The reference to the legendary Renault 5 Turbo is not accidental here. The Alpine A290 is based on the latest, electric Renault 5, but it is clearly more powerful and much more focused on dynamic, even sporty driving. The 220 HP engine (in the Alpine A290 GTS) provides a sprint from 0-100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, about 0.5 seconds faster than the aforementioned legend. The report was prepared by Maciej Pawelec, a racing driver and driving technique improvement instructor.
Alpine is a sports brand from Renault that was revived some time ago: in 2017, the Alpine A110 was shown as the successor to the legendary car of the same name from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. This central-engine car is not only offered, but is still being developed, which we had the opportunity to see on the occasion of the recent inauguration of the Alpine Driving Experience Center. Considering its lightness and thus the fun of driving, it is a rarity on the market, also due to the price. It is in this environment that a second model joins the Alpine range: the electric A290.
Alpine A290 or Renault 5 after training at the gym?
This would be a gross simplification, but in fact the Alpine A290 is based on the same platform (AmpR Small) as the Renault 5. It has the same 52 kWh battery pack, the same suspension concept and an overall similar body shape, although with numerous accents, ailerons and widenings. In reality, however, a lot has changed “underneath”, and most importantly in key areas from the dynamic point of view.
Engine from Renault Megane E-Tech
First of all, the Alpine A290 received a larger and, of course, much more powerful engine directly from the Renault Megane E-Tech. It has, depending on the version, 130 kW (180 HP) or 160 kW (220 HP) of power, GT (Premium) or GTS / GT Performance, respectively. As a result, the performance of the Alpine A290 is much better than the also electric Renault 5 (at best 150 HP).
- Alpine A290 GT (Premium): 0-100 km/h in 7.4 s, top speed 160 km/h
- Alpine A290 GTS or GT Performance: 0-100 km/h in 6.4 s, top speed 170 km/h
Wider track, lateral stabilizers
The wheel arches of the Alpine A290 are clearly widened, which is of course due to the larger wheel track. Significant modifications were also made to the suspension geometry and stiffness, sports stabilizers were used on the front and rear axles, as well as hydraulic bumpers. The brakes are also much more powerful: 4-piston at the front with a 320-millimeter disc.
What is extremely important, the Alpine A290 GTS is equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport 5S sports tires (size 225/40 R19) – after all, tires are key to ensuring grip. In the case of the weaker GT variant, Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires in the same size are standard.
The battery is the same, but has more efficient cooling
Proper battery cooling is a key issue in the case of electric sports cars. There is no problem with this in the Porsche Taycan and you can drive it even on a race track, but the 530-horsepower BYD Seal limits its power quite quickly due to the high temperature of the battery. Alpine A290 also has much more efficient cooling of the “battery”, which we managed to check…
Alpine A290 on a winding road and on a race track
It’s good! The Alpine A290 drives very precisely on the track, giving you the right dose of adrenaline. This is mainly due to the fact that it is very easy to release the rear axle during a turn, which reduces the turning radius and forces you to work hard behind the wheel. This behavior is similar to what we know from the current Golf GTI. Although there is no mechanical differential (limited slip mechanism), the electronically controlled braking of the lightened wheel works quite well and when exiting a bend there is no excessive feeling of front plowing.
Quite low weight – without the driver it is still below 1,500 kg – combined with Michelin sports tires make a trip to the Alpine A290 track a pleasant experience, but also a bit of a challenge, because successful driving on a racing track requires some commitment. And that’s the point of sports cars: it can’t be too easy.
Coming back to the topic of temperatures. After a few “circles” driven to the maximum, we heated the Alpine A290 GTS engine to about 115 degrees Celsius, and the brakes to even over 500 degrees. Importantly, the battery was still only 38 degrees. Only, because during hard driving, “electrics” can heat up the “battery” even to over 50 degrees Celsius. When reaching such temperatures, the car still retained its maximum capabilities, also in terms of braking efficiency.
The Alpine A290 suspension seems to be the right compromise between sporty stiffness and everyday hardness. The car is not yet as stiff as, for example, the BMW M2, so driving on a mountainous, not very smooth road, as well as on city streets does not cause discomfort. On the track, even greater hardness could still be an advantage, but it would be at the expense of a significant deterioration of everyday driving parameters. At this power level, we think this is the right setup.
Is 220 HP in the Alpine A290 GTS enough? Of course, we always want to have more power, but it seems that this level of power is sufficient for such a small car. It is supposed to be a car for quickly overcoming mountain serpentines or sneaking through city streets, not a highway sprinter. With more power on one axle, it would be necessary to use a special sports differential, as is the case in the much more expensive Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce 280.
Alpine A290 in the interior
The Alpine A290 cabin strongly resembles that known from the Renault 5, but there are a few more sporty accents. First of all, the seats have clearly marked backrest and seat sides, thanks to which they hold the passengers’ bodies quite well in corners. Secondly, the steering wheel with a wide range of adjustments fits well in the hands and has good quality stitching (nappa leather). Leather materials also appeared on the front doors.
Switching driving directions has been moved to the central console – buttons – which in a sports car is a good solution, because we have one less paddle behind the wheel. Cost? No cup compartment.
There are also two elements on the steering wheel: an RCH knob used to change the recuperation level after taking your foot off the gas pedal, as well as a red “OV” button (for “overtake”), which immediately activates the full engine power after pressing it. And here it’s worth stopping: Alpine A290 has a “kickdown” function that gives access to full power regardless of the selected driving mode. Providing the same via a button on the steering wheel seems unnecessary, and for some drivers it may even feel strange. Fortunately, there is no obligation to use this function 🙂
It is also worth mentioning another overlay for the infotainment system, which is based on Android Automotive. There is also a g-force meter, as well as very well-functioning telemetry, which is useful on the race track.
Other aspects of the interior of the Alpine A290 are consistent with what we know from the Renault 5. No, magically the A290 will not accommodate larger people who would have trouble fitting into the Renault 5.
Power consumption, range and charging
In terms of charging, Alpine A290 offers exactly the same parameters as Renault 5. That is: 15-80% in 30 minutes from a direct current (DC) source and a built-in AC charger with a power of 11 kW. V2L and V2G functions are also available.
Energy consumption, and therefore range, differs between the Alpine A290 versions and the Renault 5, but this is mainly due to the sports tires used. A leisurely ride will result in consumption around 12-13 kWh/100 km, and fast driving on a mountain road is more like 17-18 kWh/100 km – although you can, of course, significantly increase this result. This translates into a range of 300 to approximately 400 km depending on the driving pace. On the highway, of course, it may be less.
Price and opinion
Alpine A290 does not have a Polish price list yet, but in France the price of the GT version starts from ~35,000. Euro, and the A290 GTS is almost PLN 41,000. Euro. So we’re talking about an additional ~5,000. Euro against Renault 5 with the same battery. The pricing policy seems reasonable: the extra payment for a much more powerful and characterful car is not high.
Competition? For similar money you can have a MINI Cooper SE with comparable parameters, but with 3 doors – acceleration test of this car. Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce 280 is clearly more expensive.
The electric Alpine A290 is a well-tailored electric hot hatch that is a lot of fun to drive not only on a winding road, but also on a race track. The suspension tuning is appropriate, the chassis and steering provide precise driving, and the engine power of the GTS version seems sufficient. The fact that the Alpine A290 is based on the Renault 5 provides a unique opportunity to mutually drive interest in both cars, so you can choose the car that best suits your character.
The Antyweb editor’s trip to the Alpine A290 presentation in Spain was at the expense and invitation of Renault Polska. The brand had no influence on the content or prior insight into the above article.
Source: antyweb.pl
