Alpine showcased its most recent innovation along with its aspirational plans to enter the mainstream automotive industry. The Alpine A290 Beta is merely an initial of three concept cars that Alpine plans to introduce in the not-too-distant future as a part of its Dream Garage.
More impressive compared to the A110 E-ternite which the firm introduced last year, Alpine is accepting the EV age with elegance, and the new A290 Beta is the ideal precursor of things to come. It has its roots on the recently released Renault 5, and certain components from the Alpine will be used in the Renault 5 Turbo. The A290 Beta, a sporty electric hatchback, will also go on sale the following year. Yes, you read that correctly.
Well, not precisely, but one that looks very similar. A central driver’s seat interior has no chance of becoming into production, but the outside will. The production vehicle will be constructed around the road-going Renault 5 & its CMF-BEV platform, Alpine has already stated. The car we are currently viewing is constructed on an FIA-approved chassis.
The commercial version of the A290 will have two power options instead of two electric motors on the front axle that are present in the beta version for added power. Customers will have the option of the 215 hp Renault Megane E-Tech engine or the newly created 268 hp engine. Both models will utilise the same battery, which should have a minimum capacity of 52 kWh and be adequate for a 240-mile road trip.
The standard motor’s torque vectoring has undergone extensive revision, the hydraulic bump stops have been added, and Alpine will upgrade the standard chassis for better handling. Additionally, the car reportedly feels as though it has a mechanical differential in the front, which makes acceleration and braking a lot more predictable.
Despite being only 4.05 metres long and 1.85 metres wide, the A290 will drive like it is glued to the road. The vehicle is going to be stable and manoeuvrable with each of its wheels pushed out into the corners, resembling a giant go-kart.
Naturally, since this will be a production car, one-pedal driving and other features aimed at simplifying city driving are anticipated to be implemented. Although the roof-mounted buttons in the Beta version are stunning, more conventional controls will eventually replace them. Unfortunately, the steering wheel with a racing theme won’t be produced either.
It’s great to see Alpine enter the mainstream, even though the A290 Beta is simply a sneak peek of the finished product. It continues what Cupra, AMG, Brabus, and Abarth have already done as well as what they are now doing. Take a look at Polestar; all those years ago, it was a tuner authorised by Volvo. If Alpine’s automobiles are as fantastic as they appear to be, it won’t have any trouble selling them to the general public given its history and brand reputation.
When can we anticipate driving an A290 then? Alpine has promised a 2024 launch, the same year the Renault 5 goes on sale. Since Alpine has a sizable following in the region of the rising sun, the A290 will be made accessible across Europe and in Japan of all places. Prices won’t be cheap, either. We should anticipate the basic Renault 5 to cost more than the Abarth 500e, or well over €40,000, only due to the level of modification required to make it an A290.
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