There is a new era for French manufacturer Alpine, part of the Renault Group with the launch of the A290, an electric sports car and it is the new entry point into the Alpine world, a name already well known in F1. Soon it will be joined by the sport fastback the A390 and the new A110.
With this newcomer, the best driving sensations experienced at the wheel of the A110 in what can be described as an urban sportscar. The A290 is compact and agile, offering easy-to-use high performance while guaranteeing comfortable everyday use and its Ampere-derived electric platform and the recharging services developed by Mobilize Power Solutions such as two-way V2G charging, make it part of a complete electrical ecosystem offering the best possible experience. With its cutting-edge design, technical features, ultra-complete connectivity and numerous possibilities for personalising driving, the A290 is a new generation Alpine designed to embrace the electric era.
Clearly it has been designed to appeal to a new range of male and female customers, some of whom will be performance-oriented, while others will be attracted by the style. The combination of performance, style and its sporting heritage should give it wide appeal; although it will compete in a growing sector for performance hot hatch EVs. The A290 in a manner reminds me of the Renault 5 Turbo with its wide wings, the side skirts which incorporate a subtle body-coloured edging for a sharper look, the roof edge in aluminum or anodised blue finishing, the black shark fin antenna, the wing logos, the black lacquered bodywork and wings, the distinctive line on the rear doors and, finally, a diffuser on the rear bumper. At the front, the Alpine name is apparent, and a typical snowflake motif is integrated into the exclusive sports bumper. The standard nineteen inch alloy wheels come in two exclusive designs, an iconic wheel design was created to reference the wheels on the A310. However in contrast, the snowflake wheels hark back to the origins of the Alpine name and are available in gloss black, semi-diamond black or diamond black finishes. A blue background behind the Alpine logo on the wheels is available as an option and the Brembo four piston monobloc front brake callipers with Alpine branding are the same as those on the A110. The front and rear callipers are available in brut grey, racing red or Alpine blue.
Certainly you will not fail to recognise this new EV fast lane contender. The interior focuses very much on sport in an exclusive ambience, typical of the brand, with the choice of a deep blue tone. The driver-oriented cockpit, the steering wheel, console and seats invite you to hit the road. The A290 apart from being a sporty number is also practical with five doors for easy access, a five seater seats and a reasonable 326 litre boot capacity. The A290 is offered with two power levels: 180bhp in the GT version and the GT Premium, and 220bhp in the GT Performance and GTS and in both cases, the throttle response is calibrated to make this newcomer a genuine sports car that is easy to control despite its electric motor’s high levels of power and torque. The A290 is assembled at the Manufacture in Douai, within Electric City and the electric motor is also built also in France at Cléon.
Ian Lynas
Categories