Caterham Cars' Share of Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham Acquired By Renault +VIDEO

PARIS - June 10, 2014: Caterham Group, manufacturers of the Caterham Seven 620 R and AeroSeven, has sold their 50% stake in Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham to Renault. The acquisition gives Renault 100% of the company, which will revert to its original name "Société des Automobiles Alpine."

Renault Alpine A110-50 at 2013 Shanghai Motor Show

In November 2012, Renault and Caterham Cars announced Caterham's purchasing 50% stake in Renault's wholly owned subsidiary Société des Automobiles Alpine. The intention was to develop affordable sport cars under the Alpine (for Renault) and Caterham (for Caterham Cars) brands, which would be available in 2016. Renault will now continue to develop its own Alpine sports car to be launched in 2016, as initially planned. Caterham Group also plans to continue with its own sports car.

MORE ABOUT CATERHAM
The Caterham 7 (or Seven), is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman and originally launched in 1973. In the 1990s the company made the Caterham 21, a two-seater soft top alternative to the MGF and Lotus Elise, (which both sold many more units). A track-only car, the SP/300.R, a joint project with Lola was released for customer testing in 2010 and released in 2013. On 27 April 2011, the Malaysian Formula One team owner Tony Fernandes announced that he had purchased Caterham.