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

The Alpine A110’s story is entering its final chapter. The lightweight French sports car that charmed enthusiasts with its purity of purpose and retro-modern flair is about to bow out before its electric successor arrives next year.

“Collectors take note,” Alpine says — and rightly so. The Dieppe-based manufacturer has confirmed it will produce just 1,750 more standard A110s and 50 examples of the track-honed A110 R before the curtain falls for good. Production will wind down by mid-2026, as the factory prepares to retool for the next-generation, fully electric A110 built on the new Alpine Performance Platform.

For now, the order books remain open in the UK, though Alpine expects to close them in roughly six months. Given the brand’s steady sales pace, that likely translates to about 200 more cars for British buyers before the allocation runs dry.

Since its rebirth in 2017, the A110 has quietly defied expectations — and market trends. While many sports cars have seen demand soften amid electrification and SUV obsession, Alpine claims its mid-engined coupe’s sales curve has climbed throughout its life cycle, with nearly 30,000 units sold globally by the time production ends next year.

That’s a testament to what the A110 has always been: a modern reminder that less can indeed be more. With its curb weight under 2,500 pounds, sharp steering, and perfectly judged balance, the A110 has long stood as a counterpoint to heavier, more powerful rivals from Porsche and beyond.

Pricing remains as it has been in the UK lineup: the base 242-hp A110 starts at around £55,000, the 296-hp GTS stretches to £70,000, and the ultra-focused A110 R – essentially a road-legal racer – asks a steep £107,000.

After that, it’s lights out for the petrol-powered A110. The next generation will be electric, faster, and likely heavier — but if Alpine has proven anything, it’s that passion and precision engineering can transcend the power source.

So if you’ve ever dreamed of owning one of the last truly analog European sports cars, this is your final boarding call. Once Dieppe switches to electrons, there’s no going back.

Source: Alpine