Alpine A290_β: the future electric sports car from Alpine that you could have in your garage

It is called Alpine A290_β, it is a prototype… and any resemblance to the Renault 5 concept is no mere coincidence. Call it A290, imagine it with some changes needed for its move into production, and we have the A290, which will be Alpine’s first electric model, followed by a crossover and the successor to the current A110. The outlook is promising, as you can see in the images. And you have probably already guessed it: yes, the basis of the future Alpine A290 will be the already announced Renault 5 electric.

An Alpine you could well have in your garage

The most interesting thing about the Alpine A290 for car enthusiasts in general, and for sports car fans or the French brand in particular, is that con the A290 Alpine greatly widens its target audience… and also reaches younger customers. It is still too early to talk about prices, but this small model will provide access to the Alpine range, and it is to be expected that owning one will not require reaching the 60,000 euros at which the current A110 starts. So it is not a bad idea to start saving up.

Technically, as long as the road version keeps the prototype’s configuration, we are looking at an electric car that will offer genuine driving fun. Very c0mpact, with a length of 4.05 metres, a width of 1.85 metres and a height of 1.48 metres, I give a 10 to Alpine’s designers, who have integrated enough elements for the Alpine version of the future Renault 5 electric to have its own identity, rather than looking like a “tuning” exercise. According to the brand, elements such as the floating mirrors, for example, help improve aerodynamic downforce. And the dashboard, with the driving position in the centre and two rear seats, has an arrow shape inspired by the nose of a Formula 1 single-seater.

Alpine’s first electric model

There are references to competition everywhere, such as the vertical rear lights, inspired by those of the A470 that competes in the World Endurance Championship. There are also many elements taken from the world of the powerful PCs used by gamers. The X-shaped daytime running lights stand out, which apparently anticipate those the production model will carry. The same goes for the 19-inch wheels, which could keep their exclusive three-colour design, shod with high-performance Michelin tyres that will also carry specific markings.

The interior does not lack sports seats with a carbon-fibre structure or, in the driver’s case, upholstered in a reflective material that shows graphic motifs when light falls on it. Many functions are handled from a console mounted on the roof, and so that the driver can concentrate solely on the road there are no screens beyond the information projected onto the windscreen. The steering wheel features a red OV button (overtake) that we will see on all future Alpine electric models, and that will provide maximum power for 10 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmxEbMVsF7s&feature=youtu.be

What there is not are many technical details, beyond the fact that two electric motors drive the front wheels, with no power or performance figures offered. Since each motor acts on one wheel, torque can be managed completely independently. On the prototype the brakes are Brembo with 4-piston calipers, taken from the A110; the ABS offers multiple levels of regulation, and the suspension, with a multi-link rear axle, uses dampers with hydraulic bump stops. Without taking your hands off the wheel, you can alter the car’s behaviour in real time, not just by acting on the ABS: three specific driving modes, called wet, dry and full, offer configurations adapted to weather conditions.

Alpine A290_β concept – Image gallery