Alpine A290: Electrifying Performance in the Polar Chill

The Alpine A290, set for a June 2024 reveal, undergoes rigorous arctic testing, blending cutting-edge electric performance with Alpine’s iconic driving dynamics.

The Alpine A290 has been undergoing an extensive development and tuning program for over two years. A key phase of this development saw the Alpine engineering teams head to Sweden again to finalize their tests on the prototypes of the upcoming A290. These cold-weather trials mark the very first outing of the A290, featuring a unique Alpine camouflage.

«Our future sports city car, the A290, is currently performing in the extreme and demanding conditions of Swedish Lapland. This crucial stage aims to confirm the chosen directions in terms of handling and agility that are inherent to our DNA in low-grip conditions. To refine its development and ensure its effectiveness in all circumstances and weather conditions, the A290’s winter development stage is critical as it is a brand-new model. Our engineering team has scrutinized all criteria, and the results are very promising for its launch in the coming months,» said Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine.

Since the beginning of the year, the A290 has been fine-tuning its setup in low-grip conditions under the most extreme weather conditions, with temperatures dropping below −30°C. It is under these conditions that Alpine’s technical teams test the prototypes on tracks and open roads to ensure excellence across all services.

All technical areas are subjected to real-world tests to validate that the required performance levels are achieved.

As with every Alpine, the A290 places special emphasis on dynamic performance. Engine responsiveness, zest, driving precision, and agility are given the utmost attention to offer a driving experience that also extends to extreme conditions.

Various equipment such as heating, defogging and defrosting quality, and ESC (Electronic Stability Control) on snow are also tested. These are aspects that cannot be replicated in a technical center and can only be validated through cold-weather testing.

For its first official outing, the A290 sports an original Alpine camouflage along with the «A fléché» logo on the roof and the Alpine Blue color. The prototype is presented for the first time in its final bodywork, confirming its dimensions: length 3,990 mm, width 1,820 mm, height 1,520 mm, wheelbase 2,530 mm.

The A290 also unveils its exclusive Alpine Nappa leather sports steering wheel, with a flat bottom and center mark, elements that evoke the motorsport DNA of the brand. It features three key functions borrowed from Alpine Formula 1 steering wheels: OV (Overtake), RCH (Recharge), and direct access Drive modes.

For these tests, the A290 is fitted with high-performance MICHELIN Pilot Alpin 5 tires to measure and control the level of braking and driving precision in harsh winter conditions.

Since the start of their collaboration in 2012 with the A110, Alpine and Michelin have strengthened their partnership for the development of tires for the 100% electric Alpine range, starting with the A290. After two years of work, the A290 will benefit from a specific set of 19-inch tires: two summer sports tires: MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV for optimized energy efficiency and MICHELIN Pilot Sport S5, the sportiest. These tires have been developed to enhance and utilize the A290’s performance in all conditions, whether on dry, wet, or snowy roads.

An exclusive marking will be placed on each tire, following the codification logic of each Alpine model, for the A290 it will be «A29». This ensures that customers, when replacing their tires, will find exactly the same performance: a perfect balance between safety, range, handling, durability, comfort, and acoustics.

These cold-weather tests in Sweden are another milestone in the development of the A290, which will be revealed in June 2024.

Source: Alpine