The Alpine A290 faces the cold of the Arctic Circle with success

We are seeing more and more models that face the most extreme cold to demonstrate that they can be very practical and useful in the most unexpected conditions. Cold is one of those factors that make cars suffer more than normal, so it is essential to test them in colder conditions than recommended. Countries close to the Arctic Circle are the ideal setting for carrying out these tests without problems.

The new Alpine A290 has undergone these tests and has had to face temperatures dropping below -30ºC. Sweden has hosted these tests in cold conditions. The roads and tracks covered in snow and ice of that country pose a considerable challenge for the brand’s engineers, who have been able to adjust the various parameters that make it respond well to the harsh weather.

In these weather conditions, the settings have been improved so that it can move freely and safely on these very challenging terrains. Specialists have paid attention to the engine parameters and its behaviour, as well as how it responds while driving on ice and snow.

Elements such as the interior habitability have also been monitored against these extreme temperatures. The heating has received special attention. Attention has also been paid to the windscreen’s demisting and defrosting capability. The ESC, the Electronic Stability Control, has proven that it can be very efficient on snow. All of this must be measured thoroughly and efficiently in real driving and environmental conditions, not in a laboratory.

In this case, the wheels carry MICHELIN Pilot Alpin high-performance tyres, with which the level of braking and precision in driving under these extreme cold conditions will be adjusted. Specific tyres, both summer and winter, have been created for the Alpine A290. These MICHELIN tyres will be marked with the designation A29 and are intended for this model, to achieve maximum performance at all times.

In the images we see it with the camouflage that protects it from prying eyes which do not allow us to see in detail what it will offer once complete. What we know is that the Alpine A290 will have a length of 3,990 millimetres, a width of 1,820 millimetres and a height of 1,520 millimetres. The wheelbase is 2,530 millimetres, which allows for a generous interior for passengers.

In the cabin, a sports steering wheel covered in Nappa leather has been fitted, with a central point that offers the sporty image a car of this brand needs. On it there are three functions that come from Formula 1 cars: OV (Overtake); RCH (Recharge) and the activation of the various driving modes.