Alpine A390: Production model also gets three electric motors
Alpine's press team is truly conscientious when it comes to water level reports on the upcoming A390. Now we're hearing about the French "Sport Fastback's" final endurance tests on a wet race track at the Michelin Ladoux Technology Center. All perfectly fine, but the most interesting news is mentioned so casually that you almost miss it.
The press release states: "The development teams concentrated on, among other things, the drive system with three electric motors , the five driving modes – including the new "Track Mode" –, the settings of the electronic stability control and the Alpine Active Torque Vectoring .
Of course, this was somewhat to be expected, but now we have it in black and white: Like the concept car from October 2024, the production model will also have a drive layout with one electric motor at the front and two on the rear axle. This also makes the aforementioned active torque vectoring possible.
The French company hasn't yet released any performance figures. However, the most powerful model on the A390 platform, the Nissan Ariya Nismo, already delivers 320 kW (435 hp). With two motors, mind you. Outputs around 600 hp seem quite possible. This would put it in the orbit of the electric Porsche Macan Turbo. However, this setup will likely remain reserved for the top model. Alpine is also likely to offer a more affordable version of the A390 with two electric motors.
Further newsworthy features include the five driving modes, including a Track mode, and the now fixed wheel sizes. Customers can choose between a 20-inch set of wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires or 21-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. Both tires carry special A39 branding, meaning they were developed specifically for the car.
Image by: Alpine
Image by: Alpine
Not only the technology, but also the larger dimensions (4,615 x 1,532 x 1,885 millimeters) and the rather sharp coupé design show that the Alpine A390 will not have much in common with the Renault Scenic, except for the AmpR medium platform.
The Renault Group's sports brand continues to keep the interior a secret. Only the steering wheel is shown to us again. It's similar to that of the smaller electric hot hatch, the Alpine A290, which was somewhat disappointing in terms of driving dynamics in our test . The French company promises that "agility and driving pleasure were the focus" during the development of its larger sister.
As with the A290, Alpine has developed two soundscapes for the electric model. The sportier version is intended to sound reminiscent of the mid-engined A110 sports car, but without replicating the sound of a combustion engine. The second, more everyday-oriented version is less bass-heavy. Two volume levels can be set for both soundscapes, or the system can be deactivated completely.
The Alpine A390 will be unveiled in Dieppe on May 27, 2025, as part of the brand's 70th anniversary celebrations.
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