After the A110 Berlinette and the A290 city car, Alpine continues to expand its range. Like Porsche, which launched the Cayenne a little over 20 years ago, the French brand needs an SUV more than ever to build volume and sustain its future. This will be done in 2025 with the A390. For the moment, it is revealed in the form of a spectacular showcar, but its designers already promise that the final model will remain 85% faithful to it.
Rather than an SUV, Alpine’s communicators prefer to talk about the brand’s very first Sport Fastback. But make no mistake, the A390 rises well above a Berlinette. The famous coupe with which it maintains a connection by reinterpreting the double front lights, as well as the curves of its doors and the bubble effect of its rear window. A touch of modernity accentuated by the snowflakes found on the four corners of its bodywork in reference to the mountain ranges of the Alps, dear to founder Jean Rédélé who was inspired by them to name his brand. Snowfall that we find both in luminous form and as a pattern for the ventilation grilles, or even in large scale for the design of the rims. So many elements inherited from the Alpenglow hypercar unveiled in 2022 and which we will partly find on the production A390.
The final version already on the roads
You may have already seen the production model in the press. Some media have recently released photos of its camouflaged prototypes. Overall, the fastback silhouette will survive this study, but to project it well you have to imagine it with smaller wheels, add mirrors, flush door handles and ignore certain extravagant details. In terms of size, with around 4.70 m in length, it is close to the size of a Renault Rafale. The production model should, however, be slightly shorter. On the other hand, it will be much more difficult to get an idea of the final interior from this concept car.
A more eccentric interior
Alpine makes no secret of it. Few elements from this exuberant environment will be applied to the production A390. It is more of a work of reflection allowing us to project ourselves towards a more distant future. It’s hard to imagine the variable geometry steering wheel arriving in series production in the near future. Its kinematics allowing you to switch from a comfort mode to a Formula 1 position are difficult to industrialize, as is the crystal block serving as a key at the hub. But one thing is certain, the production A390 will indeed adopt a compact steering wheel, in the style of Peugeot productions. As for the seats, there is no point in hoping for the application in production of the tilt of this seat to provide a position worthy of an F1 driver, while the pedals are raised. On the other hand, engineers could indeed integrate speakers at the level of the headrests, from the equipment manufacturer Devialet, but in a much less enveloping form. If the front row assumes its racing side, the rear passengers benefit from an environment entirely dedicated to comfort. Alpine intends to play on this duality in the future by associating the color white with spaces dedicated to serenity, in reference to the purity of the snow-capped mountains. While the black color applies more to the sporting aspects, embodied by the mineral elements which line part of the passenger compartment, like the floor covering whose inhospitable relief is inspired by the rocky mountains. We bet that even the most daring pilots will prefer a very soft carpet.
See you in 2025
Not much to get your teeth into on the technical sheet side, except that Alpine announces three engines on board the final version. A 100% electric trio since the A390 will completely turn its back on thermal engines. However, the unknown remains as to the battery capacities that will be retained. We will know more next year, when the A390 enters production in Dieppe, in Normandy, within the historic stronghold of Jean Rédélé. Until then, on Auto-Moto, we will not fail to share with you the rumors and other rumors that will circulate about it.
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To summarize
Alpine intends to create an event at the Paris Motor Show by sketching out its very first sports crossover. We got on board.
