Sports car enthusiasts have probably already respected a minute of silence for the formalization of the closure of the Renault Sport department, also known as RS, which from now on will move all activities within the Alpine brand. The news is certainly not a bolt from the blue, given that the announcement had already been made last spring, within the “Renaulution” plan which concerns the entire future of the Renault Group and which was presented by Luca De Meo . In recent days, however, a farewell image was published on the Renault Sport social profiles, accompanied by thanks to all those who contributed to the success of this department. Now it is all in the hands of Alpine, as already happened in Formula 1, which will therefore also take care of all motorsport activities.
«As part of the reorganization of the Renault Group by brand, it is essential that the various entities that make up the Business Unit bear the Alpine name and embody the values and ambitions of the brand. Alpine aims to be a premium sports brand at the forefront of innovation and technology. Alpine with its competence and experience in sports vehicles is a trump card to achieve our goals »said Laurent Rossi, CEO of Alpine, speaking of the new organization. For Renault Sport, an over twenty-year career is coming to an end, which began in 1999 with the second generation Clio of the same name, the one with the naturally aspirated 172 bhp 2-liter. But this was only a trade name, because the department actually existed since 1976, bringing together the forces of Alpine and Gordini.
In other words: the denominations change, but the substance and the roots are always the same. Alpine, therefore, will also take care of the sporting side of electrification on which the Renault Group is now 100% committed, as De Meo himself confirmed today. «We have an obligation to participate in the transition towards a zero-emission Europe. So here Renault will be 100% electric by 2030, provided that there is an adequate charging network and favorable electricity prices. Otherwise we will continue to offer endothermic engines ».
As for Dacia, however, the traditional engines will be abandoned “at the last possible moment”.
