Industryweek 6393 Renault Part Ways Caterham Push Forward Alpine

Renault to Part Ways With Caterham But Push Forward With Alpine

March 24, 2014
Renault and British sports car maker Caterham will end their joint venture, but that termination will not keep the French automaker from reviving its Alpine brand.

PARIS -- Renault and British sports car maker Caterham will end their joint venture, but that termination will not keep the French automaker from reviving its Alpine brand, sources said Monday.

Renault (IW 1000/80) and Caterham teamed up in 2012 to revive the Alpine, whose model 110 dominated sports car rallies up to the 1970s before it was discontinued.

Employee representatives will be informed of the end of the joint venture on Wednesday, sources said.

However, "that doesn't change anything regarding the launch on the Alpine in 2016," one source said.

Renault will continue with plans to revive the Alpine brand on its own.

It had already planned to manufacture the new Alpine at its factory in the northwestern French city of Dieppe, which already produces the sport version of its Clio subcompact.

Renault declined to comment on the report, while Caterham could not be immediately reached.

Caterham specializes in producing lightweight sports cars and has an F1 team.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014

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