New Alpine A290 GT EV Hot Hatch Debuts With 215 HP, 380 KM Range

Making its official debut at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours race weekend is the new Alpine A290 GT EV hot hatch. Essentially, this is the hotter redux of the new Renault 5 EV hatch.

Alpine, the Renault-owned performance brand, marked the start of its electric transformation after unveiling its new Alpine A290 GT EV hot hatch earlier today. Its debut was planned as part of the festivities of this year’s running of the famed Le Mans 24 Hours race.

Essentially, this is the hotter redux of the new Renault 5 EV hatch that centres on performance, agility, and lightness.

Much of the original track car concept's radical design is retained here, and the A290 GT sits 60 MM wider than the Renault 5 EV it underpins.

The Alpine A290 GT was previewed as a concept form via the Alpine A290_ß, which stood as a track-focused special that boasted a central driving position. Apart from the driving position, much of said concept’s sharpness and aggression is retained in this road-going version.

Unique touches to this Alpine redux of the Renault 5 includes ‘X’ motif spotlights, creases in the bodywork that evoke the shape of the air intakes of the original Renault 5 Turbo, black rear diffuser, its 60 MM widened track over the Renault 5 EV, aerokit, and meaty 19-inch wheels.

Both the X motif spotlight and creased bodywork is inspired by the original Renault 5 Turbo. Unique to the A290 GT too are its 19-inch wheels, as well as its performance Michelin tyres and Brembo brakes.

Critically, the extensive design work is matched with equally extensive technical upgrades. It includes bespoke suspension tuning, uprated powertrain tech, as well as Brembo quad-piston performance brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres. Altogether, Alpine touts the A290 GT in delivering a “more emotional driving experience.”

Two variants will be available, that being a base A290 GT and a hotter A290 GT Performance, both retaining the Renault 5 base car’s front-mounted e-motor and front-wheel-drive (FWD) setup still. Said e-motor also boasts two digital engine soundtracks based on the its natural harmonics, and the choice of up to four regen levels.

As for performance, the base A290 GT does the 0-100 KM/H dash in just 7.4 secs, but the peppier Performance variant does the same in a quicker 6.4 secs.

Headlining figures read at 178 HP and 285 NM in the base A290 GT, whilst the Performance ups the ante to 215 HP and 300 NM instead. In turn, this sees the former able to perform 0-100 KM/H dashes in 7.4 secs, whilst the latter does the same in a quicker 6.4 secs.

Retained is the same 52 kWH battery pack primed in higher-end guises of the Renault 5 EV, but the extensive use of aluminium parts help keep kerb weight down as low as 1,479 KG. As for range, Renault officially quotes up to 380 KM for both guises of the Alpine A290 GT.

As for range, Renault touts up to 380 KM for both guises of the Alpine A290 GT.

Moving into the cabin, the Alpine A290 GT sees its traditional left-hand-drive (LHD) layout sport both a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation and 10.1-inch central touchscreen infotainment. The latter runs off the Alpine Portal software boasting support for various Google-based apps plus over-the-air (OTA) updates.

Unique to the Alpine here too is a new Telemetrics programme offering three main features – Live Data, Coaching, and Challenges. Live Data is self-explanatory, whereas Coaching is designed to help drivers improve their skills by giving tips on braking and drifting. Challenges instead delivers a slew of video-game like tasks for drivers to achieve.

On board, the Alpine A290 GT gets digital displays for its instrumentation and infotainment, the latter powered by the Alpine Portal suite.

Lastly, Renault also prepared a limited edition launch special variant dubbed the GTS Premiere Edition. This special gets a unique livery, extra kit, and commemorative dash plaque detailing it limited-run status of just 1,955 units – said number reflecting Alpine’s founding year too.

Renault is set to begin marketing the Alpine A290 GT towards the end of this year before initial deliveries begin early next year where it stands to rival strongly against the new MINI Cooper electric range. Would you fancy this French retro alternative of said British rival then?