Alpine's first fastback debuts at the Paris Motor Show 2024

The A390_β showcar is the company's first electric fastback and anticipates the production A390

Photo by: Alpine

By: Eleonora Lilli

Oct 11, 2024 at 3:00am ET

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After the A290 and before the future electric A110, Alpine is showing the A390_β at the Paris Motor Show 2024, a showcar heralding the second step of the brand's zero-emission Dream Garage. The name is rather unusual (and also difficult to pronounce) and takes up Alpine's nomenclature with an A followed by three numbers: the 3 refers to the size of the car and the 90 to the brand's cars designed for everyday use.

The Greek letter beta at the end indicates the intermediate stage of development before the official launch of the production car (which will only be called the A390).

Alpine A390_β: Here it is live in Paris

The Alpine A390_β seen live in Paris

Inspired by the Alps

Like the Alpenglow concept car presented at the Paris Motor Show two years ago, the A390_β draws inspiration from the mountain ranges of the Alps. Being a fastback, it has been designed with a particular focus on aerodynamics. At the front, for example, the flying bridge facilitates the passage of air over the upper part of the body, and at the rear, the light strip above the taillamps and bumper lower valance can extend or contract by 80 mm, allowing the A390_β to switch from a short-tail to a long-tail design while reducing the drag coefficient. In addition, the floorpan is covered by a unique structure made of ultra-light recycled carbon.

Alpine A390_β

Alpine

The design of the wheels (22 inches at the front and 23 inches at the rear) is inspired by snowflakes, strong and light, and the hubcaps in the centre of the wheel are illuminated by a bluish halo (the tyres will always be French, Michelin). To stand out even in the dark, the A390_β also sports illuminated triangles at the front and rear, called 'Cosmic Dust', which recall the image of a comet passing through the atmosphere. The colour of the car is also a reference to the sky; it is a deep blue with distinctive hues.

What it looks like inside

The interior, on the other hand, is inspired by a drop of water and is designed to give only a glimpse of the future and not concrete. "The colourful exterior design contrasts with the monochrome interior, where the intense black of the mineral contrasts with the immaculate whiteness of the snow", explains Antony Villain, Alpine's Design Director. "Technology coexists with nature, the raw with the refined, the warm with the cold... The driver's seat itself has two faces and a simple gesture on the central control is enough to transform it into a Formula 1 cockpit". Other buttons allow you to change the hydraulic suspension, adjust the regenerative braking and adapt the multimedia modes.

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Alpine A390_β, the interior

Alpine

The cockpit of the A390_β also consists of a luminous triangle that graphically renders the driving axis and promises the driver a so-called 'Feel@One' experience, i.e. to become one with the car. In practice, three sheets of glass, located behind the steering wheel and placed in succession, create a holographic effect where driving information is read out.

The cockpit of the A390_β

In contrast to the front part of the cockpit, where everything is focused on driving, the rear space is all about comfort. The white bench seat is assembled in one piece to give passengers the impression of being the first to make their mark on a layer of fresh snow, and in the centre is a cube that addresses passengers in the form of a hologram. On the rear shelf, Stratasys crystals also recall the sparkle of snow hit by the sun's rays. A fun fact: the headrests of the seats are 3D printed by Erpro Group, the French leader in 3D printing.

Alpine A390_β, the rear seats

Alpine

Alpine A390_β, front seat headrests

Three engines

The sports fastback will be equipped with three electric motors developed by Alpine: one at the front and two at the rear. It will also be able to count on a non-permanent all-wheel drive system (traction on the axles will take place according to an intelligent torque management system developed by the company's engineers, Active Torque Vectoring).

"The A390_β heralds the future sports fastback that will enrich Alpine's range, ushering in an era of electric driving pleasure for car lovers looking for the sportiness of an A110 and the perfect balance between distinction, performance and everyday use," says Sovany Ang, Alpine's Product Performance Director. The A390 will bring together the best of the technologies developed by Alpine and our partners".