Alpine heralds a new era with the launch of the A290: The brand’s first purely electric 5-door sports model combines performance, agility and lightness with French savoir-faire. The A290 is the entry into Alpine’s electric “Dream Garage” and is complemented by a GT crossover and the new A110.

As an urban sports car, the A290 offers the familiar benefits of the A110 while remaining compact and manoeuvrable. With its exclusive design, advanced technology, modern connectivity and customisable driving modes, the Alpine A290 represents the electric age. It is aimed at a broad spectrum of customers who are both performance-orientated and style-conscious. The A290 will be produced at the Douai plant, which is part of the ElectriCity industrial network, while the electric motor will be manufactured at the megafactory in Cléon. Battery production will also begin in France from summer 2025.

Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine, describes the A290 as the prelude to a new generation of electric vehicles that opens the brand’s “Dream Garage”. This urban sports car appeals to a wider audience and revitalises the category of hot hatches, which are known for their driving pleasure.

The Alpine A290 impresses with muscular proportions that reflect its performance in the exterior design. Thanks to the AmpR-Small platform and a 60 millimetre wider track, the hot hatch looks powerful and compact with dimensions of 3,990 mm in length, 1,820 mm in width, 1,520 mm in height and a wheelbase of 2,530 mm.

The unique light signature with four headlights and an automatic welcome sequence emphasises the unmistakable character of the A290, inspired by founder Jean Rédélé. The dynamic design is complemented by wide wings, colour-coordinated side skirts, an aluminium trim strip, optional tricolour on the C-pillar and black shark antennae. Alpine lettering and a snowflake motif adorn the front.

Aerodynamics characterise the body design in order to maximise the electric range. The “duck tail” on the tailgate optimises the air flow without a large spoiler. The 19-inch alloy wheels are available in the “Iconic” and “Snowflake” designs, each with the Alpine logo in black or blue. Brembo 4-piston brake callipers at the front, optionally in Racing Red or Alpine Blue, come from the A110. There is a choice of four body colours: Alpine Vision Blue, Black Pearl Black, Pearl White and Dolomite Grey Satin. There are four limited editions for the market launch: “Premiere Edition”, “Beta”, “La Grise” and “La Bleue”.

“We designed the A290 as an ultra-compact version of the A110, in the best style of small sports cars or hot hatches. A small Alpine with character that radiates driving pleasure at first glance, …”

– Antony Villain, VP Alpine Design.

The cockpit of the Alpine A290 is sporty and in deep blue, with customised ambient lighting and an illuminated vehicle name on the passenger side. As a five-door model, the A290 offers convenient access to five seats and a boot capacity of 326 litres.

The 3-spoke sports steering wheel made of nappa leather has contrasting stitching and several switches: RCH rotary knob for recuperation, driving mode settings and the red OV button for “overtake”. Controls for driver assistance systems, telephone, voice assistant and speedometer display are also integrated. A 10.1-inch screen enables operation of the air conditioning system.

Sports pedals and footrest complement the ergonomic design. The high centre console contains controls for driving settings and is upholstered in nappa leather. The carefully designed sports seats feature side reinforcements and are made from environmentally friendly materials.

In the entry-level versions, the seats are upholstered in fabric made from recycled plastic and hemp fibres. The top-of-the-range GT Premium and GTS versions have seats, instrument panels and door trims made of nappa leather in deep blue and eevee grey.

The development of the Alpine A290 focussed on the driving pleasure and dynamics of a hot hatch. The electric drive plays a central role without compromising everyday comfort. The AmpR-Small platform offers advantages such as balanced weight distribution, a lower centre of gravity and increased rigidity thanks to the battery. The compact design enables perfect balance and agility, while the wide track offers stability.

The engineers adapted the platform and integrated technologies such as exclusive suspensions, special brakes and tyres. With 220 hp, 300 Nm of torque and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, the A290 is one of the most powerful in its class. The turning circle of 10.20 metres makes it particularly suitable for city traffic.

The customised engine subframe and aluminium construction contribute to a weight of just 1,479 kilograms. The low centre of gravity minimises roll, and the customised suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers ensures a high level of comfort. The multi-link rear suspension enables precise wheel positioning and excellent handling. Front and rear anti-roll bars provide an optimum balance between agility and stability, which improves stability when cornering at high speeds.

The Alpine A290 engine is available in two power levels: 180 hp (130 kW) for the GT and GT Premium and 220 hp (160 kW) for the GT Performance and GTS models. Both variants offer a spontaneous response to the accelerator pedal and are easy to control despite their high output and torque of 300 Nm. Acceleration is based on the A110, with the A290 responding differently depending on the driving mode, but always delivering maximum driving pleasure and performance.

The high torque of the electric motor is optimally transferred to the road by the Alpine Torque Precontrol torque management system. This system sensitively regulates the torque and braking force to maximise traction.

The A290 is designed to repeatedly deliver maximum power without any loss of performance, even when the battery capacity diminishes. The top versions accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, making them among the best in their class.

The overtaking function, activated by a red button (OV) on the steering wheel, delivers maximum power for up to ten seconds. During this time, an animation is shown on the speedometer display and the central Alpine Telemetrics screen, visualising the speed and remaining time.

Alpine is launching the A290 in a limited special edition to mark the market launch. Four special editions will be offered: the “Premiere Edition” in Black-Pearl-Black, the “Beta” with contrasting white and black colours, inspired by the A290_ββ show car, as well as “La Grise” and “La Bleue”. A total of 1,955 examples of this limited series will be produced, a nod to the year Alpine was founded by Jean Rédélé. These models are characterised by an exclusive paint finish, special equipment and a badge on the centre console.

Photos: Alpine