2012 Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept

2012 Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept

The new concept also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Renault’s iconic Alpine A110 Berlinette and serves as a link to the automaker’s motorsports prowess, particularly in racing the Megane Trophy and supplying race-winning engines for a number of Formula 1 teams.

Renault is now set to showcase the concept in front of a public audience for the first time, announcing today that it will be on show at the upcoming 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The automaker has also teased that a surprise announcement will be made, and should cause quite the stir.

In addition to the surprise announcement and the presentation of the Alpine A110-50 Concept, Renault will roll out the classic Type K-fitted with the automaker’s first four-cylinder engine, which won the Paris-Vienna race in 1902. Other vehicles will include the Viva Grand Sport from 1935, plus the current Clio and Megane RS models.

Joining these classics will be the RS01 and RE40 Formula 1 cars, the rally-winning R5 Maxi Turbo, Alpine A443 and the current Megane Trophy race car. The array of vehicles will be driven by Renault chief Carlos Tavares as well as current brand ambassador and F1 legend Alain Prost.

The 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks off on June 28 on the grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, England.

Source: MotorAuthority

Spy Photos Renault Twingo CC Coupe-Cabrio

First shown off as a concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault's Twingo CC (coupe-cabrio) was expected to make it to production in 2008. Delays have hit the little car's development, however, and the current market certainly isn't speeding things up, but it's still being worked on as these latest spy photos confirm.

The shots reveal a car that very closely resembles the concept car in both proportion and in the few details that are visible underneath the camouflage. That's not hard to imagine, considering the concept itself looked almost production-ready.

Based around the Twingo hatchback, the CC will get a retractable hard top roof, a two-seat layout and power from a 1.2L engine expected to put out 120hp (89kW). Down the road, an RS variant with a slightly tuned-up version of the same engine could also be in the plans.

The hardtop is expected to be an electrically operated, one-touch unit, possibly explaining the delays - finding a cost-effective way to stow the lid inside the rear deck area could be a tall order on such an inexpensive car.

Expect more of the car over the coming months, with a possible release at one of the big shows later in the year, including a return to the concept's debut city of Frankfurt.