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Alpine A290: Electric compact sports car tested in the Arctic Circle

Under extreme conditions, the final test run took place in Swedish Lapland before the market launch in June.

The technical teams are testing the prototypes of the A290 in Sweden at temperatures as low as –30°C on the racetrack and on the road. (Photo: Antoine Thomas/Cetadi Prod)
The technical teams are testing the prototypes of the A290 in Sweden at temperatures as low as –30°C on the racetrack and on the road. (Photo: Antoine Thomas/Cetadi Prod)
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Claus Bünnagel

Shortly before its market launch in June 2024, the new all-electric Alpine compact sports car A290 is undergoing driving tests under extreme weather conditions near the Arctic Circle. The technical teams are testing the prototypes in Sweden at temperatures as low as –30°C on the racetrack and on the road.

“To ensure the A290 works perfectly under all conditions and in any weather, the winter development phase is crucial. Especially since it is a completely new model,” explains Alpine CEO Philippe Krief.

As usual, Alpine places special emphasis on dynamic performance with the A290. The engine response, driving precision, and agility are carefully tested to provide a good driving experience even under extreme conditions.

Technical equipment tested down to the smallest detail

In addition, the engineers test numerous equipment details – including the heating, the quality of the window ventilation and defrosting, and the ESP function on snow. None of these points can be tested nearly as realistically in a technology center as under the extreme conditions at the Arctic Circle.

In its first official drive, the A290 presented itself with the "A-Arrow" logo as camouflage on the roof and in the Alpine Blue color. The prototype started for the first time with the final body dimensions: 3,990 mm length, 1,820 mm width, 1,520 mm height, and a wheelbase of 2,530 mm.

Ebenfalls enthüllt wurde das exklusive, abgeflachte A290 Sportlenkrad aus Nappaleder und mit Mittelmarkierung, eine Reminiszenz an den Motorsport, der seit jeher Teil der Alpine-DNA ist. Das Lenkrad verfügt über drei wesentliche Funktionen, die der Formel 1 entliehen sind: die Überholtaste (Overtake, OV), Recharge (RCH) und die Fahrmodi mit One-Touch-Zugriff.

Exclusive "A29" Marking Developed by Michelin

To measure braking performance and driving precision under harsh winter conditions, the A290 was equipped with high-performance Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 tires. Since the beginning of their collaboration in 2012, Alpine and Michelin have expanded their partnership in tire development. The result of the two-year effort is three special 19” tires for the A290:

  • Winter tires: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
  • Two summer sports tires: Michelin Pilot Sport EV for high energy efficiency and Michelin Pilot Sport S5 for maximum performance

Each tire is marked with an exclusive designation corresponding to the coding system of the respective Alpine model. For the A290, this designation is "A29". This ensures that customers always receive the exact same performance during a tire change: a good balance between safety, range, and handling, as well as durability, comfort, and acoustics.

Translated automatically from German.
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