The Alpine name will forever have a place in Renault’s classic folklore. And it’s a place that’s going to be reinforced when the name comes back for a new range of mid-engined sports cars due next year.

This is set to take a tilt at established rivals like the Porsche Cayman – especially come 2017, when a more powerful version is added to the range.

Called the Alpine A120, in homage to the legendary A110, this will continue the Alpine tradition of blending light weight with high power. Not sky-high, but as much as can be wrung from the sort of engine that won’t add unneccesary lard.

In this case, that engine is understood to be the 1.6-litre unit found in the Clio RS. Mated to a seven-speed auto, it will be pushed towards 300bhp – giving it a usefully better power to weight ratio than the 3.4-litre Cayman S.

Like the Porsche, the Alpine will be mid-engined, and a modern aluminium chassis will help keep it down to a target weight of just 1100kg.

It won’t be an outright bargain, however, despite coming from a volume manufacturer. The range is likely to start at around £40,000 when it goes on sale – with the A120 adding as much as ten grand to that.