Alpine has given us a look at part one of its upcoming three-car “dream garage”, based on the Renault 5 EV.
With the same retro styling as the 5, the A290 is powered by… actually, we don’t know at the moment.
Alpine hasn’t revealed what features under the skin, but we know the car will ride on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s latest CMF-BEV platform.
Previously though, it’s been suggested the Alpine A290 could feature the front-mounted 160kW electric motor from the larger Nissan Ariya and Renault Megane E-Tech.
A lithium-ion battery pack with around 50kWh is likely to sit beneath the floor.
The brand says there will be a multi-link rear axle to improve handling, and performance upgrades such as Brembo brakes, stiffer anti-roll bars, and dampers with hydraulic ‘cushions’ at the end of their travel to improve body control in extremis.
As you’d expect, Alpine is leaning hard on its Formula 1 connection with the concept. The driver sits in the middle of the car, flanked by two passengers, and they’re plugged into a communications system capable of sharing details about any on-track incidents that could impact your push lap.
That three-seat cabin layout will make production when the A290 hits showrooms in 2024, according to Alpine.
The steering wheel leans hard on the brand’s motorsport connection, with an OV (overtake) button allowing drivers to access a 10-second boost with the wheel pointed straight, on a dry track. Controls for the (11-position!) anti-lock braking and traction control also feature on the wheel.
Wet, Dry, and Full drive modes feature, adjusting how the motors deliver their torque.
The A290 will be joined by an electric replacement for the A110 on the new E-Sport platform to be shared with Lotus, as well as a mid-sized crossover based on the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric’s CMF-EV architecture.
While the A110 was discontinued locally in 2021 after stricter ADR85/00 side-impact regulations came into effect, Renault Australia says the brand will return Down Under.
“In terms of the Alpine brand we are certainly in discussions with them but at the end of the day we would still be importing the A110 if the ADR didn’t kill it, it has been performing really well globally, up 33 percent year on year,” Renault Australia boss Glen Sealey told CarExpert earlier this year.
“They are working on an all-new product plan and we are very excited by Alpine and think that will work really well in Australia and specially with the timings.”
