The new Alpine topic

Yeh I know ......Can you imagine trying to buy one from Dell Towers ? You'd go mad and end up buying a Maserati instead ....
I've got just the premises in Heanor for a flagship ........just behind the marketplace.

I'm impressed with how they are doing so far. If they have sold the initial 2000, that is more than twice the number of all the A610 ever sold and about 1/3 or the total GTA/A610 sales over 8 years...mind you there were nearly 12000 A310's made....
This could bode well for all of us who think they might like one but won't buy new cars...

If its well received hopefully it will drag the old model prices with it.

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Be interesting to compare this with the new TVR launch and success, think it's similar initial numbers?

I can see the prices of A110's going up, but not convinced there would be any read across to other models. To make a comparison, the prices of Fiat Unos haven't gone up because the new Abarth 500 models hit the market... and if you look at the prices of the Abarth copies, it does make the GTA values look a joke and pale into insignificance, so can't say it is not a valid comparison... but the key is not just the brand or marque, but the image and the nostalgic associations in this sector, as Alpine has already identified and worked to exploit to good effect... I think GTA prices will continue to go up purely down to availability, but unlikely to be dramatic, or that would have already happened in my mind. What would be interesting would be to plot the initial cost of purchase for an average GTA over the years up to present, against the then extant maintenance cost... I think the cross over point has probably been exceeded, and if values don't jump, the cost of ownership will start to be prohibitive. If you put a classic Ferrari in the workshop for repair for example, the cost of the repairs is always outweighed by the increase in net value... so owners spend... and buyers are already of a mind set that purchase price is in the elite and desirable bracket... the clever money will always follow where there is a value stream... or you chose to follow a passion purely for that sake, but it will always be the minority than the majority...

So reliance on an external activity to provide value to the GTA model I think is likely to be flaky, question is, what can be done different to change the value of the cars?...

Martin

[stephendell]

I've only been given the impression of stand alone for sales premises.

If on the same site as an existing Renault dealership, perhaps sharing a back room or office only.

Not sure what the plan is for servicing.

From a CEO M. Van der Sande interview, we know there will be some stand alone showrooms, but also
some Renault dealers with physically separated Alpine rooms.
Btw, Alpine dealers/mecanics have specific training sessions; they really focus on passion for the brand & racing.

The Classic car market is the same as any market driven by demand, in general the bulk of people buying classic cars at the moment are from the 60s all starting to retire pension payout and wanting to re-live their youth in cars they couldn't afford at the time, hence the price in E types Healey 3000 Triumph are all going through the roof.
The marketing departments have identified this and most major manufacturers are all launching redesigns of some of their classic models from that era to appeal to this growing cash rich market. I think even Citroen are launching a redesign of the 2CV.
I don't think you're really going to start to see the prices of our our Alpines rising for at least another 10 to 15 years, then you will then see the likes of VW relaunching a redesign of the original mark one golf etc.
On the flipside cars from the pre war and just after the war including motorbikes, I think you will see there values start to decrease as it is a declining market due to less people being alive from my Eire.

[BIG_MVS]

I think you will see there values start to decrease as it is a declining market due to less people being alive from my Eire.

Top of the morning to you!

Listen, values are on the up and it's a combination of the classic car market and prices in Europe. They will go up over the next few years due to the new car, guaranteed you heard it here.

Also we need to stop going on about them being rot boxes! This isn't going to help future values at all giving them a reputation. They are all 20 - 30 years old so are all needing some sort of welding or restoration much like any other car of the era. Alfa Romeo, Ford, BMW etc etc.

[simontaylor]

Also we need to stop going on about them being rot boxes! This isn't going to help future values at all giving them a reputation. They are all 20 - 30 years old so are all needing some sort of welding or restoration much like any other car of the era. Alfa Romeo, Ford, BMW etc etc.

Fully agree, hardly ever see any other 80's cars on the roads these days.

Ho Ho Ho, but there is 2 in my garage

There time will come I loved the 80s early 90s but like most things when you where living it you didn't release what a good time it was.

Anyway, clee & simontaylor, just don't change your Avatar. Like them

[simontaylor]

everyone likes our avatars, my gf likes mine so much she praises me for being saucey
and you should join the club and have an avatar too.

From a infiltrate guy, I know France, Germany & Swiss have been the most demanding countries for the Première édition serie.
It feels weird that so many people reserved one within a few days, without any informations except the general design and the 0 to 100km by 4.5sec., 4 cyl , central engine, RWD and that's it.

everyone likes our avatars, my gf likes mine so much she praises me for being saucey
and you should join the club and have an avatar too.

I will try to find one as sexy as an A110...

Does anyone know if its a proper mid engine (Boxster) - or just a transverse engine moved to the back like an Elise/VX220 ???