Celebration concept marks 60 years of Alpine

There's still considerable equity in the Alpine brand, even if owner Renault has basically neglected it for the past two decades.

So does the new Celebration concept signal a proper revival for the French marque?

Officially the compact coupé – which was unveiled just before this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours race – has been created to celebrate Alpine's 60th birthday. However, Renault is probably gauging public opinion very carefully to help determine whether a production version should follow.

Its attractive styling is clearly influenced by the A108 and A110 that were built from the late 1950s until the 1970s. Like those models the 2015 concept is rear-engined, meaning an expensive standalone platform would be required.

Doubtless sales volumes will be low, though. That then makes setting an acceptable price while achieving profitability a difficult balancing act. Consequently a business case might be hard to justify, regardless of the Celebration's reception.

A desire for economies of scale is exactly why Alpine established a joint venture with Caterham to manufacture sports cars in 2012. Unfortunately that partnership was dissolved last year, therefore any imminent Celebration-based project is going to have to be a solo effort.

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