GPWizard F1 Forum
Everything Else => General Automotive => Topic started by: cosworth151 on November 07, 2012, 08:36:00 PM
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Caterham and Renault are now joining forces to built sports cars for the road. They will start with two lightweight two-seat sports cars, likely to be on sale in 2015 or 2016. The operation will be based at the old Alpine factory.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20121105/carnews/121109912#ixzz2BZT8z8XV (http://www.autoweek.com/article/20121105/carnews/121109912#ixzz2BZT8z8XV)
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I read about this on a couple of other websites, Caterham will take a 50% share in the French Alpine factory operation but I'm not sure that includes putting the present Caterham company and production into that same new French business. :DntKnw:
They haven't explained whether any new Caterham badged product will be produced at the Dieppe plant or in the UK either. :confused: The only thing that is clear is that Alpine badged cars will be built in France and Renault thinks it's found a way to keep production going at a presently uneconomic site. Could be good for Caterham and Tony Fernandes; but not at the expense of the British built (old Lotus 7) sports car and present Caterham factory workers I hope. :nono:
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From what I've read, they will build a closed version as a Renault and an open version badged Caterham. I haven't seen anything about their existing operation.
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They have promised to themselves that they will make life miserable for us, was Lotus/Caterham confusion was not enough that you have to mingle an Alpine with you. Now we have three marques, rather famous being crazily mingled with each other :confused: