As we previously reported Renault is considering bringing back the Alpine sports car. It will go on sale in 2010 and will compete with Mazda MX-5, but it also aims to tempt buyers away from more costly rivals such as the Nissan 350Z.

In an interview with AutoExpress, a senior figure at Renault said: "We will introduce a small sports car and use our grand prix image to sell it. Formula One has a high level of safety and reliability. We want to produce a road model with the same qualities as our race entry."

The 2010 Alpine won’t be as extreme as the old Sport Spider, which was axed in 1999 after its hardcore character prevented it from being a mainstream success. Offering greater prac­ticality and refinement, the modern Alpine-badged model is set to be a sports car suitable for everyday use.