Alpine A290 Rallye Is an Electric Hot Hatch You Can Take Racing
Along with 215 hp, the front-wheel-drive EV features better brakes, an FIA-certified roll cage, and a revised suspension.
The factory-prepped A290 Rallye also has a hydraulic handbrake for executing tight turns; too bad it's not sold in the United States.
Alpine's roots in rally racing can be traced all the way back to 1955 when the French automaker was founded by Jean Rédélé. The Alpine A106 helped put the brand on the motorsports map, and the subsequent A110 cemented its legacy in the 1960s and '70s. Now, Alpine is catering to the next generation of home-grown racers with the A290 Rallye, a factory-prepped electric race car that customers can buy.
Based on the Alpine A290 hatchback, the recently revealed Rallye version shares the same platform and powertrain. The latter includes a front-mounted electric motor that makes 215 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque; a ZF-sourced limited-slip differential transmits that power to the front axle. White-painted 18-inch EVO Corse wheels are bolted to each corner, and they're wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport A tires that are only road-legal in Europe.
Alpine
Alpina
The Alpine A290 Rallye also wears a shade of the brand's hallmark blue paint, and it features a distinctive livery that's predominantly white, albeit with red and black accents. Along with glossy black fender flares, the hatchback's hood is matte black and matches the roof, which features a cute little air scoop. The regular A290—itself based on the Renault 5—has handsome proportions, with its muscular boxed fenders and front lights that incorporate X-shaped elements. That all carries over to the race car, which also benefits from upgrades that make it more than just an appearance package.
Working with its Viry-Châtillon teams, Alpine and Co. transformed the EV hatch into an FIA-compliant racer. That means it has a welded roll cage and Sabelt racing seats, not to mention a hydraulic handbrake to help the driver quickly navigate hairpin turns. The Rallye's roster of upgrades also includes a reworked suspension with ALP Racing dampers as well as better brakes, specifically a pair of six-piston monoblock front calipers that clamp 13.8-inch rotors. Alpine says the cars have a race-specific ABS calibration too. Despite missing an internal-combustion engine, the electric A290 racer makes fake sounds that are associated with its accelerator position and speed.
Alpine
If you haven't noticed, Alpine doesn't currently sell new cars in North America, and the A290 Rallye is no different. Our friends across the pond can expect to pay the equivalent of about $70K for the factory-built race car. Alpine said it's planning to organize a single rally event somewhere in France before the end of the year for a limited number of customers to participate. Of course, the A290 racer will be able to independently compete in spec races and open competitions.
Eric Stafford
Managing Editor, News
Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio
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