New Alpine A290 Rallye EV hot hatch is all set for the world’s rally stages
The Alpine A290 Rallye takes one of our favourite electric hot hatches and turns it into a rally-ready monster
Alpine has a rich history of rallying, having won the inaugural World Rally Championship in 1973 - and the firm isn’t about to let people forget, because it has just unveiled the A290 Rallye.
Like the A110 Rally unveiled in 2019, the all-electric Alpine A290 Rallye is a genuine racing car, which Alpine says is a “gateway to electric competition and designed in line with the latest rally regulations”. The new car has been developed by Alpine’s hi-tech engineering facility in Viry-Châtillon, France, and will hit the start line at a “single-rally challenge” before the end of the year.
The regular Alpine A290 hot hatch features some major changes over the Renault 5 on which it’s based, and the Rallye includes further key motorsport upgrades. For starters, there’s a full roll cage, bucket seats from Sabelt, a quick-release bonnet and a roof-mounted air intake.
The Rallye comes with the same 52kWh battery as the regular A290 road car, though, while the 217bhp, 300Nm front-mounted electric motor has also been retained. As a result, assuming the Rallye has a stripped-out interior, it should beat the road car’s 6.4-second 0-62mph time.
The A290’s bespoke ZF limited-slip differential is kept, too, but the single-speed gearbox and electronic management system in the Rallye are revised, though. The Rallye gets a tweaked suspension set-up too, with ALP Racing shocks to go with the A290’s bespoke subframe and multi-link rear. The Rallye also has six-piston brake calipers up front with huge 350mm discs, plus 18-inch rally wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres.
While the standard Alpine A290 GTS costs from £37,500, pricing for the Alpine A290 Rallye starts at 59,990 Euros (roughly £52,000) excluding VAT. While Alpine says the Rallye is designed for one-make rallying, we can’t help but think how a head-to-head event with the Vauxhall Corsa Electric Rally would go.
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