French performance car maker from Dieppe, a Renault Group subsidiary known for lightweight sports cars and, since 2024, electric hot hatches.
Twelve European badges whose nationality does not match their ownership: Cupra, Vauxhall, DS, Opel, Lancia, Alpine, Abarth, MG, Ebro, DR Automobiles, smart and Leapmotor. Some are Spanish or British names owned in Germany or the Netherlands, some are revived badges on Chinese hardware, and several are assembled in a third country again.
Most European badges trace back to about five mega-groups - Volkswagen, Stellantis, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Renault. But several beloved European brands are now owned abroad, in China, India and the UAE, and a few Chinese and joint-venture names now sell under European flags. Here is who owns what in 2026.
Alpine Cars SAS is a French performance car manufacturer based in Dieppe, Normandy, and a subsidiary of Renault Group. Founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé - a Renault dealer and racing driver - Alpine built a reputation on lightweight rear-engine sports cars, with the A110 becoming the definitive French performance car of the 1970s. Renault acquired the brand in 1973 and relaunched it in 2017 with the current A110, a mid-engine aluminium sports coupé.
The brand’s second modern chapter began in 2024 with the Alpine A290, the brand’s first electric vehicle - a hot hatch version of the Renault 5 E-Tech on the shared AmpR Small platform. The A290 marked Alpine’s move into a more accessible price bracket while keeping the focus on driver engagement, with sport-tuned suspension, larger brakes, and dedicated driving modes.
