Make up your mind, the days when you could buy a Clio RS for €25,000 turnkey are over and now very distant. The days of fun and accessible little sports cars no longer exist, and those who want a little energy in a compact format must now break the bank. Either they sign for a Polo GTI, Mini Cooper S or Abarth 695 still thermal but subject to a sometimes castrating penalty, or they give up on the combustion chamber and opt for an electric sports car. The category is relatively new, but it is growing. Today we have the Mini Cooper E/SE, Abarth 500e and of course this new Alpine A290 at a price sparking strong reactions: “€38,000 for a small 180 hp electric sports car? A madness !“.
Expensive or not, it all depends on your point of view
Before talking about price, many are surprised by the choice of name: why not call it R5 Alpine? The Renault group seems to want to prove that it is a real Alpine in its own right, drawn on a white sheet of paper. But this is obviously not the case since this A290 shares a lot with the R5. Moreover, during the presentation we attended, not a single word about the R5. At Alpine, are we ashamed of the genealogy of the second sports car after the unique A110 E-Ternité?
Conduct as a justice of the peace?
In any case, the Dieppe firm is confident with a product that is certainly attractive, interesting in terms of design and which makes you want to get behind the wheel to discover how much the A290 differs from a 150 hp R5. But is the Dieppe “paw” enough to justify a starting price of €38,000 in the 180 hp version? To find out, you will obviously have to wait until you get behind the wheel. The work promises to be meticulous for the men of Dieppe who must deal with the imponderables of the R5 chassis, although it is a little optimized here.. But if they succeed in the mission, the price might not be a barrier for this first electric Alpine. Especially since its status as a small sports car will obviously not deprive it of the CO2 bonus of €4,000, which will bring the price of the first purchase orders down to €34,000. For the only “zero emission” bomb made in France, this sum immediately seems less excessive than at first glance.
And the competition?
Finally, it is impossible not to place this A290 in a competitive world. This one is not yet very clear, the little Alpine playing in the middle of a Mini Cooper E of 184 hp – less sexy and which promises to be less pleasant to drive on the road – and an Abarth 500e strong 154 hp fun but less refined. However, their prices start at €34,000 and €36,900 respectively. Not to mention a “simple” Renault 5 already billed for more than €35,000 in high-end Iconic 5 finish. In 2025, we may have to take into account the arrival of a new Lancia Ypsilon HF with 240 hp. But it won’t be cheap either, since a simple 156 hp electric version also starts at almost €35,000. So, is the new Alpine A290 too expensive?
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