When you hear the Alpine name, you instinctively think of the legendary A110, its victories rally, and this unique feeling of lightness at the wheel. Alpine is a French mechanical emotion, a balance between elegance and performance. With the A290, its first 100 % electric city car, the brand created in 1955 in Dieppe entered a new era, taking a daring turn to the future and signing the birth certificate of an ambitious project, the Dream Garage.
An article by Océane Bailly* from number 31 – summer 2025, from Forbes France
Three models, three uses, the same vision, the same spirit
The A290 does not come alone. She is the first of a trio designed as a declaration of intention. This Dream Garage is the promise to rhyme electrification with passion, technology with pleasure, innovation with character.
The A290 opens the ball! Agile and nervous, she knows how to be wise for the city, swarming on the small roads full of turns. A little later, in the fall, it was the Sport Fastback A390, a crossover with a assertive look, which will marry space, dynamism and comfort. Finally, to link the past and the future, with the same brilliance, it is the future electric A110, direct heiress of the Berlinette, redesigned for a new generation of pilots who will take its place in this ideal garage. With this range, Alpine thus proves that sportiness and electrification can go hand in hand without compromise.
A290: a city car who has nerve
We were impatient to discover this A 290 on the road, with the GTS model and its 220 horsepower. From the first laps, we feel that she was thought to have the driver’s heart beat, even at 50 km/h. Light, compact, very well placed on asphalt, it offers breathtaking balance and direct sensations. Although this is not a circuit car, its well -calibrated chassis and its precise steering allow you to have fun on the small country roads.
« Once activated the “Sport” mode, I immediately felt a boost in terms of motor reactivity, and the suspension becomes firmer, offering a better feeling of control in quick turns ».
Available in 180 or 220 horsepower depending on the versions, it remains faithful to Alpine’s DNA: precise, alive and connected to its pilot. Four versions are offered, with well -marked personalities: GT, for daily sports comfort, GT Premium, Luxury oriented and refinement, GT Performance, sharper for those who like active driving and GTS, the right medium between style, power and pleasure.
Thought for everyday life, ready for the adventure
With an autonomy of up to 380 km (WLTP cycle), the A290 checks all the boxes of the modern urban car. Its 52 kWh battery, optimized by a heat pump, allows you to roll in winter without shooting the reserve too much.
« With my dynamic conduct, autonomy has of course dropped. On a winding route, with frank accelerations and more sporty driving, energy consumption climbs rapidly. We can then consider a reduction in autonomy at around 250-270 km, depending on the intensity of the driving and the field ».
Quick current recharging (DC) can recover 150 km of autonomy in 15 minutes, while domestic recharge (AC) offers 70 km in an hour, absolutely perfect for night recharges or the workplace. Small smart bonus: V2L technology allows you to connect an electrical device directly to the car. A speaker, a computer, a barbecue? The A290 can do it! And tomorrow, thanks to V2G compatibility, it could even make energy to the network. A car that produces as much as it consumes: we come there slowly.
A design that talks about speed at the stop
The interior of the A290 was drawn for the driver. Everything is on hand, the gaze is guided. The central console, inspired by its venerable ancestor the A110, displays a functional and sporting design. The steering wheel three nappa leather branches inspires confidence, it incorporates orders inspired by competition, with the RCG to adjust regenerative braking, drive mode to customize driving (save, normal, sport, personal), and the OV button for an instant power of power during overtaking.
The seats are inspired by the buckets, offering excellent body support, especially in tight turns where you will need to stay well anchored. They are perfect for dynamic use while providing enough comfort for daily driving. The materials are responsible: recycled plastic, hemp fiber. Sobre, qualitative, well thought out. A real cockpit.
A haute couture sound signed Devialet
In an electric car, silence can be king. But at Alpine, we prefer that the driver be emotionally accompanied, not just transported. For this aspect often claimed by users, the brand called on Devialet, French flagship of luxury audio. The result: a system of 615 watts which transforms the interior into a real sound cocoon.
Clarity, depth, spatialization … Even the most demanding will be surprised. And for those to whom the pure silence is not enough, Alpine stages the Alpine Drive Sound, a sound creation which simulates the sensations of a thermal engine. Not a gadget noise, but a real atmosphere, worked like a film soundtrack. Four listening modes allow you to personalize the experience, from the most felted to the most exhilarating.
Michelin, the other pillar of performance
Impossible to talk about handling without mentioning the tires. Since 2012, Alpine has worked hand in hand with Michelin to develop tailor-made tuning. On the A290, the engineers found the right balance between grip, energy efficiency and return of sensations. The tires do not only stick to the road, they stick to the mind of the car.
Avis France electrifies roads with alpine A290
By integrating the A290, to its Select Series program, Avis France allows a wider audience to discover the Alpine universe in its network. The opportunity to try an electric car like no other, for a weekend or a business trip. And perhaps to change its perception of what a premium city car can or should be. The passion for piloting, zero emission version.
With the A290, elected car of the year 2025, Alpine does not seek to do like the others. She traces her own way: more emotional than technical, more instinctive than rational. A car that never forgets that driving can and must remain a pleasure, even without fossil fuel. The Dream Garage is just beginning, but the A290 gives a convincing taste of it and promises an electrifying future.
A competitive price for a high -end performance
Offered from € 36,700 for the GT 180 horsepower version, the Alpine A290 is positioned as an electrical city car that is both affordable and full of character. For the most athletic model, the GTS 220 horsepower, it will take € 42,700 minimum.
*Océane Bailly is a car pilot. In 2015, at only 18 she became the youngest driver in France. She made her debut in hill climbing on the emblematic Peugeot 205 Rally, then on a RCZ Cup. These first experiences open the doors to him by many sponsors, allowing him to evolve on the driving at the wheel of his Clio 3 Cup, a dream come true for this passionate.
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