Snow go! Alpine A290 hot hatch revealed; Aussie launch expected for Abarth 500e and Mini Cooper SE rival

March 1, 2024February 28, 2024 John Mahoney 1793 Views 500e, A290, abarth, alpine, Cooper, Mini, SE

Fresh details and all-new pics of the incoming fast Alpine A290 hot hatch have emerged in the build-up to the all-electric Abarth 500e rival’s June launch.

Following on from the Alpine A110 coupe, we already know that instead of starting from scratch the French sports car brand’s second model will actually be based on the Renault 5 EV scheduled for reveal at the Geneva motor show.

That means the pint-sized hot hatch will be based on the same AmpR Small platform (formerly known as CMF-BEV), the A290 will measure in at 3990mm long, 1820mm wide and 1520mm high, with a wheelbase of 2530mm, Alpine has confirmed.

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What we didn’t know until now is the lengths Alpine engineers would go to ensure the little A290 will rule its hot hatch class, including working with Michelin to develop not one but three tyres tailored to it.

All wearing ‘A29’ markings the new Alpine-Michelin rubber includes Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 winter tyres (for colder climates), a Pilot Sport EV standard tyre and for those who want ultimate performance, a Pilot Sport S5 performance tyres.

Whichever you choose all feature a bespoke compound and structure developed in co-operation with Alpine. And all of them are claimed to balance safety, range, comfort, handling, durability and acoustics.

What isn’t yet known is what kind of battery will power the Alpine A290, but it’s expected to be the same 52kWh unit as the Renault 5 – not its smaller 40kWh standard battery pack.

Thanks to its AmpR platform the Alpine A290 should have the edge on the Abarth 500e rival when it comes to the way it drives.

While its Italian opposition has to make do with a humble torsion beam rear axle the French hot hatch gets a far more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension that should give it both a better ride and enhanced agility.

In the flesh, you won’t mistake the Alpine A290 over the R5 as it will feature those larger 19-inch wheels, a side skirt, rear tailgate spoiler, rear diffuser and more prominent front bumper.

Sitting lower to the ground, the A290 will produce more downforce than the R5 making it more stable at high speeds.

The spy pictures also suggest the production car will retain the 2023 concept’s nifty X emblem fog lamps and get the show cars alloy wheels.

Inside, we already know the A290 will bag a flat-bottomed Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel with a blue button to alter the level of brake regeneration. There will also be a red QV button to deliver maximum power for overtaking.

There’s still no word just how much thrust the Alpine A290 will come with, but it’s been tipped the front-mounted electric motor that could produce as much as 160kW.

Helping deploy its power and torque efficiently, the Alpine A290 will come with the brand’s latest torque vectoring technology and might even come with additional new hardware like a limited-slip differential.

Since the A290 nameplate has already been secured for Australia it’s a safe bet it could be offered here alongside the Renault 5 potentially before the end of this year.

When it arrives, it’s thought the Alpine A290 will be positioned between the Abarth 500e ($58,900 plus on-road costs) and the more expensive new MINI Cooper SE, suggesting a base price of more than $60,000.