Note: The Alpine A110 has been withdrawn from sale in Australia as new safety regulations come into effect that put an end to the French rival Porsche Cayman and Audi TT.
The A110S has just become available in Australia, but now it and the wider A110 range (pictured) are no longer available locally.
Renault's sports car brand, Alpine, has been forced to suspend sales of its only current model, the A110 coupe, in Australia due to new local safety regulations.
Effective from November 2021 for models that received Australian Design Regulation (ADR) approval prior to November 2017, ADR 85 sets out new side impact rules that are not covered by the A110.
Infamous, the Porsche Cayman and Audi TT rival was launched locally in October 2018 without side airbags as a weight-saving measure, which likely played a key role in its demise due to a theoretical lack of side impact protection. in particular with a post or a tree.
However, the A110 is not the only model to be prematurely terminated by the ADR 85, including the Nissan GT-R coupe and Lexus CT small hatchback, IS midsize sedan and RC coupe, among others.
A spokesman for Renault Australia said: “ADR 85 reflects rules that are not currently accepted worldwide. This further complicates production for a country that represents roughly one percent of the global market and already has the unique design rules required by the market.
“In short, it increases the cost of cars that need to be designed specifically for the Australian market and eliminates a number of models that need to be here.
"Alpine will be removed from the roster as a result of the passing of the rules."
However, Alpine will likely return to Australia in the future as it is set to become Renault's new all-electric sub-brand, replacing Renault Sport in the process. From 2024, three new models will appear worldwide, including a hatchback, an SUV and a sports car.
For reference, 83 examples of the A110 have been sold locally in four years, with its range most recently costing $101,000 to $115,000 plus travel expenses.
