New Alpine A390_ß concept will preview brand’s first electric SUV

Alpine has announced it will reveal a new concept car, the A390_ß, on 11 October. It will preview the performance brand’s first electric crossover SUV, or as Alpine is calling it, a “sport fastback”, which is due to launch in 2025.

The A390 name follows Alpine’s very simple nomenclature: the letter A followed by three numbers. The first digit refers to the new car’s size, which will be larger than the A110 sports car and A290 hot hatch, while 90 indicates it is one of the brand’s more versatile, everyday models. The beta symbol is used on Alpine’s show cars.

The single shadowy teaser image Alpine shared doesn’t give much about the design, but we can clearly see the A390_ß concept will have an aggressively sloping roofline and rakish profile, similar to coupe-SUVs like the Cupra Tavascan and Polestar 4, which are both potential rivals.

So the A390_ß – and the roadgoing version which will follow – is sure to look very athletic, but the brand has also said that its first electric SUV will be a “uniquely Alpine crossover for every lifestyle” and “a model fit for every purpose.” 

Underneath will be the AmpR Medium platform (formerly CMF-EV) which serves as the underpinnings for Renault Scenic and Nissan Ariya family SUVs, but Alpine will make tweaks to the chassis and focus more on handling. 

In 2021, Alpine’s now-former engineering boss Gilles le Borgne told Auto Express that the A390 was likely to feature a triple-motor powertrain with a 215bhp electric motor on the front axle and two more e-motors at the rear. If true, a power output in the region of 450bhp-500bhp is likely.

A few days after the Alpine A390_ß concept is revealed on 11 October, it will make its public debut at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, where the reborn Renault 4 is going to be unveiled and the new Dacia Bigster will also make an appearance.

The A390 is part of Alpine’s vision for a “dream garage” of electric cars that will also include the A290 hot hatch and the next iteration of the A110 sports car. It’s also planning a roadster based on that fully electric A110, and a four-seat sports coupe that will bring back the A310 name from the Seventies and Eighties. In total, Alpine plans to launch seven new models by 2030.

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