Franco Colapinto arrives at the Imola circuit in the Car of the Year: what is the Alpine A290 like?

Franco Colapinto entered the Enzo e Dino Ferrari Autodrome aboard an Alpine A290 , a compact electric car with a sporty setup, which this year was chosen as European Car of the Year 2025.

Activity at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola kicked off on Thursday with a day of circuit inspection, press conferences, and commercial duties, but on-track activity only began on Friday.

And Colapinto arrived with the model that represents the evolution of the French brand Alpine , which belongs to the Renault Group. The A290 is the brand's first 100% electric car and is part of the French company's new era.

Renault Argentina is already working on initiatives to further bring Colapinto's image closer to the French sports car brand, for example, with a public exhibition at the end of the year in Buenos Aires and with Alpine models.

Alpine was reborn in 2017 with the arrival of the new generation of the A110, a model inspired by the coupe of the same name that gained notoriety for its design and performance in European hillclimb competitions beginning in the 1960s.

The company's expansion plan, which includes the Alpine F1 Team, includes the upcoming A390, another electric vehicle that will be unveiled at the end of the month, coinciding with the Alpine brand's 70th anniversary celebrations.

Colapinto brings luck. One day after the Argentine driver signed a contract with Alpine , Renault's sports brand achieved one of the most anticipated achievements in its history: winning the European Car of the Year award, almost like winning the World Championship.

The Alpine A290, the sporty version of the new Renault 5, was chosen as Car of the Year 2025, the most prestigious award in the sector. It has been presented annually since 1964 and, since 2023, has been announced on the eve of the Brussels International Motor Show in Belgium.

The distinction was shared with the new Renault 5 E-Tech , a classic that was reinvented as an electric model and relaunched worldwide in 2024 as one of the flagships of the French brand's new global strategy.

The votes of 60 specialist journalists from 23 countries selected the winner. The duo of the Alpine A290 and Renault 5 E-Tech took first place with 353 points, beating six other competitors in the final.

The Alpine A290 is the first model in Alpine's 100% electric era , which will soon be joined by the A390 fastback . This urban sports car revives the hot hatch category, prized for its driving pleasure.

Developed on the AmpR Small platform shared with the electric Renault 5 E-Tech, it measures 3.99 meters and is offered in 177 and 218 horsepower versions. The latter is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 170 km/h.

Both versions are powered by a 52 kWh battery, which on a single charge allows a range of 379 kilometers for the less powerful variant and 362 kilometers for the 218-horsepower version. It can be charged at a maximum of 100 kW with alternating current and 11 kW with direct current.

Inside, the A290 is similar to the Renault 5 E-Tech, but with some differences that highlight its sporty spirit. The steering wheel, for example, is thicker and has several controls, including a dedicated red overtaking button that, for 10 seconds, will allow you to reach those 218 maximum horsepower (in normal mode it delivers 190 hp).

The Alpine A290 is manufactured at the Renault Group's Douai plant in northern France. And we'll surely see more of Franco Colapinto on this model.