When Alpine Challenges Porsche

Since its beginnings, Alpine has never hidden its admiration and rivalry with the benchmark Porsche.

In the 1970s, the French brand from Dieppe took on the legendary Porsche 911. With the A310, Alpine offered a lightweight GT with a rear-mounted engine, designed to compete with the German sports car on winding roads as well as circuits. A daring move in the French style, infused with ingenuity and passion. Two decades later, the A610 took up the torch, more powerful, more refined, and still positioned against the era’s 911 Carrera. But despite undeniable qualities, the Dieppe models never managed to dethrone Stuttgart’s benchmark.

Well, never… not quite. The rivalry extended beyond the road to the most prestigious circuits. At Le Mans, it reached its peak in 1978 when Alpine outperformed Porsche in the premier endurance category. This epic duel between the French A442s and the legendary Stuttgart 936 and 935 captivated enthusiasts worldwide, forever engraving Alpine’s name in endurance racing history.

Such a long absence

After a long eclipse, Alpine was reborn under Renault’s era in 2017 with the A110, a lightweight, precise coupe that once again reflects the company’s philosophy: balance before excess. Yet, beyond this niche sports model, Alpine now aims to re-enter the elite circle, and the rivalry with Porsche is set to continue — but on a… electric field!

With the A390, its first electric SUV, the brand is stepping fully into a strategic segment. And it’s no coincidence that its direct target is called the Porsche Macan, which has also gone electric. Athletic design, high-level performance, sharp chassis, dynamic handling: Alpine wants to prove that efficiency and driving pleasure can be combined—even in a more than two-ton SUV.

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Electric Car

• 27/10/2025 16:42

Audi has never been afraid to shock

This new face-off has the look of a revanche. On one side, Porsche, with its global reputation and unmatched expertise in motorsport. On the other, Alpine, architect of an ambitious renaissance, betting on agility and emotion.

The message is clear: fifty years after the first A310, Alpine is once again challenging Porsche, and this time, history might be written differently.

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