Alpine confirms electric fastback for Paris show
Four-seat GT is the EV we've been waiting for - the A390_β will show us what it's going to look like...
If you ever feel despondent about what the future of battery-electric motoring looks like, it’s always good to reflect on how Alpine sees the revolution working. Its first EV, after all, was a great-looking hot hatch. And while it is absolutely planning SUVs, it also has this in the pipeline: a four-seat sport fastback very much inspired by the Alpine A310. Its status as a 2+2 sports car has drawn inevitable comparisons with the Porsche 911, but the all-electric GT will obviously be a very different proposition, one aimed at a much broader audience than the A110 ever appealed to.
Aside from confirming its ‘beta’ identity - meaning it's a show car rather than a production reality - and the date of its online unveiling (October 11th, sports fans) Alpine is inevitably remaining tight-lipped at this stage. The teaser pic reveals exactly the sort of swept-back profile we’ve been expecting, albeit one that’s clearly been designed to accommodate passengers in the back - a practical advantage that Alpine identified as crucial in the wake of the two-seat A110’s limited sales.
As it did with the A290, the A390_β name aligns with the manufacturer’s chosen terminology: 3 refers to its larger size, while 90 reflects the idea that this is a ‘everyday use’ model. Nevertheless, we know it will be underpinned by the Alpine Performance Platform, the same modular architecture that it will eventually use to replace the A110. While the manufacturer will struggle to carryover its kerbweight (or lack of it) the brand is keen to stress that the concept of ‘lightness’ remains integral to any constituent of its ‘100% electric Dream Garage’.
Following its world debut at Paris as a lightly embellished concept, the customer version will likely appear in short order as Alpine expects to kick off production in Dieppe next year. In other words, it’s all shaping up very nicely. And the firm hasn’t forgotten about its current sports car just yet either: alongside the A390_β and the latest version of its hydrogen-powered Alpenglow Hy6 prototype, it will also show some ‘new examples of A110 customisations’. See? Another reason to be cheerful.
TX.
If it will be priced the same (close to top competition in this segment) it will have a hard time selling, just as the A110. And with quite a few compromises (just one engine, no manual transmission). And special trims excessively priced.
Renault apparently did not understand that to move upmarket you first need to prove your quality, build that image and then go gradually for the price increase. Just like Skoda, Hyundai, Kia have been doing.
TX.
Good job it's not thirsty.Last night I popped out to the Supermarket about 2 miles away. I passed said supermarket and 40 miles later parked outside it to buy a chocolate bar
My daily steps have gone well down as I'm commuting in it rather than use the train/tube and my motorbike has barely been touched
Good job it's not thirsty.Last night I popped out to the Supermarket about 2 miles away. I passed said supermarket and 40 miles later parked outside it to buy a chocolate bar
My daily steps have gone well down as I'm commuting in it rather than use the train/tube and my motorbike has barely been touched
TX.
Alt+225
Partially that I'm a dinosaur, but it's handy if one is a fan of traditional Citroëns and the like!
Takes too bloody long to type something like Москвич though!
The ASCII art thing is still impressive...
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