries will begin this October.

The new Clio Rider will be painted in an exclusive matte Stealth Grey or Diavolo Red. Both colors will be contrasted by a gloss black finish to the roof, rear spoiler, F1-style front blade, rear diffuser and door mirrors. The car will sit on a new set of 18” Interlagos alloy wheels also painted in gloss black finish. They will be combined with a lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers, quicker steering ratio and red finish to the Brembo brake callipers.

For the interior the model adds Recaro seats covered in leather, a zinc grey finish to the centre console and fascia inserts and a white rev counter. The list of standard equipments includes Bluetooth, USB connectivity, automatic climate control and Renaultsport carpet mats



2013 Renault Clio


The new Renault Clio - Renault’s offer for the B-segment market, has been caught testing for the first time in the European Alps. The mule caught testing combines the vehicle’s old body to a new front end and, even though it was covered in camouflage, we can still see that the new Clio will adopt a new look; expect to see a new grille incorporating the French manufacturer’s logo right in the center.

Despite the fact that the Alps were just covered in snow, Renault engineers still kept busy by doing some testing on the vehicle’s brakes. We can’t imagine the brakes would need a lot of work considering the Clio is only going to be powered by the milder engines in the current engine line-up. The 1.2 and 1.4 turbocharged tCe four-cylinders will return for the middle ground models, while a new 900 cc three cylinder engine producing 85 HP would be a spunkier alternative for the entry level model. As for the diesel lineup, Renault will be keeping the 1.5 dCi i4 which produces between 75 to 105 HP, but a 1.2 L turbocharged three-cylinder engine delivering 80 and 98 HP may also be in the works.

Expect to see the new Renault Clio at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012. Sales in Europe will begin shortly after and prices will be announced at a later date.

Updated 03/09/2012: The next generation Renault Clio has been caught testing again before its official debut at the Paris Auto Show in October. Enjoy!



2013 Renault Megane


Renault unveiled the third generation Megane in 2008 and, although experiencing some great sales, is now up for a little refreshing. Renault isn’t planning anything big, but the Megane will receive just enough changes to keep the vehicle current and relevant in the market. The first prototypes for this refresher - a five-door hatchback and the Gran Tour - were recently caught doing some hot weather testing in Southern Europe.

Despite the heavy camouflage, the facelift Megane can be seen with a bigger lift that will incorporate the new Renault family look, a slightly modified bumper, and new graphics on the rear lights. These will more than likely be the only changes the hatchback will see. The engine lineup will stay the same, meaning customers can choose between the usual petrol and diesel engines. That being said, rumors are suggesting that the Megane will also be getting a new 1.5 liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with an output of about 110 HP.



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