Alpine shows its show car A290-ß. The electric sports car with the design genes of the Renault 5 will be built from 2024.
Renault is serious about the electrification of its Alpine sports brand: the new show car with the curious name A290-ß is intended to offer a concrete view of the compact sports car planned for next year. This is the first of a total of three planned electric models of the so-called Alpine Dream Garage. In addition to the small car, the French Renault subsidiary is also planning a GT crossover with a C segment and a battery-electric successor to the current A110.
Visually, the A290-ß is reminiscent of the Renault 5
Even if it doesn’t seem like it at first glance, the name of the car strictly refers to the traditional naming of the traditional Alpine brand with an A followed by three digits: In this specific case, the first number indicates the size of the vehicle. The 90 stands for the brand’s lifestyle-oriented, versatile sports cars, while the pure sports cars carry the 10. The ß should refer to the beta test used in the software world, i.e. the intermediate phase just before the market launch.
With a length of 4.05, a width of 1.85 and a height of 1.48 meters, the A290-ß adapts to today’s compact dimensions. Visually, however, the hatchback is reminiscent of the legendary Renault 5 or its new electric R5 E-Tech planned for this year. The original cult small car was sold over nine million times between 1972 and 1996. In keeping with the motorsport commitment of the Alpine brand in Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the show car is consistently designed for sportiness. An OV button (stands for “overtake”) offers a ten-second performance boost.
In general, minimalism dominates the interior of the A290-ß
As in the “Alpenglow” study from 2022, the driver’s seat is positioned in the middle like in a monoposto racing car. The two co-pilots sit on the left and right in two bucket seats that are set back slightly. Visually, too, the A290-ß brings well-known racing quotes to the road. The X-shaped lights at the front evoke the fog lights of the iconic original A110 and the brand’s historic racing cars. The 20-inch aluminum wheels painted in white, gloss black and blue should offer a preview of the series. The striking square cut-out in the middle of the rim should also make it into series production. The connection to the road is provided by the low-profile tires specially developed for the model together with Michelin.
Like the new electric version of the Renault R5, the A290-ß is also to be produced in the ElectriCity production network at the Douai site. The CMF-B electric platform from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance serves as the technical basis.