Alpine launches new A390, a racing car in a suit

The Alpine A390 has been revealed at an event in the brand’s home of Dieppe, France. Car Design News is on site and we enjoyed zipping down from London in the A110 S in time for the launch.

Unlike that sports car, this new model is fully electric and builds on the A390 ‘beta’ concept shown in 2024, first digitally and then at the Paris Motor Show in the metal. At the time, we were told that the concept was about 85% reflective of the production model to follow, and we are pleased to report that is indeed the case.

The appeal of ‘heritage mining’ has grown in recent years as car makers look to champion their longevity and tug at the heart strings of brand faithfuls. Alpine has plenty of that on offer, but not so much in the crossover/compact SUV segment (although Alpine calls this a ‘sports fastback’). Squint and the silhouette is vaguely reminiscent of classics like the A310 and A610, but more so this feels brand new and a continuation of the contemporary design language debuted with the new A110 and more recently the A290 hot hatch.

Antony Villain and his design team have done well to create a new ‘family feel’ without turning framed pictures of their old models face down, a true blend of past and present. The narrative extends beyond the product line to the brand’s brick and mortar footprint, too, with the Dieppe factory undergoing a renovation of its own – “a bridge between history and the future” in Alpine’s words.

At 4,615mm (L), 1,532mm (H) and 1,885 wide (mirrors folded), the A390 sits in a similar spot to the Macan EV and is indeed highlighted as the main competitor at launch; the Alpine is ever so slightly more petite in all respects and nearly 100mm lower in particular. This does help to nudge it away from crossover territory and very much in more of a conventional fastback guise.

Front on, the X-shaped face pairs a meshed lower mask with a series of arrow-head daytime running lights which fall away from the far headlamps. The two elements almost feel as though they are converging – colliding even – at the centre of the front bumper. The primary light signature combines two main lamps that are joined with a super thin brow, while at the rear the tail lamps are less defined and more abstract. A red Alpine logo just below the bootlid is flanked by a thin horizontal light bar and fragmented X-shaped brake lights at either corner. We are told that the shape of the rear window aims to replicate the visor of a racing helmet, not immediately obvious unless you know.

There is plenty happening with the surfacing of the side panels, a collection of creases accentuating the car’s muscular bodywork. Tying things together is a line that runs (interrupted) from the headlamps, through the shouder line and eventually linking with the tail lamps. The contrast-black side skirts and rear diffuser hint at the performance on tap and the original design philosophy that puts driving dynamics front and centre. Visible from three-quarter view are the two plunging vents that dig into the front of the bonnet.

Perhaps most striking is the wheel design, which for the GTS version takes a 21-inch rim and splits it into a six spoke layout, each with three prongs and two thicker diagonal bars that create another arrow head shape at the perimeter. The hub at the centre is given a triangular perimeter and the enormous brakes are on full show. The bird’s eye view is also rather striking, with gloss black A, B and C pillars, dark sunroof tint and black mirrors leaving an oval of electric blue bodywork (silver is also an option).

Inside, there is a ‘spezzato’ feel about the seats with a cream-on-navy split, although this does not extend beyond the arm rest. The rest of the cabin is largely navy, with flashes of red or white, completing the colourway of the French flag. Brightwork is employed tastefully, with thin chrome accents on the upper door card and on the dash, plus surrounding trim on the centre console and steering wheel.

The presence of a large, L-shaped screen that combines the instrument cluster and ‘infotainment’ screen feels a little out of touch with the broader mentality for a “driver’s car” but we concede that one does not necessarily have to come without the other. Here, driving telemetry can be spotlighted, for example, and the dials are prominent on screen as they should be. A bright red paddle and bright blue button do well to add “race car” vibes, as does the centre mark on the top of the steering wheel for when things go sideways (in a good way).

Three electric motors – two at the back, one at the front – form an all-wheel drive system which deploys 808Nm and 470bhp in top GTS form (GT is no slouch with 400bhp). The 89kWh battery pack supports around 550km (340 miles) of range and the sprint from zero to 100kph comes in just under four seconds.

Should any of this appeal, the order books will be open from November 2025, with deliveries commencing from Q2 2026. More to come from Antony Villain and the Alpine design team once CDN is off the road, as it were, and back at the desk. Now, where are the keys to our A110 S?