“Alpine A290: The Fully Electric Sports Car Range Debuting in 2024”

DOUBLE DECLINATION – In 2024 the re-edition of the Renault 5, which will be electric only. And, as in the past, this model will be joined by the Alpine-branded sports variant, which will arrive on the market shortly after. Unlike what happened in the past, however, we will no longer talk about the Renault 5 Alpine, but about Alpine A290, because the French sports brand will go “on its own” and will build a full-fledged range – fully electric – that will go far beyond the current A110. In fact, the sports version of the Renault 5 will be followed by a compact crossover in 2025, the heir to the A110 in 2026, and two other larger crossovers in 2027 and 2028.

CONCEPT BUT NOT TOO MUCH – And of the A290, Alpine today presented the prototype, whose name has the extension β to underline that it is not just a “first idea”, but an advanced evolution towards what will be the definitive car . Obviously the entirely carbon structure will not be re-proposed for obvious cost reasons but, overall, the line of the bodywork lets us glimpse the definitive aspect, even if on theAlpine A290_b there are extreme showcar superstructures and the rear doors are masked, which instead will be present on the model to be marketed.

PROJECTORS AND ULTIMATE RIMS – On the other hand, we will find, almost unchanged, the front auxiliary lights, which are inspired by those of the Alpines that won the rallies in the 70sand the rims, which however will be 19 inches and not 20 as on the concept.

OUTSIDE COCKPIT – If the external glance offered by the A290_b allows you to guess how it will beStandard Alpines – but the Renault 5 – the interior is completely “imaginative”: the driver’s seat is central and difficult to reach and is flanked by two side seats slightly set back for the other occupants. The seat belts are of the racing type and the rear sofa is missing, in place of which there is a roll bar, to anticipate that the car will have a very “bad” setting.

RACE EQUIPMENT – The instrumentationreduced to a minimum, is limited to a head-up display that provides the few indications necessary for a hypothetical use on the track. On the steering wheel, which has a vaguely hexagonal shape, there are the most frequently used controls, while others are moved above the windscreen. And inside there is also a rally-inspired handbrake lever.

OVERTAKING MISSION – On the other hand, on the bridge of theAlpine A290_b there is a command that activates the function “overtake”, which means “above”. Pressing it adjusts the car’s parameters to allow maximum performance for 10 seconds. After which everything automatically returns to the original configuration so as not to compromise autonomy. And, this solution will actually appear on the A290 and future Alpines.

SINGLE ENGINE – On the mechanics, on the other hand, very little has been anticipated. L’Alpine A290_b monta two electric motors front, one for each wheel, but both the A290 as standard, both the Renault 5, will have only one, which will probably be related to that of the Renault Mégane E-Tech which develops 218 HP. But who knows, maybe it’s a bit vitaminized on the Alpine variant.

DEDICATED STRUCTURE – Alpine engineers, however, promise that the A290 it will have a significantly different behavior from that of its sister Renault and definitely geared towards sporty driving. After all, the platform used, i.e. the CMFB-EV, features independent rear suspension, which is an unusual refinement for this category of car and leaves plenty of scope for customizing road behaviour.