Tag Archives: Alpine

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Alpine Hints at Larger Electric SUV

Alpine is entering a period of rapid expansion, and the scale of its ambition is becoming increasingly clear. Over the next few years, the French performance brand will roll out a string of electric models, starting with the A390 mid-size coupe-SUV, followed by an all-electric A110 sports car and the A310 2+2 coupe. Beyond those confirmed arrivals, the roadmap becomes less defined, but Alpine’s long-term goal remains firm: a seven-car EV line-up, with room at the top for a potential flagship SUV.

That possibility was strongly hinted at during the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Alpine’s head of design, Antony Villain, spoke to Auto Express. “We need something for the D and E segment,” he said – a clear indication that Alpine is considering a larger, range-topping model to sit above the recently revealed A390.

A Bigger Alpine, But Not at Any Cost

At the A390’s launch, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief offered further insight into how the company’s thinking has evolved. While there are still no confirmed plans for a US market entry, it remains firmly on Alpine’s radar. If that move were to happen, Krief admits that the electric A110 alone might not be sufficient to support dealers and partners in such a competitive market.

“We will be ready to go to the US with APP,” Krief explained, referring to Alpine’s new Alpine Performance Platform. “We need to go to the US with A110 because this is the heart of Alpine. But in the US, maybe, it won’t be enough… maybe we need to have something more.”

That “something more” was once envisioned as a large SUV, but Alpine is now reassessing what form a US-focused model should take. The priority, Krief stresses, is volume – but never at the expense of brand identity. “We certainly need a model with higher volumes, but don’t want to make the mistake of going to the US with a big car that is outside the DNA of the brand.”

Redefining the SUV Formula

Alpine itself is reluctant to label the A390 as a conventional SUV, preferring the term “sports fastback”. The description fits: the car is only a centimetre taller than the A290 hot hatch, with a sweeping roofline and muscular haunches that prioritise style and driving engagement over outright interior space. With up to 464bhp from its tri-motor, all-wheel-drive set-up, the A390 represents Alpine’s interpretation of what a larger performance EV should be.

That philosophy could carry over to a future flagship, potentially badged A590. Krief sees the A390 as proof that Alpine can offer an emotional alternative to the mainstream SUV template. “The A390 feels like an SUV that is completely different,” he said. “If we are not able to do a car with this kind of feeling, we won’t do the car.”

Where the A590 Would Fit

While unconfirmed, the A590 name would align neatly with Alpine’s current naming strategy. Models ending in ‘90’ fall under the brand’s internal “Versatility” family, which includes the A290 and A390, while the more purist “Iconic” cars – such as the A110 and future A310 – carry ‘10’ suffixes.

Technically, the path forward is less straightforward. Unlike the electric A110, which will sit on the bespoke APP platform, the A390 uses a heavily modified version of Renault’s AmpR Medium architecture, shared with cars like the Scenic, Megane and Nissan Ariya. In its current form, this platform tops out at around 4.6 metres in length, which could limit how far Alpine can stretch it for a true D- or E-segment SUV.

A potential A590 would need to take on heavy hitters such as the BMW iX, Lotus Eletre and the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV – all of which push close to the five-metre mark. Renault has previously suggested the platform could support up to seven-seat vehicles, but whether it can realistically underpin a full-size flagship remains an open question.

Design Consistency, Driver Focus

What is certain is that Alpine intends to maintain a strong and recognisable design identity across its EV range. Expect the brand’s signature quad-headlight ‘V’ motif, a curved rear window inspired by a crash helmet visor, and a flowing roofline to continue. The dramatic Alpenglow hydrogen hypercar concept offers a glimpse of how this language will evolve, with future models set to borrow more of its visual drama.

Inside, Alpine is equally determined to stand apart. While newer models like the A290 and A390 have embraced larger screens, the brand remains committed to driver focus and usability. “Alpine drivers want to focus on driving and you don’t want screens everywhere,” Villain said, emphasising that physical buttons will continue to play a key role. “Buttons are important for Alpine… our cars will have lots of physical buttons.”

The Bigger Picture

A flagship Alpine SUV is far from confirmed, but the intent is clear. As the brand expands beyond its lightweight sports car roots, it is carefully exploring how to grow without diluting what makes an Alpine an Alpine. If an A590 does arrive, it won’t be about chasing trends or simply going bigger – it will be about proving that even at the top of the range, driving emotion still comes first.

Source: Alpine

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Alpine’s Electric A110: The Soul of a Sports Car, Rewired for 2026

2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for Alpine. The A110—the lightweight, mid-engined sports car that resurrected the brand and re-established its credibility with enthusiasts—is going electric. For purists, that sentence alone is enough to raise eyebrows. For Alpine, however, it’s the boldest statement yet in its ambition to become France’s answer to Porsche.

In a recent teaser outlining the brand’s roadmap to 2026, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief struck a confident tone. “With the next generation we will evolve, but keep the original DNA and spirit,” he said. “The result is just fantastic.” Krief also hinted that within the first six months of 2026, Alpine will begin revealing what he describes as “really exciting news” surrounding the electric A110’s arrival.

That confidence isn’t empty rhetoric. Krief—formerly Ferrari’s director of engineering—and ex-Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo have already shared substantial technical detail about the car with Auto Express, painting a picture of an EV developed with genuine sports car intent rather than compliance-led electrification.

The new A110 will sit on a dedicated electric sports car platform and targets a kerb weight of around 1,450kg. In the context of modern EVs, that figure is striking—and it puts the Alpine in the same ballpark as a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS. Range is expected to exceed 350 miles, while propulsion will come from two in-wheel motors. Krief is coy on power figures, but insists there will be “more than enough power—I can guarantee it.”

More intriguing is how far Alpine plans to push the A110 lineage. The electric coupe will form the foundation of a broader family, with a soft-top A110 Spyder already confirmed and an all-wheel-drive variant under consideration. The latter could borrow technology from the tri-motor setup being developed for the upcoming A390 electric SUV, signalling that Alpine sees performance EVs as modular, scalable products rather than one-off halo cars.

This strategy is central to Renault Group’s wider plan for Alpine. With factory-backed programmes in Formula One and the World Endurance Championship, the brand has serious racing credibility. The challenge now is translating that pedigree into a sustainable, seven-model premium line-up that can compete at the cutting edge of performance and technology. The A110 is the emotional and technical cornerstone of that vision—but its success depends on profitability elsewhere, particularly from higher-volume models like the low-slung A390 SUV.

Before departing Renault, Luca de Meo made no secret of his ambitions. “[The A110] is our iconic product, the Porsche 911 of Alpine,” he said. The historical symmetry is hard to ignore: the original A110 debuted in 1963, the same year Porsche launched the 911. Six decades on, Alpine is once again positioning its sports car as a long-term icon—this time in an electric era.

Full details of the electric A110 are expected to be confirmed in the first half of 2026, with a complete unveiling likely later in the year, potentially at the Paris Motor Show in October. Sales should begin in early 2027, followed by the A110 Spyder in 2028. Shortly after, Alpine plans to expand the platform further with the A310—a larger 2+2 coupe and convertible aimed squarely at the Porsche 911 itself.

For Alpine, electrification isn’t about abandoning character; it’s about redefining it. If the company delivers on its promises, the electric A110 could prove that “soul” isn’t tied to cylinders or fuel—but to intent, engineering and how a car makes you feel when the road opens up ahead.

Source: Alpine

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Alpine A290 Storms the EcoRally Cup: A Hot Hatch Reborn in the Electric Era

Alpine didn’t just show up to the FIA EcoRally Cup this season—it detonated onto the scene. With the all-electric A290 making its competition debut, the French marque used the production-based eco-rally championship as a proving ground for something far more ambitious than trophies. The Cup, contested on open public roads with showroom EVs, is a rolling laboratory for energy management, real-world efficiency, and the sort of everyday usability that spec sheets rarely capture. And in the hands of veteran rally ace Manu Guigou, Alpine’s smallest model instantly became the benchmark.

A Debut Season That Reads Like a Résumé

Getting a handle on a brand-new electric discipline is no small feat, even for a driver who once hustled the A110 Rally to a French two-wheel-drive championship. But Guigou—paired with respected co-driver Émilien Le Borgne—didn’t waste time adapting.

The duo entered Category 2, reserved for newly-released models, and immediately put established champions on notice. Their opening salvo at Spain’s Eco Rallye de la Comunitat Valenciana was impressive enough—but their ramp-up was even better.

Fresh off ACL surgery, Guigou got right back into rhythm with a podium at Oeiras Eco Rally Portugal. One event later, he took his first victory at the Mahle Eco Rally in Slovenia—fittingly the same venue where he once claimed Alpine’s first international overall win with the A110 Rally. Momentum snowballed from there:

  • Win – e-Rallye Ardenne Road (Belgium)
  • Win – EcoRally Scotland (Scotland)
  • Podium – E-Rallye du Chablais (Switzerland)

By this point, the A290 wasn’t just participating—it was dictating terms.

Moving to the Premier League

Once homologation wrapped, the upgraded A290 GTS stepped into the championship’s top class. The competition stiffened, but so did Alpine’s resolve.

Podiums rolled in at Ecorallye A Coruña (Spain) and Eco Rally Madeira (Portugal). Then came the big one: E-Rallye Monte-Carlo. On the world’s most fabled rally roads, Guigou finished as the event’s best performer, underlining the A290’s poise on tight, technical tarmac where agility matters far more than kilowatt bragging rights.

The season finale at Italy’s ECO Dolomites GT sealed the deal: Guigou closed the campaign as number one in his category, proving the A290’s sharp chassis, quick reflexes, and near-telepathic balance are more than marketing promises—they’re bona fide competitive attributes.

A Traveling Roadshow of Tech, Passion, and Community

EcoRally Cup events aren’t just competition—they’re rolling festivals. Alpine made sure of it.

At each stop, local Alpine Stores hosted meet-ups, test drives, and fan events to let spectators experience the A290 in full performance mode. Slovenia’s round doubled as the car’s commercial launch. In Belgium, Guigou and Le Borgne spent a day testing and talking shop with enthusiasts. They were even the first crew to shake down the A290 GTS on Madeira’s serpentine roads.

This human, grassroots connection echoes Alpine’s philosophy: a car that can thrill a rally veteran should also thrill a daily commuter.

The A290: A Hot Hatch for the Electric Age

Alpine recently pulled the wraps off the A290 Rallye prototype, but the EcoRally campaign already showcased what the production car is capable of. It’s a compact EV that blends:

  • Competition-grade precision
  • Everyday comfort and usability
  • Electric efficiency that actually matters outside a lab

The result? A city sportscar that treats every roundabout like a hairpin and every commute like a special stage—without sacrificing real-world range or practicality.

Competitors noticed. As the season unfolded, more teams began choosing the A290, drawn by the performance that Alpine’s drivers kept demonstrating.

From the Cockpit: Manu Guigou Weighs In

Guigou sums up the EcoRally Cup as a snapshot of motorsport’s shifting future:

“The FIA EcoRally Cup epitomises the profound transformation of the automotive industry. You arrive, put on the stickers, and attack legendary roads across Europe. With its agility, liveliness, balance, and efficiency, the Alpine A290 is ideal for this. It’s a joy to drive.”

He’s quick to credit co-driver Le Borgne—whose timing and precision are critical in energy-managed competition—and notes that their performance has inspired other teams to take the plunge with Alpine.

What’s Next? Alpine’s Not Hiding Its Ambition

Having proved its mettle in both Category 2 and the premier class, the A290 now stands as one of the EcoRally Cup’s most compelling entries. Alpine is gearing up to attack the top category in full force next season, armed with data, momentum, and a car that seems born for this kind of stage.

The takeaway is clear:
If this is the future of the hot hatch, the future looks fast, agile, and very, very electric.

Source: Alpine