Friday 28th April 2023

First-ever Alpine hot hatch previewed next month

All-electric 'A290_Beta' to be shown on May 9th, with a chance to attend the unveiling in person...

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We know Alpine is going fully electric, because like every brand in Europe it has to. We’ve already seen previews of an electric A110 – the E-ternité – but on May 9th it will be unveiling the first show car of this new BEV era. It’s called the A290_β. So the name of the car is, it seems, A290 Underscore Beta. Catchy, that. The online presentation can be reached via this link.

If you don’t know how Alpine’s naming policy works it goes like this: ‘A’ is for Alpine – the press release didn’t state that but if it isn’t, I’ll get my coat. The first number relates to the size of the vehicle, which is no help if you don’t know what the scale is, and we don’t, but as '2' is bigger than '1' it’s going to be some amount bigger than an A110. The ‘90’ means it’s a multi-purpose sports vehicle, or 'life-style’ vehicle, because only the pure sports vehicles have the number ’10’ apparently. And the ‘β’ designates it as a 'test' version rather than the final production-ready car. 

Needless to say, Alpine doesn't overburden us with information beyond this point - except to say that the show car 'foreshadows the brand's future electric hot hatch' which will be the first vehicle in its forthcoming three-car 'dream garage'. So, silly name or not, it's worth getting a little excited about. Plus we already know that the retail model will be based on the CMF-B EV platform and therefore share much with the incoming Renault 5 which suggests that it might very well look the business. At the very least, the accompanying profile teaser confirms a roof spoiler and bonnet bulge. So we're halfway there. 

If you want to actually be there in person for the presentation, then between the 28^th to 30^th April there will be QR codes on the side of Alpine’s racing cars – the Formula 1 car at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the World Endurance Championship car at Spa-Francorchamps. ‘You will have to be fast to capture the QR code,’ says the press release, like this is some rethink of Cheggers Plays Pop, and apparently that code is ‘the key to entering the drawing [assume that means draw] to win this priceless invitation…’ Which is fairly priceless.  But the car itself is definitely one for your radar. More to come next month. 

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• How the Alpine E-ternité previews Alpine's future
• Behold the Renault 5 Turbo 3E Drift Special

[georgeyboy12345]

An EV “hot hatch” sorely needs to be developed. I think I’d be in the market for one. Sounds like it’s going to be expensive though if it’s an Alpine.

Reading a bit more into the press release, it also sounds like it could be an SUV if they are using phrases like “multi purpose sports vehicle” and “lifestyle vehicle”. Let’s hope not.

Also when is this Renault 5 hot hatch being released? It seems to be taking ages.

[Dombilano]

Multi purpose vehicle. So its not a hot hatch then

[Alpenus]

will they offer a manual ? will it be light ? will they offer green over tan with clear glass and small wheels ?

[Black S2K]

Furthermore, wasn't the A5 actually their first hot hatch?

It was called Gordini in the UK because Chrysler.

[fantheman80]

I wonder if they are going to 'do an abarth', and play the fruity sounds of the meg and A110 sports exhaust through a set of 6X9's....

[Gecko1978]

Looking at it an the 290 bit it's a Renault Arkana in a Alpine dress is my guess which is just a Nissan Wotsit in a French outfit.

Hot Hatch = clio 197, Megan RS, Fiesta ST, Golf Gti, Hyundai i20N, Nissan Renult Soft SUV with a body kit......

[Pereldh]

Dombilano said:

Multi purpose vehicle. So its not a hot hatch then

The whole point of any hot hatch is its a multi-purpose car. Wether its a Golf GTI, Uno Turbo or 306GTI6
Practical & fun.

[dunnoreally]

Pereldh said:

The whole point of any hot hatch is its a multi-purpose car. Wether its a Golf GTI, Uno Turbo or 306GTI6
Practical & fun.

True, but “multi-purpose vehicle” is also industryspeak for what most people would call a “people carrier”.

Frankly whatever it is, if it’s a step back towards a variety of interesting cars at reasonably accessible prices then I wish it the very best.

[EvPa]

dunnoreally said:

True, but “multi-purpose vehicle” is also industryspeak for what most people would call a “people carrier”.

It's a sportier version of the upcoming R5, which is pretty far from an Espace.

[Baldchap]

EvPa said:

dunnoreally said:

True, but “multi-purpose vehicle” is also industryspeak for what most people would call a “people carrier”.

It's a sportier version of the upcoming R5, which is pretty far from an Espace.

Certainly doesn't look people carrier shaped to me...

[WCZ]

I have the cupra born which is supposedly an Ev hot hatch, it’s terrifying to drive fast vs my fiesta st because of the weight etc

[Terminator X]

"bonnet bulge" and EV is not something I thought would occur in the same sentence! Interested to eventually see it though.

TX.

Edited by Terminator X on Friday 28th April 09:39

[ntiz]

I just hope they don’t half arse it like the Seat Cupra thing that is a only a warm hatch despite EV power.

Would be great is Renault go nuts with it like they seem to do every now and then. Like 500bhp rear wheel drive retro rally rep.

[Robertb]

georgeyboy12345 said:

An EV “hot hatch” sorely needs to be developed. I think I’d be in the market for one. Sounds like it’s going to be expensive though if it’s an Alpine.

Reading a bit more into the press release, it also sounds like it could be an SUV if they are using phrases like “multi purpose sports vehicle” and “lifestyle vehicle”. Let’s hope not.

Also when is this Renault 5 hot hatch being released? It seems to be taking ages.

Please let it be a hot hatch, though I don't completely dislike the RSQ3 as a concept.

Pricing is going to be key... hot hatches were fun cars for the people. A Yaris GR or i30n is £34k. Even the mighty Civic TypeR is considered expensive at £47k.

A top-end Cupra Born (the only electric hot hatch type thing I can think of) is £40k.

So the question is will this underscore Beta thing sit below the A110 replacement.

I'm excited about it though, if they can get the same balance of ride, handling and style of the A110 in hatch form it could be a winner.

[British Beef]

I stopped reading at "all electric"!

[ajmit1]

Let`s hope there are more exciting hatchbacks being developed rather than the obvious SUV`s we have to endure from all manufacturers that think we all want to drive these.

[Wab1974uk]

Alpenus said:

will they offer a manual ? will it be light ? will they offer green over tan with clear glass and small wheels ?

It's an EV,, so no gears.

It's an EV, so heavy. And heavy in the corners too.

It's an EV, so no sound

It's an EV, so no fun.

It's an EV, so will have silly BHP and 0-60 times. I guess that's what everyone wants these days.

It's an EV, so will have no physical buttons or dials, and everything will be controlled by the stupidly sized IPad, making changing even the temperature a dangerous process while driving. But the car may well make farting noises, so swings and round-abouts !!

The future really does sound Sh** doesn't it !!

[nickfrog]

Based on the R5 which is shorter than a Zoe so deffo not a SUV or a Crossover, no need to panic .

Alpine will be doing a SUV, so managing expectations of the easily outraged early here.

Really looking forward to this, probably the ideal first EV for me. I guess it will be £35k though but hoping for £30k.

[framerateuk]

georgeyboy12345 said:

An EV “hot hatch” sorely needs to be developed. I think I’d be in the market for one. Sounds like it’s going to be expensive though if it’s an Alpine.

I agree. There's lots of 'fast' ones (all electric cars seem 'fast'), but I haven't seen any that seem genuinely exciting to drive (except maybe the Taycan, but that's a different price range!).

[kambites]

georgeyboy12345 said:

An EV “hot hatch” sorely needs to be developed. I think I’d be in the market for one. Sounds like it’s going to be expensive though if it’s an Alpine.

There are a number of EVs which are actually pretty close fits for the hot hatch brief... except for their weights. For example the current MG4 is Golf sized and around 200bhp which is a pretty good fit for a hot hatch of ten years ago and apparently has extremely well judged chassis; the dual-motor MG4 will be around 440bhp which is a pretty good match for the super-hatches of today. The problem is they are ~200kg heavier than a petrol equivalent would be.