Le Mans Renault Alpine breaks cover

Renault's Alpine sports brand has a new race face. Pictured is the resurrected sports car brand's first track car – a racer built to take on this year's gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Signatech-Alpine, which will also compete in this year’s European Le Mans Series (ELMS), was rolled out over the weekend at Renault's showcase dealership and corporate 'fun park' L'Atelier Renault on Paris' Avenue des Champs Élysées. It joins the A110-50 concept as a standard holder for the re-birthed brand.

The Nissan V8-powered Signatech-Alpine will compete in the LMP2 category in both the 24 Hours and the European series. The open sportscar will fire its first shot in anger at the official ELMS test days at the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France later this week.

Alpine’s return to the race track is a key part of the brand's strategy ahead of its first road car, due in 2016. That car will be designed by Société des Automobiles Alpine-Caterham, and is expected to be built alongside Renault Sport racing models in Dieppe.

In preparation for the roll out of Alpine, the Renault conglomerate formed a joint venture with Brit kit and sports car brand Caterham in 2012.

Almost 35 years ago, an Alpine-Renault A442B won Le Mans and was paraded down the Champs Elysées. The same car is the centrepiece of a current exhibition at L’Atelier Renault.

Société des Automobiles Alpine-Caterham’s CEO Bernard Ollivier was on hand at L'Atelier to relive past glories and debut the new racer's debut. Its livery is in Alpine's to traditional blue and orange.

“Since the announcement of Alpine’s revival on November 5 last year, we have been moving forward step by step,” said Bernard Ollivier.

“The unveiling... marks the beginning of another phase... The news of our endurance racing programme received a very positive welcome, not only from diehard Alpine enthusiasts, but also from the world of motor racing in general. We can hardly wait to see our brand’s colours in action!”

Three French endurance drivers have been named for the N°36 Alpine-Renault's return – a "blend of experience and youth" says the team.

ELMS drivers Nelson Panciatici (24) and Pierre Ragues (29) will be joined for the Le Mans 24 Hours by 34-year-old Tristan Gommendy. The drivers all rose up through the ranks of Renault’s single-seater formulae and, between them, have a total of 10 previous starts at the 24 Hours.

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