France’s Alpine May Start North American Expansion With Canada

Due in part to the new tariffs imposed by Donald Trump's administration on vehicles manufactured outside the U.S., French car company Alpine is now mulling Canada as an entry into North America.

“We will probably start with Canada,” CEO Philippe Krief said last week, as reported by Automotive News Europe.

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Alpine, whose premium car lineup will include seven new models by 2030, initially planned to launch in the U.S. starting in 2027. However, given the current situation, that plan has become unrealistic.

Canada would make a sensible alternative because a key portion of the country speaks French and has a history with French cars. It also helps that many people have moved from France and now live in Canada, particularly Quebec.  

Krief argued that Alpine could reach approximately 80 percent of the Canadian market by having retailers in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary. He did not say, however, whether the company would set up its own retail network or join forces with another brand.

Alpine, which was revived in 2018 by Renault under former CEO Carlos Ghosn, currently sells the A110 sports coupe as well as the A290 electric hatchback. In May, it unveiled a very attractive electric crossover called the A390 (pictured below).

Two other larger vehicles, designed with the North American market in mind, are slated to follow shortly.

Alpine also has been running an F1 team since 2021 when it took over from Renault.