Alpine supercar confirmed for 2028 with hybrid V6 power

The Alpine supercar has been given the green light. Due to arrive in 2028, it will use a high-performance petrol-electric hybrid V6, despite most – if not all – of Alpine’s swiftly expanding line-up being electric by that point.

Alpine chief Philippe Krief had floated the prospect in two Top Gear interviews last year. His superior, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, officially confirmed the project yesterday during the Alpine A390 reveal in Dieppe, France, the brand’s home town.

Krief subsequently shared some compelling specifics. He says combined output will be around 1,000bhp. Even in an era increasingly packed with enormous power figures, that places it close to hypercar territory, depending on how strictly you define the category.

Alpine supercar hybrid V6 powertrain

According to Krief, a turbocharged V6 will power the rear wheels, while two electric motors will drive the front axle. As with the A390’s twin rear motors, the front pair will provide torque vectoring. He also says the car’s structure will combine aluminium and carbon fibre.

Its powertrain is being created by Hypertech, a new Renault division operating from the company’s World Endurance technical centre in Viry-Châtillon, south of Paris. Krief, who additionally leads R&D for the wider Renault Group, says the engineers developing the supercar’s powertrain will be the same team working on the race cars.

Will the production car resemble the Alpine Alpenglow concept, pictured above? Krief says it will not. He describes that concept as being closer to a Le Mans contender. “This is a road car, very different.” He has not yet settled on a name, either: “That's not my job.”

“This car has three objectives,” said Krief. “One is to bring Alpine up. You need this kind of car as it holds up all the rest of the range. Second, it's a laboratory of innovation, for the supercar, then for Alpine and then for the whole Group. Third, it will make a good business.”

Krief has relevant experience to draw upon. He was responsible for developing the Ferrari 458, before becoming Alfa Romeo’s engineering chief for the Giulia and Stelvio, then returning to Ferrari to head R&D. It is therefore unsurprising that he cites the Ferrari SF90 while outlining the Alpine supercar’s ambitions.

Alpine’s 2028 launch plans

Krief says the launch is scheduled for 2028. There is considerable work ahead, particularly because he emphasises that it is separate from the five additional EVs Alpine plans to introduce before 2030, following the A290 and A390.

If Alpine’s move towards hypercars feels like a major leap, Krief points out to TopGear.com that parent company Renault sold out a production run of nearly 1980 examples of the £150k R5 Turbo 3E electric car in only days.

De Meo tells TopGear.com that Alpine is heading in the proper direction. A110 sales have risen significantly as the model approaches the end of its life. “In this sort of exercise you've got to be patient. You need three generations. Our world is not patient any more. You have to manage residual values, distribution, the culture.”

Will he extend that patience to Formula One? Is Alpine’s midfield running acceptable? Is there a firm financial case for remaining in the sport, or does he simply enjoy walking the grid on Sunday afternoons and speaking to film stars?

“Especially for a team like Alpine, you have to build credibility for people that are passionate, Formula One nuts. You only have 10 teams. It's an achievement to be there. For me it's important that this adventure doesn't end. It's a cornerstone of the Alpine project. We can afford it. My job is to make money, to invest, to pay our people.”