Alpine or Renault????

Should GTA's be 'badged up' as Alpines or Renault Alpines?

Very good question?
In fact I am just re-imaging my early GTA from a Renault to an Alpine. I'm replacing Renault for Alpine on the nose cone badge, the wheel covers and the RENAULT decal from the LHS of rear bumber.
For me, the car is an Alpine because it came out of the Dieppe Alpine factory. It was launched in the UK as a Renault because of the Sunbeam Alpines in the UK (copyright problems) and also Renault provided the distributerships.
As an Alpine, the cars are a little more eliteist (for us badge snobs), perhaps rarer and much more interesting to those that just see Renault as an ordinary car manufaturer.

Even Renault wanted this. The A610 has no badging other than the Alpine nosecone badge

I think Renault only wanted it to increase sales, but i do agree....theres something interesting and different about saying you own an Alpine. Renault has never produced niche market cars like the Alpines and probably never will again......a shame really cause they could use the marque in the way that Ford use Cosworth and BMW use 'M' if they chose. (same could be said for Fiat and Abarth.....which they are currently using for bodykitted versions of fairly standard cars). Renault Sport just doesnt have a ring about it.....especially after they badged run of the mill Euroboxes like the Megane as 'Sport'

Take the Renault Spider, basically like an Elise in most ways, but Lotus have sold thousands, and rely on that car alone now; the Spider should have sold as many if it was badged differently

I think Renault only wanted it to increase sales, but i do agree....theres something interesting and different about saying you own an Alpine. Renault has never produced niche market cars like the Alpines and probably never will again......a shame really cause they could use the marque in the way that Ford use Cosworth and BMW use 'M' if they chose. (same could be said for Fiat and Abarth.....which they are currently using for bodykitted versions of fairly standard cars). Renault Sport just doesnt have a ring about it.....especially after they badged run of the mill Euroboxes like the Megane as 'Sport'

What is the Clio V6 then? Mass produced?

[stephendell]

The A610 has no badging other than the Alpine nosecone badge

What about the huge Renault diamond on top of the engine

[stephendell]

Spider should have sold as many if it was badged differently

Mr Holt can tell a story about that one.

a shame really cause they could use the marque in the way that Ford use Cosworth and BMW use 'M' if they chose

The Alpine marque is meant to back in 2010...

Lets just hope if it is brought back, it's on something WORTHY of the name.

The Alpine marque is meant to back in 2010...

[phildini]

it's got to be mid engine too

it's got to be mid engine too

Na, rear engined!

Porsche have already tried that one more, more than once, everyone still aspires too and still see the 911 as the only proper Porsche!

simontaylor:
In fact I am just re-imaging my early GTA from a Renault to an Alpine. I'm replacing Renault for Alpine on the nose cone badge..

Is there not a depression in the nose cone of the 'A' badged cars to accomodate the circular badge? (Mine has the small Renault diamond).

Yes the 'A' badged cars have a circular depression for the badge. Mine has the Renault diamond too. Well, it did have until someone nicked it! Luckily Mr Large Van Shrapnel has provided me with a new one I've not stuck on yet!