Alpine late on Tuesday took the covers off the A290 Beta, a concept car that previews the first member of the French performance marque's future electric fleet.
The A290 Beta is a subcompact hatch that's due to spawn its production counterpart in 2024. Alpine said the production version will share the concept's exterior styling but feature a more conventional interior. That means no McLaren F1-style central driving position, like on the show car.
The basis of the A290 Beta and the production model it will spawn is parent company Renault's upcoming 5 hatchback, which is inspired by the original 5 of the 1970s, sold in the U.S. as the Le Car.
Differentiation will come from signature Alpine styling cues, like the additional driving lights up front, a nod to Alpine's historic rally cars, and aerodynamic elements. The concept sports a front lip spoiler, air curtains, a vented hood, a rear wing, and a rear diffuser. The concept also rides on 20-inch wheels, though the production version will feature 19-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin tires developed for the car, Alpine said.
The Alpine will also feature a higher tune for its powertrain, though no power numbers have been released. Alpine has said, however, the car will have multiple drive modes, including a Full Mode that will deliver full performance. The A290 will also have an Overtake button on the steering to deliver a 10-second power boost.
The platform is the CMF-B EV modular design from the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance, which will also end up in a Nissan Micra successor. Measurements of the A290 Beta include a length of 159.5 inches and a width of 73.0 inches. Alpine has also confirmed multi-link rear suspension, a setup not normally found in this segment.
Alpine A290 Beta concept
The concept's arrival also marks the start of the next evolution in Alpine's naming strategy. It starts with A for Alpine, then uses the first digit of a three-digit numerical portion to signify the vehicle's size and positioning, while the remaining two digits signify the vehicle as either a sport model or a lifestyle model. Sport models will use a 10, like the current A110 sports car, while lifestyle models like the hatch will use a 90, resulting in the A290 name for the production version. The Beta symbol here signifies this version as a concept car.
Production of the A290 will be handled at a plant in Douai, France.
Alpine A290 Beta concept
Alpine is known to be working on a compact crossover and an electric successor to the A110, due around 2025 and 2026, respectively. The A110 successor will use a platform being developed by Lotus for a sports car that will likely end up as an Elise successor. The crossover will most likely use the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance's CMF-EV platform, found in the Renault Megane E-Tech and Nissan Ariya.
Alpine bosses have also hinted at two larger crossovers likely sitting in the same segments as the Porsche Macan and Cayenne. These are expected to arrive beginning in 2027 and use platforms from Zhejiang Geely. They will be critical in expanding Alpine sales to the U.S. and China, according to Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, though a launch in those two key markets hasn't actually been confirmed.
