What's all this about?

Fans of hot hatches are in for a treat with this initial teaser from Alpine that previews the next chapter in the company’s future. It will fully reveal a new show car called the A290_β, pronounced as A290 Beta, on May 9. The silhouette suggests that this will be a hot version of the upcoming Renault 5, the fully electric five-door that is a modern take on one of the French brand’s best-known cars.

I have many questions, but firstly, what’s that name about?

Yes, yes, we know. It sounds like Elon Musk’s latest offspring, but this is really about more than just a new car. As part of Alpine’s revival, it has taken over the Renault Sport division, previously responsible for creating the performance variants of Renault’s mainstream cars. The rebranding of Renault Sport, and retention of its workforce, means that we’re still likely to see some cracking new machines that will appeal to driving enthusiasts.

Thus far, Alpine management has confirmed that it is working on an electric crossover, likely to take a coupe-like profile. Meanwhile, an electric successor to the A110 is in the works, with Lotus assisting with development. It all sounds rather promising.

So this is really a hot version of a forthcoming Renault?

We believe so, but little is known about this new show car besides the hatchback shape and its A290_? name. That naming structure is how all future models will be designated, with the first number referring to the vehicle’s size; the higher the number, the larger the vehicle. The second two digits, the ‘90’ in this case, refer to it being a ‘lifestyle’ vehicle, while pure sports cars will use 10, as with the A110.

Alpine is also offering motorsport fans an opportunity to win a trip to see the A290_?’s debut on May 9. During this weekend’s Formula 1 race at Baku and the Endurance race at Spa-Francorchamps, the Alpine race cars will carry a QR code on their bodywork. If you can manage to flash the code with your phone, you can enter the draw for a chance to win a trip to the big reveal.

Right. So that’s all we know so far?

Thus far, yes. We’ll have to wait for the reveal in a couple of weeks before we can really tell you more. Watch this space.

Dave Humphreys - 28 Apr 2023