Alpine is an automotive name from the past, successfully revived with the wonderful A110 sports car in various stages of tune. MHH International reported on that French delicacy way back in 2023 and subsequently the feisty A290 (here). Now the brand has added the Alpine A390, a sport fastback that is both electric and electrifying; built, first and foremost, for driving pleasure.
Alpine's all-new prestige sport fastback embodies the brand's historic DNA and the exhilarating driving experience of the A110 with added versatility. It can be summed up as follows: a racing car in a smart suit.
The Drive
As stated, it’s all-electric, offering the best in electric propulsion with a new style set-up, Alpine's engineers and developers have created a set of three electric motors (one at the front, two at the rear) that form an all-wheel-drive system, a first for this car maker, which has enabled the development of the ‘Alpine Active Torque Vectoring’ methodology, which enhances dynamism, safety and agility with a level of sophistication that is expected in premium sectors.
With this car, the driving experience is the priority even more than pure performance. The A390 is designed to deliver its performance unabated in the most demanding conditions, whether climbing mountain passes or even on the racetrack, if that’s what stirs the blood.
Enabled by the three motors, the all-wheel-drive gives the A390 exemplary traction in all grip conditions. Additionally, the GTS version ensures class-leading performance with acceleration from 0 to 62MPH (100km/h) in just 3.9 seconds, with a total power output equivalent of 470BHP (477PS) and up to 808Nm of torque, sufficient for any trial, we imagine. In fact, this vivid acceleration equals the Alpine A110 R sports car; not bad for a five-seat vehicle.
The two rear motors activate the ‘Active Torque Vectoring’ system, which plays a key role in the A390's driving dynamics. The chassis settings replicate the agility, lightness, and stability of the A110, the benchmark model in the Alpine range, as closely as possible (see here). These ambitious specifications ensure this sport fastback is lively and easy to control. The A390 has dedicated suspension with hydraulic stops to offer the best compromise between comfort and handling. It seems that, among the technical choices made by Alpine's development engineers, the very short steering ratio allows for minimal steering angles, resulting in a straightforward driving feel. Particular attention has also been paid to the braking feel, they say, to ensure easy modulation in all driving conditions.
To keep everything on the road, the A390 features the latest generation of driver assistance systems, with a dashboard display realistically showing the car's surroundings. New features such as driver attention monitoring with progressive emergency braking, automatic emergency braking extended from forward to reverse, lane departure warning and, when parking, safe exit for occupants, complement the traditional aids.
Creature Comforts
Step inside the prestige Alpine A390, and find a cocooned world devoted to sportiness, with particular attention paid to comfort and premium quality, with the dashboard, centre console and door panels coated in luxury leather and a sophisticated lighting atmosphere. The colour theme is blue, in keeping with the traditional Alpine colour.
The cockpit is driver-oriented, with 12.3 inch and 12 inch high-definition screens facing drivers to immerse them in the Alpine philosophy. Physical climate control allows drivers to adjust settings without taking their eyes off the road. The heated sport steering wheel is wrapped in ‘Nappa Bleu’ leather and features a flat bottom and a top-dead-centre point. It integrates the controls for the driving modes, driver assistance, telephone, voice assistant and instrument panel display modes. Two specific coloured aluminium buttons, inspired by the world of Formula 1, control the regeneration level (blue RCH rotary knob for Recharge) up to One Pedal mode and the boost available for overtaking and launch control (red OV button for Overtake). There is a specific switchgear for audio controls.
The high centre console, once again inspired by the iconic design of the A110, incorporates the characteristic Alpine RND transmission controls, highlighted by two customisable wings. The A390 features electrically adjustable and heated ‘Alpine Sport’ seats for support and comfort, made from various upholstery materials, including ‘Alcantara’ microfibre, typical of sports cars. They feature an arrow-shaped ‘A’ logo on the upper section. At the top of the range, the A390 is equipped with blue and grey Nappa leather Alpine Sport Seat bucket seats, which can be fitted with optional carbon twill or forged carbon inserts in the rear section, matching the dashboard trim.
The materials and finishes are particularly refined in this premium EV, down to minor details, with aluminium speaker grilles, an optional microfibre headliner and numerous Alpine customisation options (brake calliper colour, seats, wheels, etc.). The Alpine A390's five doors provide easy access, and in the rear, the two side passengers enjoy valuable support during sportier driving. Lastly, the A390 boasts a generous boot capacity of 532 litres, which can offer more versatility with an optional double floor.
The Fastback Exterior
In the form of an elegant sport fastback with striking features, the A390 combines the fluidity and sportiness of its iconic lines with a welcoming interior for its five passengers. The A390 reveals its 100% Alpine DNA from a distance and up close. The helmet-visor-shaped rear window and compact glazed surfaces contribute to its compact appearance coupled with the precision of the work on the shoulders of the body line. Aerodynamics are key, hence the spoiler hidden at the base of the rear window, the air-flow gaps around the wheels and a diffuser inspired by Alpine's Le Mans endurance racer.
The front bumpers with triangular shapes incorporate openings that create air curtains. Also featured is a unique lighting signature.
At the rear, fragmented triangles frame a backlit Alpine logo. Lastly, the thin light bars at the front and rear, which seem to slice through the air like a blade, evoke a sense of lightness. It’s clear that every detail has been carefully thought through, right down to the Alpine ‘A’ logo on the side, whose arrow always points forward, and the option of a tricolour flag on the C-pillar, as on the A110.
Aerodynamics, one of the major contributors common to all electric vehicles (EV), have been carefully considered in every detail on this car, from the spectacular sculpted bonnet blade to the rear skirt.
Form follows function, as they say, with a 17° roof angle, rear wheel 'flaps', guided air passages at the wheels and an 8° angle for the diffuser. A discreet black spoiler integrated into the rear window's base completes the aerodynamic features at the rear of this sport fastback. The result is a perfect balance between aerodynamic fluidity and elegance.
Six body colours are available: ‘Noir Profond’, ‘Bleu Abysse’, ‘Bleu Alpine Vision’, ‘Argent Mercure’, ‘Blanc Topaze’ and ‘Gris tonnerre’. So black, blue, Alpine blue, silver, white and grey. This car looks great in the Alpine Blue as pictured. Depending on buyer choice, the roof is the same colour as the body or alternatively in contrasting black. The sill panels and wheel arches are also gloss black. Depending on the finish, the A390 is fitted with exclusive aerodynamic ‘Cristal’ wheels inspired by endurance racing, available in 20 inch gloss black diamond-cut or matt black. The 21 inch wheels are a reinterpretation of the Alpine Snowflake style, with several finishes available.
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