MONTE CARLO, Monaco (February 16, 2016) – Alpine, the high-performance division for Renault, unveiled a new sports-car prototype today called the Vision, the production version of which is slated to go on sale in 2017. Among the celebrities in attendance for the glamorous festivity held in Monaco were Gran Tursimo creator Kazunori Yamauchi, who formed close ties with Alpine with the Vision Gran Tursimo project, and Lord March, the host of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Amid more than 90 Alpine A110s that lined the scenic Port Hercule, Renault CEO and President Carlos Ghosn was on hand to personally introduce the Vision, bathed in bright white paint. The venue was a fitting tribute to Alpine, which was born from the rallying passion of race driver Jean Rédélé, who named the company after the snow-capped mountains of the French Alps. Alpine dominated the 1971 and 1973 running of the Monte Carlo Rally with the A110.

One look at the Vision, and it’s clear that it’s the spirit successor of the A110, with a high level of refinement that rivals today’s mass-produced sports cars. Unlike the A110 however, the Vision does not possess a rear-engine layout, but instead has its engine mounted amidships. The rear-wheel-drive car is powered by a compact turbocharged 4-cyliner engine that allows the Vision to go from zero to 100 km/h in a scant 4.5 seconds. The Alpine development team said that it is still tuning the car’s handling, but it is certain when it does appear in its finalized form, it will shake up the premium sports-car market.

Here are some of the comments from the people who attended the event:

“The revival of Alpine means we will have some very exciting choices when it comes to choosing light and agile sports cars. I had the privilege to open the 23rd Festival of Speed last year driving the Alpine Celebration Concept, and I am very much looking forward to discovering the actual production car and soon see more Alpines roaring up the Goodwood hill.”

— Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara DL, and host of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

“Whenever I drive an Alpine in the Alps, I feel so at home. When I drove competitively, I was awarded the Coupe d’Or for winning the Coupe des Alpes rally three years in a row, equaling the record of Ian Appleyard and Stirling Moss. I have always associated Alpine with driving enjoyment and victory.”

— Jean Vinatier, famed Alpine Driver.

“Alpine is my life, so witnessing its renaissance today clearly makes me very happy. I would like to think that our association of alumni as well as the various Alpine clubs around the world have all played their own small part in this exciting revival.”

— André Desaubry, President of the Alpine Owners Club, Association des Anciens d’Alpine.

“When I was younger, I used to dream about Alpines. I still do – more than ever, and in fact – that dream has never been so close or so tangible.”

— Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo.