- The Alpine A390 is undergoing final testing in France.
- It will use artificial sounds derived from the A110's four-cylinder engine.
- The five-seat "sport fastback" debuts on May 27.
Alpine is working hard to have the new A390 ready for a reveal on May 27. This high-riding sedan-shaped crossover will take the French brand in a new direction, and by that, we mean away from sports cars. That might make people sad, but at least the automaker is heading into the future sideways—in the best possible way.
That's the gist from a new set of teaser photos showing an A390 prototype in action. Alpine says the car is undergoing its final testing and development, which includes wet-track tomfoolery at Michelin's Ladoux facility in central France. Michelin collaborated with Alpine to develop two new versions of the Pilot Sport specifically for the A390, which likely explains why testing is taking place on Michelin's track. The smaller of the two is a 20-inch Pilot Sport EV. A 21-inch Pilot Sport 4S is also used.
Gallery: Alpine A390 Wet Track Teaser Photos
Based on the photos, we'd say the tires are getting a healthy workout. The A390 has a tri-motor powertrain that doles out horsepower through five drive modes, one of which is a dedicated track mode. That enables all sorts of torque vectoring and modified stability settings, some of which apparently allow for some gratuitous opposite-lock driving. That's an assumption on our part, as Alpine isn't ready to tell us everything about its new car.
We do know some things, however. The latest teaser mentions the Alpine Drive Sound audio system, but it's not a banging stereo for listening to music. Instead, two distinct sounds will echo through the interior while the A390 is in operation, designed to "enhance the driver's experience," according to Alpine.
These sounds don't mimic a combustion engine, but one is derived from the A110's turbocharged four-cylinder mill. This is called the "sportier" version, while a second sound is designed for daily driving duties. It has less bass, but if you prefer your electric cars to be silent, Alpine says both can be turned down or shut off completely. A similar system is offered in the A290, an electric hot hatchback for Europe.
The A390 is not an SUV or a crossover, according to Alpine. It was christened a "sport fastback" when the A390_β concept car was shown back in October 2024. The production car will look very much like the concept, and under the skin, it shares a platform with the Nissan Ariya. The tri-motor layout is all Alpine, however, with a single unit in front and two at the back. Details like power and range will no doubt be kept secret until the reveal at the end of May.
Source: Alpine
