Alpine A290 officially unveiled with up to 220hp

We’ve been hearing a lot about the Alpine dream garage. There’s going to be another A110, which must be good news, there’s going to be a GT SUV, and third in the stable is this: the A290 hot hatch. Revealed to the world at Le Mans on Thursday and on sale soon at around £40k (prices are expected to start at 38,000 euros in Europe, though right-hand-drive production won’t begin till early next year), it aims to bring some of the A110 magic to Alpine’s second production model and its first EV. As famous hot hatch brands like Mini and Abarth make the transition to electric, so Alpine hopes to follow suit. And be better

The first thing that will strike you about the A290, whether at Le Mans or in a showroom or in a multi-storey car park (where the preview took place), is how closely it resembles the Beta concept car. Plenty of the comments on that reveal story criticised it for previewing a reality that would never happen; while a few details like the race car interior and chopped carbon obviously didn’t make the cut, there’s a very clear link between the two. 

Moreover, the Alpine is far more than just a 5 E-Tech with a bodykit; the AmpR platform is common, yet its tracks are fully 60mm wider than a Renault, with arch extensions to accommodate, standard 19-inch wheels fill the arches more convincingly and the Alpine swoosh along the side most definitely evokes the old mid-engined 5s. The ‘Iconic’ wheels (the square design familiar from the A110 and paying homage to the A310) look great to these eyes; the new ‘Snowflakes’, here on the GTS and in black, not so much. There’ll be no danger of confusing an A290 for a 5, at least, even if you plump for a colour that isn’t the new Alpine Blue (though you probably will, as it’s grey, white or black otherwise. Customer research said everyone wants blue.)

Perhaps inevitably, there’s a little more Renault influence inside. And what we’ve seen of the Alpine-specific driving displays, which adjust through Save, Normal, Sport and Personal modes, aren’t all that exciting. But there are a few really smart touches: drive buttons just like those on the A110 in the centre, a great set of seats, and cool F1-influenced buttons on the wheel, with an Overtake boost on a press and three levels of regen strength on a switch. The useful stuff like the Google Automotive operating system has been carried over. There’s a luxurious vibe to it also, with Nappa leather – sustainably sourced, of course – on higher spec models and a Devialet sound system. Without having tried the Cooper SE or 500 yet, it feels like a smart interior.  

Four models will be offered – a GT or GT Premium with 180hp/210 lb ft, then a GT Performance and GTS with 220hp/221lb ft – all powered by the same 52kWh battery. Like the A110, there will be 1,955 Premiere Editions, based on the GTS, with unique liveries and extra equipment. Though still waiting on homologation, the kerbweight for all models is currently being quoted at an encouragingly light 1,479kg. The lower-powered cars will hit 62mph in 7.4 seconds and reach 99mph; the 220hp cars take a second and add 6mph to those numbers. 

Energy consumption doesn’t yet have an estimate, so we’ll have to wait on an official figure, with a range of ‘up to about 380km’ (236 miles) given for the 180hp A290s. DC charging is up to 100kW, as per the 5 E-Tech, with 10-80 per cent possible in half an hour with all the charging stars aligned. The Alpine folk were keen to stress that all the performance remains regardless of the state of charge, so taking the long way home on the last few percent shouldn’t mean restricted performance. 

The A290 is definitely as squat and punchy by the dimensions as it is to look at. The Alpine just squeezes in under 4m long (3,990mm) but thanks to those broader tracks is 1,820mm wide without the mirrors. The height is 1,520mm and the wheelbase is 2,520mm, said to provide adequate room for five. The boot is 326 litres in all models. 

But you’re probably not interested in the boot space, really. This is effectively a Renaultsport hot hatch for the electric era, a small, light and fun supermini that uses the motor from a bigger Renault (the Megane E-Tech here) as so many Clio engine swaps have enjoyed over the years. It’s the enthusiast-focused details that’ll excite us, and the A290 is chock full of them: the 220hp models get a Michelin Pilot Sport 5 bespoke to this car, the weight distribution is 57:43 (one engineer promises “a sharp front end with a playful and progressive rear”), they’ve obsessed over brake feel to make the left pedal feel like an A110’s (with Brembo calipers on the 220hp cars), the anti-roll bars are unique and every model will get the hydraulic bump stops that have worked such wonders on R.S. Renaults of old. The engine mounts and the front subframe are unique to the A290 for a greater sense of connection. The press release says things like: ‘The low centre of gravity limits the A290’s natural roll, so suspension settings don’t need to go to extremes to keep body roll under control.’ There’s a lot to be encouraged by. 

For now, the sound perhaps isn’t one of them. The A290 will come with an Alternative Sound – a ‘light, sporty tone for everyday use’ – as well as the Alpine Sound offering a ‘unique sound pattern designed to provide immersion in the A290.’ While listening to these through speakers in a Parisian car park isn’t exactly representative of everyday use, the decision not to create a new sound – instead use the ‘natural harmonics of its electric motor’, with the help of acousticians – has left the little Alpine with a very plain noise. Perhaps it’ll feel more exciting behind the wheel, though on this experience it’s just a loud or a quiet buzz. EVs don’t live or die on the audio feedback, of course, but with the arrival of the Ioniq 5 N the bar has been raised. (And while mentioning the Hyundai, it should be noted that there are no artificial gears in the Alpine.)

There’ll be distractions from the lack of interesting noise, at least. Alpine Torque Technology – a ‘sophisticated upstream torque management system’ – combined with a throttle that aims for progression rather than switch-like immediacy promises ‘greater driving pleasure and performance.’ The ATT is clever enough, alongside brake biting, to mean no conventional locking diff is required. Putting its abilities to the test will be ‘Challenges’ in the infotainment, which are essentially Gran Turismo licences for a real-life car. Seriously. Obviously, they’re intended for track, though there’s nothing to stop them being used anywhere. There are challenges to test braking, pedal percentages, throttle and grip – and you can’t progress without getting a medal. Which can only end fantastically well. 

So there’s plenty to be encouraged by then. Philippe Krief, Alpine CEO, added: “Our Alpine A290 is the first model of a new electric generation, inaugurating our Dream Garage in the finest possible way. This urban sportscar marks the introduction of Alpine to a broader public and resurrects a forgotten category, the hot hatch, so much loved for the driving pleasure it delivers.” We’ll know for certain by the end of the year.