NEW METAL
Five spice
Alpine’s new A290 is a hot-hatch makeover for the new EV Renault Five. Is it a Oui or a non?
WORDS: OLLIE KEW
Your new schoolroom
awaits. Settle down and
pay attention to the teacher
AS YOU MAY HAVE GUESSED, THE Alpine A290 is the hot version of the new Renault 5. So it’s big on the retro touches: the ‘X’ motif spotlights, the creases in the bodywork that evoke the air intakes of the old mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo.
Under that ‘wheel at each corner’ stance there’s a 52kWh battery mounted low in the usual ‘skateboard’ chassis fashion. It powers a front-mounted motor which offers 180bhp in the standard version or 220bhp in the GTS model, with up to 221lb ft.