Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Nice car, a relatively light weight Alpine Renault

Some thoughts about weight and the question what is a real car considering the view of bigger target groups.

The Elise was designed to be an even more light weight car in comparison with the Alpine and she combined this goal with a meanwhile trustful reliability during all the years. (The Alpine is younger than brand new, and the production of the standard cars will begin at October 2018). So we know not very much but I‘m confident concerning the build quality.

The Elise struggled with added weight during her production time a lot. Every year she had to be some Kg heavier. E.g. my one is a 2007 MY which means she is the first year equipped with ABS but still without airbags = 840 Kg (I donˋt even know until today if petrol and a driver is included in this weight measurement).

Over the years all the added legal requirements, all little this and that here and there made them significantly heavier. The S 2 started somewhere at 790 Kg with K engine is now round about 900Kg or so? The difference is significant concerning the same basic design of car. Of course the choice of engine comes into the play as well.

The new Alpine which is claimed to weight 1030 Kg with 80 % of petrol included is heavier...but she is designed to this weight from scratch on which is a positive aspect considering the weight distribution, the damper and spring setting etc.

The Elise was designed to a weight arounf 800Kg which means it is not so good when today she is 110 Kg more heavy.

The Alpine weights exactly the same as a Porsche 911 chrome long hood built up to 1973 which feels really nimble and just a „right“ weight somehow. The old 911 with 140 HP does not feel any slow, and the Alpine with 250 HP should be sufficient for my needs...

And the Alpine seems to be a „serious“ car where the Elise is in my view short below the feel to be a ‚real‘ car. I like the Elise a lot. Don‘t misunderstand me, but my little 4/4 feels more like a „real“ car than the Else. The Elise feels more or less like a big and nice go-kart. BTW the 4/4 is in my view also the better car for long distance drive.

Thinking about the market chances the above thoughts mean that the Alpine could be considered like a genuine „car“ which may enhance her potential market share being lighter than the overfluid weighty Cayman but more a „solid car“ than an Elise which is a posiioning of the Alpine that could be a temptation for not only a few customers to try her out.