Photo: Alpine
For more than two years, Alpine's A290 has been through numerous ordeals to ensure it completes the comprehensive development and fine-tuning program just in time for the official release, scheduled for June 2024. Yep, we now know when the feisty Renault 5 EV will become officially official.
But what is an Alpine 290? Well, the maker of high-performance cars from France is intertwined with Renault, as most fans probably know. And the latter has decided some time ago that it wants to rekindle the spirit of the Renault 5 with help from a retro-modern rebirth for the novel EV lifestyle.
Easier said than done. The Renault 5 EV was announced in early 2021, and as of now, we are still waiting for production to commence and for the little hatchback to take over the affordable EV story from the well-known Renault Zoe. Based on the CMF-B EV platform, it will be twinned with the upcoming Nissan Micra EV but will also feature a high-performance variant that is slated to arrive as the spiritual successor of the Renault 5 Alpine.
Previewed by the Alpine A290_β (beta), the electric hot hatch might be named simply A290 when it comes to market – but that remains to be seen. Anyway, our spy photographer partners quickly shot the camouflage-clad prototypes in a wintery environment, so we knew its hour of glory was coming under the red carpet's spotlight. But we didn't know precisely when that would happen.
No worries, nowadays automakers love to present their development mules just as much as spy photographers like to chase them, and now the latest Alpine A290 teaser comes from the Arctic Circle, where the company is running the final part of its comprehensive development program. Even better, they let slip that Alpine's A290 is coming in June 2024.
"Our A290, the future compact B-segment electric sports car, is currently being tested in the extreme and demanding conditions of Sweden's Lapland. The target of this important stage is to confirm the direction we have taken with handling and agility, which is part of our DNA in low grip conditions. To fine-tune its development so that it can be effective in all circumstances and all weather conditions, the winter development stage of the A290 is crucial as it is a completely new car," explains Philippe Krief, Alpine's CEO.
The freezing temperatures can drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), but the Alpine teams get the A290 going both on tracks and open roads, all the while testing "a wide range of equipment," including heating, defogging, defrosting, or ESC prowess on snow. Of course, with this being an official outing for the marketing team, the prototype used for the photo shoot was clad in subtly different camouflage attire than when our spy photographers caught it – there's an 'A-Arrow' logo on the roof and the Alpine Blue color scheme.
Additionally, this is the final prototype with its official dimensions and bodywork - 3,990 mm long, 1,820 mm wide, 1,520 mm tall, and sporting a wheelbase of 2,530 mm. Even better, Alpine also presents it with an exclusive Alpine sport steering wheel in Nappa leather, which is complete with three functions borrowed from Alpine's Formula 1 steering wheels: OV (Overtake), RCH (Recharge), and Drive modes. Michelin also developed exclusive 'A29' markings for this model, and the A290 will come equipped with three different tires: Pilot Alpin 5 (winter) and Pilot Sport EV for energy efficiency or Pilot Sport S5 for performance when choosing summer versions.
Easier said than done. The Renault 5 EV was announced in early 2021, and as of now, we are still waiting for production to commence and for the little hatchback to take over the affordable EV story from the well-known Renault Zoe. Based on the CMF-B EV platform, it will be twinned with the upcoming Nissan Micra EV but will also feature a high-performance variant that is slated to arrive as the spiritual successor of the Renault 5 Alpine.
Previewed by the Alpine A290_β (beta), the electric hot hatch might be named simply A290 when it comes to market – but that remains to be seen. Anyway, our spy photographer partners quickly shot the camouflage-clad prototypes in a wintery environment, so we knew its hour of glory was coming under the red carpet's spotlight. But we didn't know precisely when that would happen.
No worries, nowadays automakers love to present their development mules just as much as spy photographers like to chase them, and now the latest Alpine A290 teaser comes from the Arctic Circle, where the company is running the final part of its comprehensive development program. Even better, they let slip that Alpine's A290 is coming in June 2024.
"Our A290, the future compact B-segment electric sports car, is currently being tested in the extreme and demanding conditions of Sweden's Lapland. The target of this important stage is to confirm the direction we have taken with handling and agility, which is part of our DNA in low grip conditions. To fine-tune its development so that it can be effective in all circumstances and all weather conditions, the winter development stage of the A290 is crucial as it is a completely new car," explains Philippe Krief, Alpine's CEO.
The freezing temperatures can drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), but the Alpine teams get the A290 going both on tracks and open roads, all the while testing "a wide range of equipment," including heating, defogging, defrosting, or ESC prowess on snow. Of course, with this being an official outing for the marketing team, the prototype used for the photo shoot was clad in subtly different camouflage attire than when our spy photographers caught it – there's an 'A-Arrow' logo on the roof and the Alpine Blue color scheme.
Additionally, this is the final prototype with its official dimensions and bodywork - 3,990 mm long, 1,820 mm wide, 1,520 mm tall, and sporting a wheelbase of 2,530 mm. Even better, Alpine also presents it with an exclusive Alpine sport steering wheel in Nappa leather, which is complete with three functions borrowed from Alpine's Formula 1 steering wheels: OV (Overtake), RCH (Recharge), and Drive modes. Michelin also developed exclusive 'A29' markings for this model, and the A290 will come equipped with three different tires: Pilot Alpin 5 (winter) and Pilot Sport EV for energy efficiency or Pilot Sport S5 for performance when choosing summer versions.
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