Alpine: acid test in the Arctic Circle 🎥
LAST TEST The electrically powered Alpine A290 compact sports car is currently undergoing final tests under extreme conditions in the Arctic Circle. The market launch of the first Alpine five-seater will take place in June.
Shortly before its market launch, the all-electric Alpine A290 compact sports car undergoes driving tests in extreme weather conditions near the Arctic Circle. The technical teams are testing the prototypes in Sweden at temperatures of up to minus 30 degrees Celsius on the race track and on the road.
Philippe Krief, CEO Alpine: "To ensure that the A290 works perfectly in all conditions and in all weathers, the winter development phase is crucial, especially as this is a completely new model."
As with every model of the brand, special attention is paid to the dynamic performance of the A290. Engine response, driving precision and agility are carefully tested to ensure an excellent driving experience at all times.
De-icing and ESP function in the test
The engineers also test numerous equipment details, including the heating, the quality of the windscreen ventilation and de-icing and the ESP function in snow. None of these points can be tested anywhere near as realistically in a technical center as under the extreme conditions in the Arctic Circle. On its first official drive, the A290 presented itself with the A-Arrow logo as camouflage on the roof and in the color Alpine Blue. The prototype was launched for the first time with its final dimensions: 3.99 meters long, 1.82 meters wide and 1.52 meters high. The wheelbase is 2.53 meters.
Details come from Formula 1
The exclusive, flattened sports steering wheel made from nappa leather and with center markings has three key functions borrowed from Formula 1. The overtake button (Overtake), recharge (RCH) and the driving modes with one-touch access. To measure braking performance and driving precision in harsh winter conditions, the A290 was fitted with Michelin high-performance Pilot Alpin 5 tires.
Since the beginning of their collaboration in 2012, Alpine and Michelin have expanded their partnership in tire development. Three tire types now allow the A290 to perform optimally in all conditions. Each tire has an exclusive marking that corresponds to the coding system of the respective Alpine model.
