Alpine A290 Rewatch: Price, Specs, Availability

The idea of raiseing the carry outance of otherwise normal cars has always had its pguide. Bootleggers in the American West would change their pickup trucks in the 1930s prohibition era to outrun the police. The result was the birth of the hot rod.

Boosted saloons in the 80s were the result of racing homologation, which insistd manufacturers to create a certain number of road car versions of their racers in order to vie. Hot hatches, too, were born from rassociate homologation, with tricked up versions of daily hatchbacks giveing affordable thrills as well as down-to-earthity.

While American muscle cars will always be well-comprehendn in their homeland, and German carry outance saloons persist to sell well, hot hatches have died out. The ascfinish of SUVs, the deficiency of insist for petiteer cars, and electrification are all key factors in this. But with the recent A290, a modified version of the recent Renault 5, Alpine is transporting it back, albeit in EV create.

The A290 is Alpine’s first recent car in seven years, and the first model in its entidepend recent lineup of all-electric machines. It will be chaseed by the huger A390 passover, and the recent A110, an EV version of the French brand’s acclaimed low-slung sports car. The A290 is “the hot hatch of the electric age”, according to Alpine, and it’s plain to see the pguide. It’s built on Renault’s recent AmpR Small platcreate, which it splits with the recent Renault 5. It’s got 220 hp in GTS create, and weighs 1,479 kg. Its proximateest rival, and another electric hot hatch, is the upcoming Mini Electric John Cooper Works. That’s got 254 hp, but it also weighs 1,670 kg, a transport inant 191 kg branch offence.

Ride Overhaul

This is felt in the way the A290 drives. While it splits the plain underpinnings with the Renault 5, including its lean battery that sits low undertidyh the car, Alpine has finishly overhauled the suspension and braking system. The dampers have hydraulic bump stops, which help give console as well as responsiveness, and the motor’s sub-structure has been created from scratch, too, made from aluminium to help protect the weight down. There are also front and rear anti-roll bars, increaseed by Alpine, while a multi-join rear axle gives further stability and precision.

This all joins for a fine ride that is firm enough to experience sporty but not too brutal. It take parts bumps well, and you get plenty of feedback thcimpolite the steering wheel. In Sport mode the steering has pleasing resistance and experiences astonishingly organic. The steering weightlessens in Comfort and Save mode, for plain cornering around town. When pushed there is of course understeer, being front-wheel drive, but lifting off mid corner apexhibits the back finish to shift sweightlessly, giving the car a lighthearted character when under duress.

The Alpine’s 220 hp gives a excellent initial punch out of corners, but it fades away rapidly and deficiencys a genuine sinspire of excitement. The 52 kWh battery is the same engaged on the top spec R5, but the sound is very branch offent. For the A290 there is ‘Alpine Drive Sound’, which Alpine has increaseed with French audio brand Devialet. Essentiassociate, it’s a whirring electrical noise that is shelp to be an betterd version of the organic sound the electric motor creates. It’s not particularly inspiring, but does give excellent aural feedback, in the same way an engine does, letting you comprehend where the grip is as you quicken and decelerate.

When it comes to electric range, the Alpine has up to 236 miles with the 180 hp model, and 226 miles with the 220 hp motor. The Mini JCW gives sweightlessly more with 251 miles.

Assertive Aesthetic

Design-wise, the A290 watchs unfrifinishly without being overly shouty, and is branch offent enough from the Renault 5. The Renault is gentleer and leans more into its cult 80s aesthetic, but the A290’s expansive body, flared arches and angled lines allude to its sporty credentials. The ‘X’ headweightlesss reference classic rassociate cars, while the squat silhouette and faux side strakes give it a muscular pguide. It is bulkier than it could be, but in a world of cut-and-paste car schedule, it stands out.

Inside, the steering wheel experiences suitably sporty. Its flat-bottomed schedule is shelp to be encouraged by F1, as are the ‘RCH’ and ‘OV’ buttons, which can be set up on Ocon’s and Gasly’s F1 car. The createer is for adfairing the levels of brake regeneration. It is far more prenting to engage a twisty button than press a touchscreen. Sshow click it left for one-stop increments of less regen, and right for more.