The Alpine A290 has been put into production. Its sleek look is mostly based on the idea from last year. You can choose between two front-mounted single-motor powertrains. The more powerful one makes 215 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. Alpine says it will take that version 6.4 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph. Alpine, a Renault company, aims to release a replacement for the A110 sports car in electric form by the end of the decade, along with a number of electric crossovers in the US. Before anything else, the company released the Alpine A290, an electric hot hatch that was based on the new Renault 5. American buyers will still not be able to get the A290, which is an unfortunate fact. It’s too bad because the A290 looks great. It’s short and lively, with a length of 157.1 inches, a width of 59.8 inches, and a wheelbase of 99.6 inches. It is a little more than ten inches shorter than the Volkswagen Golf GTI, even though the wheelbase is only four inches shorter. The auxiliary lights with X-shaped graphics that stick out from the headlights, which look like the lights that stick out from the front of race cars, are still there. The design is very similar to last year’s concept car. The front bumper is square-jawed and has a big, low air intake with vertical vents on either side. The headlamps still have an X shape. The Blue Window Trim and Small Red Center Line made the A290’s two-tone body stand out. The roof and hood were black, and the body was blue. For better aerodynamics, the concept’s rear wing was cut down to a ducktail spoiler. However, the unique 19-inch wheels with a square centerpiece were still made. The idea’s awkward center seating area has been thrown out in favor of a much more common layout inside the cabin. The steering wheel is composed of three spokes and has a bottom that is flat. It has a red “Overtake” button for speeding up and a “Recharge” knob for regenerative stopping. It is made of Nappa leather and has metal buttons that look like they belong in Formula One. Behind the steering wheel is a digital cluster of instruments with a 10.1-inch tablet in the middle that faces the driver at an angle. At the GT and GT Premium power levels, the A290’s front-mounted electric motor makes 174 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. At the GT Performance and GTS levels, it makes 215 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. Alpine says that the GT and GT Premium take 7.4 seconds to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour, while the more powerful A290 models can do it in 6.4 seconds. The top speed of the top trims is almost 106 mph, and the top speed of the base cars is just over 99 mph. The A290 with front-wheel drive is said to weigh 3,261 pounds all together. The back brakes on the A290 have rotors that are 11.3 inches in diameter. The front brakes have Brembo four-piston calipers that clamp onto discs that are 12.6 inches in diameter. The wheels have Michelin 225/40R-19 tires, and the Pilot Sport EV tires on the base car are swapped out for Pilot Sport 5S tires on the GT Performance and GTS models. A multilink rear suspension with hydraulic bump stops and anti-roll bars in the front and back is meant to make the car easy to handle quickly while still being comfy. The power comes from a 52.0-kWh battery that is said to have a range of 236 miles. Even though the Alpine A290’s EV specs aren’t very amazing, the hatchback’s small size, good looks, and good powertrain make it look like a good choice. The A290 is only fun to look at from afar, but the hot hatch gives us a taste of what the next electric Alpines will be like when they come to the US in the late 2020s.
