Sorry But I Think Alpine’s New Tri-Motor A390 Crossover Looks Freakin’ Sick

I already know that all of the comments on this story will be about how ridiculous it is that sports car maker Alpine has now made an electric crossover, and I don’t care. I think the new Alpine A390 looks freakin’ sick, and while it might not be as feather-light as the A110 sports car or Alpine’s A290 version of the Renault 5, it sounds like it will should be pretty fun to drive with a standard three-motor setup and torque vectoring that wants you to get sideways.

Alpine has previously detailed plans to launch a seven-car “Dream Garage” lineup of electric vehicles, and the French marque seems committed to that plan. Next up following the A290 hatch and A390 fastback will be coupe and convertible versions of the next-generation A110 sports car, which will ride on a new electric sports car platform that will also underpin a four-seat A310 coupe. The final two models were to be larger crossovers aimed at the U.S. market, where Alpine has said it wants to start selling cars in 2027 — a plan that is now on hold thanks to President Trump. That’s a damn shame, as this new A390 would be an awesome offering in the U.S., and it’s a promising preview of where the brand is going.

Like I said, I think the A390 looks cool as hell, with a design nearly identical to the concept shown last year. It’s a few inches more compact than a Porsche Macan EV in terms of length, wheelbase and height, and Alpine says “its coupe proportions are visible from 110 metres away,” a specific measurement I’ve never seen in a press release before. (Alpine then talks about details visible at 110 centimeters and 110 millimeters.) Fairly short overhangs, a nicely sloping roofline and a rear window designed to look like a racing helmet’s visor. The surfacing along the sides, C-pillar design and the general shapes of the nose and tail are reminiscent enough of the A110, but the A390’s face is very unique.

Slim four-eye LEDs placed in a lightbar at the top of the front end are accented by clusters of “Cosmic Dust” triangular lights, and there are all sorts of triangular design elements in the bumper that are apparently inspired by mountains. The lightbar at the rear is simpler, but it there are more triangles stamped into the bodywork below it, plus a cool diffuser design inspired by the brand’s LMDh race car. The lip spoiler is a nice touch, too. Alpine will offer six colors, only two of which are actual colors (and are both blues), and there are a few different 20- and 21-inch wheel designs, all wrapped in A390-specific Michelin tires. Maybe my favorite detail is the pass-through in the nose that sends air across the hood.

The A390’s dashboard is largely similar to the Renault Scenic, with a 12.3-inch gauge cluster and portrait-oriented 12.0-inch touchscreen canted toward the driver, and a spear-like aluminum element running above air vents in front of the passenger. Unique to the A390 are the center console, which has prominent gear selector buttons in front of the cupholders, and the flat-bottom steering wheel, which has a blue aluminum knob to control the regenerative braking and a red paddle for the boost function (more on that in a bit). The A390’s door panels have their own design, too.

I really love the blue and white color scheme of the top-end models, which combines Nappa leather with Alcantara trimmings. You also get Sabelt bucket seats that look quite supportive and have optional carbon-fiber inserts. The rear seat doesn’t look too cramped given the A390’s coupe roofline, and its near-19 inches of cargo volume isn’t too bad, either.

The A390 rides on the same AmpR Medium platform as the Nissan Ariya and Renault Megane and Scenic, but Alpine says nearly everything has been overhauled. Every A390 has a three-motor setup with one motor at the front axle and a pair of motors housed in an aluminum cradle at the rear axle that helps keep the trunk floor low. The GT trim puts out a respectable 400 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, while the GTS ups that to 463 hp and 596 lb-ft (of which 375 lb-ft is just for the rear wheels). Both trims are paired with an 89-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that’s specific to the Alpine, developed by French firm Verkor. Alpine says the GT will do 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 124 mph, while the GTS is nearly a second quicker to 62 mph and tops out at 137 mph. The red steering wheel button activates the video game–style Overtake mode, delivering extra power for 10 seconds and then requiring a ten-second cooldown period. That red switch also enables launch control from a stop.

Alpine

Alpine says the A390 has up to 345 miles of range on the WLTP cycle depending on wheel size, and it can DC fast-charge at up to 190 kW, good enough to go from 15% to 80% in under 25 minutes. Bi-directional charging and a heat pump are standard, too, and you can upgrade the 11-kW onboard charger to a 22-kW unit. The brand also points out how the 400-volt battery pack is designed to have repeatable performance in quick succession, so it has its own cooling system and chemistry.

More important, though, is how the A390 handles. With a minimum curb weight of 4,676 pounds the A390 is about double that of an A110, but Alpine promises the SUV “replicated the agility, lightness and stability of the A110 as closely as possible.” Its hydraulic suspension and fast steering ratio help with that, as does the active torque vectoring, which independently controls the two rear wheels and responds to driver input in mere milliseconds to aid in cornering and power delivery, as well as making drifting easier. Alpine also paid close attention to the brake feel, and while the A390 has pretty large physical brakes, it’s also capable of doing one-pedal regenerative braking, with no perceptible transition between the two when you press the pedal. 

As on the A290, the A390 has an Alpine Telemetrics system that not only provides the driver with all sorts of telemetry information, but also acts as a virtual on-board coach to improve your track performance. Here’s what Alpine says about it:

Live Data displays driving data according to four different themes: – Agility: lateral and longitudinal G-forces, ABS/ESC activation, Overtake boost. – Power: acceleration and braking monitoring (regenerative or hydraulic), battery recharge, and Overtake boost potential. – Endurance: consumption, accumulated energy and battery status. – Circuit: lap times, car data (engine and battery temperature, tyre pressure and temperature, brake temperature, regenerative and hydraulic braking percentage, front/rear motor torque and speed, coasting time, thermal management of the three motors).

Coaching provides advice on better understanding the vehicle, using Alpine Telemetrics features and improving driving skills. Ideal for learning at one’s own pace, this section (partly optional) begins by introducing the basic reflexes to adopt for dynamic driving: where to look, how to take corners and braking techniques. As the driver progresses, the concepts covered become more advanced, such as drift control. Sometimes, this driving section is named after the A390’s engineers and development drivers, who offer their valuable advice. It includes points specific to the A390, such as how the Alpine Active Torque Vectoring system works and battery thermal management. This section evolves over the life of the vehicle.

The Challenge function is a series of missions based on agility, power and endurance. It is a decidedly video game-oriented approach with levels to pass to advance. The driver must complete some challenges on closed roads (acceleration, braking, percentage of accelerator pedal use over a given distance). In contrast, endurance challenges can be completed on open roads, assisting in learning to anticipate while driving.

You can also access the Telemetrics data and coaching on a smartphone app, so you can replay your videos and share them with others.