Did Renault sabotage Alpine by offering the R5 to Nissan?

Upon discovering the new Nissan Micra electric, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of sadness for Alpine.

For in trying too hard to please a wavering Renault-Nissan alliance, the diamond marque may have made a strategic misstep. By entrusting Nissan with the platform of its very successful electric R5, a true reinterpretation of a popular myth, the French brand has also relinquished a significant part of its allure. Fortunately, the new Micra only resembles… a Renault 5, without carrying its name or emotional capital.

Indeed, Nissan’s designers have tried to bring a distinct personality to this sixth generation and “This is not a retro design,” insists Bert Dehaes, head of design. The eye-shaped headlights, the SUV-like treatment of the flanks, and the “Japanese” details (Mount Fuji on the console, kanji on the charging flap) make a feeble attempt to mask the obvious. But everything recalls the R5, from the silhouette to the displays integrated under the same cover, not to mention the interior layout. A faithful copy… without the nostalgia that comes with it.

NISMO in branch free from the Nissan tree

And this is where it gets tricky for Alpine. Because this electric Renault 5 is also the technical foundation of the A290, the colorful little bomb. But again, the Alpine A290 resembles an R5 and thus has no unique identity. An electric Renault 5 Alpine would have done just as well. This lack of identity consequently offers a golden opportunity for Nissan to steal the show. For if NISMO, the sports division of the Japanese manufacturer, takes a serious look at the Micra, the result could be formidable. These Japanese wizards have already transformed Qashqais and Patrols into pseudo sporty models, quite convincing one must admit as long as one does not try to push them to their limits. By injecting a bit of the dynamics of the Ariya NISMO, they could give this Micra an unexpectedly sporty dimension.

Technically, the platform lends itself to this with its multi-link architecture and exclusively electric philosophy. If Nismo fully commits to the cause, we could witness a sibling rivalry with an Alpine potentially eclipsed by its Japanese cousin. By trying too hard to rationalize platforms, Renault risks being overtaken on its own starting line. The success of a Micra NISMO could very well be a Pyrrhic victory.

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