On the marque: Renault’s Team Alpine is getting in gear for a future of sporty top performers

A chance to sample the Alpine A110 on Irish roads gives a taste of what may be in store for the sporty Renault-owned division

The Alpine 110 is not sold here but, with the Alpine brand about to be reinvented, it might yet have a future on the Irish market

This is not a standard test drive. The car you see here, the wonderful Alpine A110, is not sold through official channels in this country.

Instead, Renault Ireland has imported a single example of the sports coupé so that motoring journalists can sample it for themselves. It would appear that we are being readied for a future launch of the brand on these shores.

Before we talk about its future, it’s worth revisiting Alpine’s past, ...