On May 2, Alpine unveiled a few details regarding its new Alpine A290_β, its latest high-performing electric concept car inspired by a soon-to-be-resurrected classic, the Renault 5 Alpine. Introduced in 1976, the Renault 5 is a legend in the hot hatch hierarchy. Today, the official unveiling took place of this new Alpine vehicle dubbed the A290_β, and it serves as a preview before the production model in 2024.
The Alpine A290_β looks like a cyberpunk rally car. It is based on the Renault 5 concept vehicle unveiled in 2021. However, this new concept takes it further with quad rally lights and vertical tail lights said to be derived from the A470 endurance race car. The paintwork is powder white with a contrasting partially black hood, roof, and blue forged carbon fiber. The 20-inch wheels feature a unique square cut in the center design and are wrapped in Michelin rubber.
Inside, the Alpine A290_β features a McLaren F1-styled center seating configuration with the driver positioned in the middle of the cabin. Passengers are cradled in carbon fiber race-spec bucket seats. The car’s dashboard is reportedly derived from a Formula 1 car’s nose, resulting in an arrow shape design. Moreover, the car’s angular steering wheel is inspired by the 2023 LMP2 A470 and F1 A523 race cars.
Details on the A290_β’s powertrain are still under wraps. However, Alpine did confirm that it uses torque vectoring and a multi-link suspension. This setup will also be used for the standard Renault 5. Other confirmed features include three drive modes (wet, dry, and full) and Brembo brakes adapted from the mid-engine Alpine A110 coupe. The production version of the Alpine A290_β is scheduled for next year.