Renault's Plans for American Sports Cars Hit a Snag Due to Trump's Tariffs | Carscoops

      Alpine unveiled the A290 GT in 2024 and has an additional six models in development, but the tariffs have compelled owner Renault to reconsider its plans for the U.S. market.

      Renault aimed to introduce Alpine in the U.S. within two years to enhance its global expansion.

      CEO Luca de Meo set a target of seven new electric vehicles and anticipated $9.1 billion in revenue by 2030.

      The A290 GT hot hatch is at the forefront, followed closely by the anticipated A390 crossover.

      The import tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump on April 2 have had global ramifications, disrupting economies in many countries, including the U.S., and impacting nearly all automotive brands' strategies. The latest casualty is Renault-owned Alpine, which had planned to enter the U.S. market in 2027, but this initiative is now on hold.

      Renault is likely to postpone the introduction of its sports car sub-brand in the U.S. as it waits for the impact of Trump’s tariffs to stabilize. This decision aligns with the French company's strategy to pause certain projects to cut costs and minimize the economic repercussions if the trade war between the U.S. and other nations hampers growth, as explained by CFO Duncan Minto.

      Minto stated to Auto News that the delay is “perfectly normal” given the current situation. Despite this, entering the world’s second-largest auto market was crucial to CEO Luca de Meo’s plan to elevate the sports car maker's revenue to more than €8 billion ($9.1 billion) by 2030, an ambitious target considering Alpine sold only 4,585 vehicles last year.

      Although the market for two-door sports cars like the Alpine 110 is declining, demand for electric vehicles is on the rise. Coincidentally, the brand introduced its first electric vehicle, the A290 GT, during the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June. This hot hatch, based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, features more aggressive styling, and in its Performance variant, is equipped with a single electric motor producing 217 HP that powers the front wheels, enabling a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration in 6.4 seconds and a range of 236 miles. A less powerful variant, simply called the A290 GT, delivers 178 HP and takes one second longer to reach 62 mph.

      The A390 electric sports crossover, set to be revealed this year, is expected to garner more interest from U.S. consumers. By 2030, Alpine plans to introduce five additional electric vehicles, making de Meo’s vision for rapid growth of the brand seem plausible—at least until Trump enacted his "America First" economic policy and imposed stringent import tariffs.