The new Alpine topic

[The Saint]

Merci pour ce partage .

I thought that the copy right on "Alpine" for a car name expired in the early 90s hence why the A610 could be called a Alpine with the Aline badge, unlike the GTA over here that had the diamond on the nose & Renault on the rear.

I thought that the copy right on "Alpine" for a car name expired in the early 90s .......

I think you are right Rich ........ I have mentioned this before, but when I picked up my 1990 Alp from C.A.T in Southampton, ( the Renault UK depot for cars awaiting delivery to dealers ) ..... there were a number of the later type nose cones with the round flying "A" badge set in a depression, lying around, which C.A.T. were using to replace the earlier nose cones with the Renault Diamond badge on Alps that were yet to be delivered.
On asking why they were doing that, I was told that 1990 cars onwards, were now able to show that they were Alpines, as the copyright had just run out in the UK, on the marque "Alpine", for previous manufactures ........ they were also replacing the wheel centers with new ones with the flying "A" imprinted on them, in place of the older ones with Renault on them.

John

Interestingly....according to IPO...it seems the UK trademark is registered to Talbot Motor Company...but that company is inactive.
Renault does have a later EU registration...but the prior UK registration would probably trump this..if someone wanted (or could) use the protection of the UK one.

https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/4/EU001095876
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00000786178

I suppose there is still a small risk that the original owners of Talbot (Peugeot I guess?) could claim ownership ofthe original UK trademark...or that someone could ask to buy this from the Crown (trademarks from wound up companies can be sold by the Crown),

What is puzzling is that the 2018 date exists..I thought renewals occurred every 10 years which suggests someone has renewed the UK trademark.
Or maybe Renault made a deal in the 90s to use the trademark in the UK...or given the last Talbot Alpine was made in say 1985?..by the 90s after 5 years off (and after the demise of Talbot?) then Renault elected to use Alpine..

I'm no lawyer..but I'm sure the legal team demonstrate the same rigour to their intellectual property protection as they did in the 80s to chassis rust protection...and quality control on fibre glass bodywork prep.

It does seem a bit loosey goosey ..as the "Alpine" brand must be worth a fair bit in the UK if they (Renault). later want to use this to tap into the growing SUV market here.
Indeed ..have Alpine 100% confirmed that this will launch as RHD ?? ..after the Caterham split then there's less of a reason to tool up for RHD...though given the Goodwood publicity launch I suppose it will be destined for UK?

I used to work for a Renault dealer during the 80`s. I know that the inability to use the alpine name was frustrating for Renault. Potential buyers would always ask the reason for marketing the car as a Renault & not an Alpine. I know it put people off. The Renault name was good enough for the 5GT turbo but seemingly not good enough for a £25,000 supercar. I understand that Renault came to an agreement with Peugeot Talbot to use the name in the early 90`s but by then the public had all but lost interest in the car.

On the comment from John regarding the nose cones. this does not surprise me. Renault held a small number of GTA`s in Southampton & we were encouraged to try to sell one of these rather than do a factory order. They were happy to swap parts from one car to another to suit the customer. Obviously this was limited, but things such as wheels, seats (cloth - leather & colour) carpets & door cards, could be changed.

Paul

Not sure of the full story in the early 90's but Renault had to sell the A610 as

'Renault A610 by Alpine' in the UK so obviously they couldn't market it as Alpine between 1992-95.

This was further backed up by the fact that the European cars had ALPINE on the rear panel between the lights and also on the front nose cone badge but UK cars just had a flying A nosecone badge with no ALPINE writing on it and a flying A badge on the rear. Any cars like my own with the Alpine badging on the front and rear have been changed at a later point.

I can't remember the exact details but I do remember reading relatively recently that Renault do now have the sole right to use ALPINE in the UK so the new car will be called Alpine in the UK.

[BIG_MVS]

I never got the fact that Talbot were using Alpine for their Model name and Renault wanted to use it as a Manufacturer name so in essence they are completely different? I guess someone at Alpine dropped a bollock and forgot to get both names in the UK, Talbot were ahead of the game...

What Paul says above regarding swapping bits over rings true as many GTA's had a real mish mash of interior panels. Leather but velour door cards and vice versa. Empty on here has velour and Black leather door cards in his Atmo, tried many a time to "marry up" his door cards with velour ones for a swap but he ain't having it

[stephendell]

What Mr Folly says is correct.

RHD cars could never have the "Alpine" wording officially on the car. From 1990 model year they were allowed to use the "A" symbol but not the wording on GTA or A610. It's a popular aftermarket upgrade swopping the RHD bonnet badge for LHD. Also rear grille.

I understand Renault SAS Group have now retained the rights to use both the wording and symbol for all markets. The font has changed though.

[Alpineandy]

I never got the fact that Talbot were using Alpine for their Model name and Renault wanted to use it as a Manufacturer name so in essence they are completely different? I guess someone at Alpine dropped a bollock and forgot to get both names in the UK, Talbot were ahead of the game...

Sunbeam used the 'Alpine' name in the 50s before Rédélé had started building cars.

However I think Rolls Royce had used the name previously for a certain body style (in the 20s on a 20hp chassis, but I could be getting confused) but hadn't registered the name.

12474077_953059831454609_5136439421787122377_o.jpg

12410539_953060028121256_104131700509625814_n.jpg

So very failthful to the prototypes and heritage.
40k euro...I wonder what that will be here?
Will there be rhd?

Thanks Mark

[BIG_MVS]

I think it looks great.

£35k in the UK maybe? No mention of RHD yet though but I think they will do it.

Which of the two cars is closest to production? The blue and yellow cars are quite different or is it to allow for a small and larger engine option.

V. nice, soon as they are 20 years old, rotten and unloved I'm 'avin one.

If I read it right, it's getting the Clio 1.6 T lump, complete with semi auto box........but this box hasn't won many friends. I'm hoping Clio 200T values bomb ( blah blah it's not a proper RS 'cos of gearbox ), as I'm quite fancying one, semi auto for my later decrepit years.
The 220 Trophy looks a bit more beefy but I don't really follow modern car press, so don't know if it has got a warmer welcome than the first EDC 200.
250 - 300 ps shows how much tech has marched on over the last 20 years, especially when you consider how good they are on juice and how clean they are, but I thought hybrid/all electric would show its face somewhere in the mix.................?

V. nice, soon as they are 20 years old, rotten and unloved I'm 'avin one.

If I read it right, it's getting the Clio 1.6 T lump, complete with semi auto box........but this box hasn't won many friends. I'm hoping Clio 200T values bomb ( blah blah it's not a proper RS 'cos of gearbox ), as I'm quite fancying one, semi auto for my later decrepit years.

They already have, I got a less than year old one for nearly half the new price. Its a nice drive as well, been a long time since I have been eager to get up early just to drive a car. Can fully understand why the young kids don't like the interaction with the gearbox but its a super motor and aside from needing to forget its a Clio- as there is no real bloodline- its a great family car that wont be out of place on a track day.

The 220 Trophy looks a bit more beefy but I don't really follow modern car press, so don't know if it has got a warmer welcome than the first EDC 200.
250 - 300 ps shows how much tech has marched on over the last 20 years, especially when you consider how good they are on juice and how clean they are, but I thought hybrid/all electric would show its face somewhere in the mix.................?

The 220 trophy has a bigger turbo and revised electronics for the gearbox and maybe a different clutch IIRC. Folks complain about the speed of gear changes but although its not SADEV race speed its still probably quicker than a human and no chance of a missed gear fumble.

The yellow car in the pic shows some extra venting so we are thinking there will be 2 versions with a power and price hike between them.