Alpine CEO believes the U.S. is key to meeting sales goals

Alpine has ambitious plans to grow from annual sales of just 3,546 vehicles in 2022 to more than 150,000 by the end of the decade. To achieve that goal, the company is considering expanding into the United States, CEO Laurent Rossi said during a media conference call last week, Automotive News (subscription required) reported.

Alpine's only current model is a mid-engine sports car called the A110. However, the French performance brand is heading down the EV route, promising to launch a compact crossover and hot hatch by mid-decade and redesign the A110 in 2026 or 2027, all based on an EV platform.

It will then add two SUVs in the same segment as Porsche's Macan and Cayenne. These large SUVs will be launched in 2027 and 2028, and the U.S. will be their "main destination," Rossi said in a telephone conference call.

Luca De Meo, CEO of Alpine's parent company Renault, also said last November that the two large SUV models would suit U.S. tastes. He also noted that Alpine's participation in Formula 1 is essential to give the Alpine brand exposure in the U.S., where the sport is growing in popularity.

During a conference call last week, Rossi also reportedly said that Alpine may need an outside partner for a large SUV and that Geely Automobile would be the "most natural" fit. Alpine already has a close relationship with Geely. The redesigned A110 is being developed on the platform of Geely's Lotus brand, and Renault and Geely are already working together on joint vehicles and hybrid powertrains for Asia.

Like the A110, Lotus could become the leading brand for two large SUV platforms. Last year, Lotus unveiled the Cayenne-rivaling Elettre SUV, and is currently working on the Macan-sized Type 134. The British company, which has developed its own performance-oriented EV platform, has said it is open to licensing the technology to other companies.