New Alpine A290 Rallye is an electric car we actually want, but there's a catch
Look a little closer though, and more advanced changes become apparent. To ensure it meets those all-important FIA regulations, a welded roll cage and Sabelt bucket seats have both been added inside. It’s also been given uprated six-piston front brakes with 350mm discs (the standard car comes with four-piston calipers), with the rear single-piston calipers acting upon 280mm discs. Race-spec ABS is also now part of the package, with those aforementioned wheels being 18-inch rally-spec EVO Corse items in white, wrapped in road-legal (in Europe) Michelin Pilot Sport A asphalt tyres.
The Rallye’s underpinnings are shared with the road-going A290, of course, but Alpine has given the car its own dedicated ALP Racing shock absorbers to help it withstand the stresses of a rally stage. A new, proper hydraulic handbrake will also go some way to helping it perform out on the stages (if any of these changes trickle down the road car, let this be the one).
Advertisement - Article continues belowJust like the range-topping A290 GTS road car, it features the same front-mounted electric motor producing 217bhp and 221lb ft of torque, but there are changes here too. Unlike the road car, the Rallye comes with a mechanical ZF limited-slip differential, a new reduction gearbox (probably for a different final drive ratio) and an updated powertrain management system to give full control over stability control systems.
Alpine has also acknowledged that sound is important for both the driver and spectators, and so has included an Abarth 600e-style exterior sound generator that makes a noise to match the car’s speed and throttle position. Performance figures haven’t been disclosed, but expect it to at least match the 6.4sec 0-62mph sprint and 106mph top speed of the road car.
Each and every example will be assembled at Alpine’s competition workshop in Dieppe, costing each buyer from €59,990 (c£52,000) for a completed car. The car will be shown at the Rallye Rouergue Rodez Aveyron Occitanie later this week, and will make its debut on July 10 - 13 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
PowertrainSingle-motor, front-wheel drivePower217bhpTorque221lb ft0-62mph<6.4secTop speedc106mphBattery pack52kWhPrice€59,990 (c£52,000)
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