Latest news with #performancecar
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
French sports car maker Alpine unveils its first electric SUV
If you dare to be a little different, then the new electric SUV from French performance car-maker Alpine may be just 'le job' for you. The new Tesla-rivalling Alpine A390 was launched with fanfare today at the company's headquarters in the coastal town of Dieppe and is described by bosses as 'a racing car in a suit' promising 'an extraordinary driving experience'. Two versions of the four-door 'fastback' coupe will be available from the performance-subsidiary of Renault. The standard 400hp A390 GT accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 4.8 seconds up to a top speed of 124mph with a range of up to 344 miles. However, a more potent 470hp GTS will hit 62mph in a scintillating 3.9 seconds - quicker than a Porsche Macan EV by 0.1 seconds - and onto a top speed of 133mph with a range of up to 328 miles. All-wheel drive power comes from three electric motors – one at the front and two at the rear - with energy supplied by an 89kW battery. Prices are expected to start from around £60,000 for the GT version and from around £70,000 for the GTS, with official figures to be announced later. Orders books will open in November with first deliveries expected in spring 2026, with customers who sign up early to a VIP Priority pass being at the front of the queue. Firmly in the sights of the new Alpine A390 are the Porsche Macan EV, which starts from £68,500, but whose 510bhp Macan 4S Electric (costing from £76,900) is considered more of a benchmark in performance terms. Other electric models it hopes to steal sales from include the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, BMW ix2, Cupra Tavascan, Maserati Grecale, Tesla Model Y, and BMW i4 M50. It aims to be the only car under €100,000 (£84,000) with three e-motors and active torque vectoring. The A390 model follows in the wake of the new A290 - which is a tuned version of Renault's 5 E-Tech - and ahead of the all-electric A110 in what Alpine bosses say is the creation of their 'dream garage'. Alpine described the A390 as 'a true sports car' dressed for the road 'like a racing car in a tailor-made suit' noting: 'The A390 is designed to deliver its performance unabated in the most demanding conditions, whether climbing mountain passes or even on the race-track.' At the unveiling of the prototype model ahead of last October's Paris Motor Show, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief told This it Money it has 'a racing soul' and will give drivers 'an exhilarating experience'. Alpine achieved cult status with its sports and racing cars in the 1960s and the brand was revived by Renault as its sporting arm in 2017. The firm says 85 per cent of the design revealed in last year's striking Paris show car has been retained. Integrated handles for the two rear doors help maintain the coupe-like fastback profile. The car's unique lighting signature includes, at the front, a cluster of illuminated triangles called Cosmic Dust which 'evokes a comet piercing the atmosphere'. Alpine notes: 'When the driver approaches the vehicle, they come to life in a welcome sequence. A projection of the Alpine logo surrounded by snowflakes is also directed sideways at ground level.' At the rear, fragmented triangles frame a backlit Alpine logo in complete lettering. Thin light bars front and rear appear 'to slice through the air like a blade' to evoke a sense of lightness. Inside, the dashboard, centre console and door panels are coated in leather and a sophisticated blue-themed lighting atmosphere. The driver-oriented cockpit has 12.3-inch and 12-inch high-definition screens facing 'to immerse customers in the Alpine universe'. And in a victory for drivers concerned about digital distraction, Alpine stresses: 'Physical climate control allows drivers to adjust settings without taking their eyes off the road.' There is also specific switchgear for audio controls. Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said at the Dieppe launch: 'The Alpine A390 shows how to reinvent the spirit of the A110 in a 5-seat sport fastback. 'The A390 is the quintessential Alpine, combining sportiness and performance with technology and refinement, all for a unique driving experience that is equally suited to everyday use and more spirited driving.' He added: 'Inspired by French design expertise, its distinctive styling will delight all lovers of beautiful sports cars, just as Alpine has done for more than 70 years. 'Above all, this all-wheel-drive sport fastback is the finished product from a team of passionate men and women who believe electric sportiness is meaningful and are working hard to do it justice.'
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Alpine unveils its A390 electric SUV: Bosses say it will be 'a racing car in a suit'
If you dare to be a little different, then the new electric SUV from French performance car-maker Alpine may be just 'le job' for you. The new Tesla-rivalling Alpine A390 was launched with fanfare today at the company's headquarters in the coastal town of Dieppe and is described by bosses as 'a racing car in a suit' promising 'an extraordinary driving experience'. Two versions of the four-door 'fastback' coupe will be available from the performance-subsidiary of Renault. The standard 400hp A390 GT accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 4.8 seconds up to a top speed of 124mph with a range of up to 344 miles. However, a more potent 470hp GTS will hit 62mph in a scintillating 3.9 seconds - quicker than a Porsche Macan EV by 0.1 seconds - and onto a top speed of 133mph with a range of up to 328 miles. All-wheel drive power comes from three electric motors – one at the front and two at the rear - with energy supplied by an 89kW battery. Prices are expected to start from around £60,000 for the GT version and from around £70,000 for the GTS, with official figures to be announced later. Orders books will open in November with first deliveries expected in spring 2026, with customers who sign up early to a VIP Priority pass being at the front of the queue. Firmly in the sights of the new Alpine A390 are the Porsche Macan EV, which starts from £68,500, but whose 510bhp Macan 4S Electric (costing from £76,900) is considered more of a benchmark in performance terms. Other electric models it hopes to steal sales from include the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, BMW ix2, Cupra Tavascan, Maserati Grecale, Tesla Model Y, and BMW i4 M50. It aims to be the only car under €100,000 (£84,000) with three e-motors and active torque vectoring. The A390 model follows in the wake of the new A290 - which is a tuned version of Renault's 5 E-Tech - and ahead of the all-electric A110 in what Alpine bosses say is the creation of their 'dream garage'. Alpine described the A390 as 'a true sports car' dressed for the road 'like a racing car in a tailor-made suit' noting: 'The A390 is designed to deliver its performance unabated in the most demanding conditions, whether climbing mountain passes or even on the race-track.' At the unveiling of the prototype model ahead of last October's Paris Motor Show, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief told This it Money it has 'a racing soul' and will give drivers 'an exhilarating experience'. Alpine achieved cult status with its sports and racing cars in the 1960s and the brand was revived by Renault as its sporting arm in 2017. Alpine described the A390 as 'a true sports car' dressed for the road 'like a racing car in a tailor-made suit' The firm says 85 per cent of the design revealed in last year's striking Paris show car has been retained. Integrated handles for the two rear doors help maintain the coupe-like fastback profile. The car's unique lighting signature includes, at the front, a cluster of illuminated triangles called Cosmic Dust which 'evokes a comet piercing the atmosphere'. Alpine notes: 'When the driver approaches the vehicle, they come to life in a welcome sequence. A projection of the Alpine logo surrounded by snowflakes is also directed sideways at ground level.' At the rear, fragmented triangles frame a backlit Alpine logo in complete lettering. Thin light bars front and rear appear 'to slice through the air like a blade' to evoke a sense of lightness. Prices are expected to start from around £60,000 for the GT version and from around £70,000 for the GTS, with official figures to be announced later this year Inside, the dashboard, centre console and door panels are coated in leather and a sophisticated blue-themed lighting atmosphere. The driver-oriented cockpit has 12.3-inch and 12-inch high-definition screens facing 'to immerse customers in the Alpine universe'. And in a victory for drivers concerned about digital distraction, Alpine stresses: 'Physical climate control allows drivers to adjust settings without taking their eyes off the road.' There is also specific switchgear for audio controls. Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said at the Dieppe launch: 'The Alpine A390 shows how to reinvent the spirit of the A110 in a 5-seat sport fastback. 'The A390 is the quintessential Alpine, combining sportiness and performance with technology and refinement, all for a unique driving experience that is equally suited to everyday use and more spirited driving.' He added: 'Inspired by French design expertise, its distinctive styling will delight all lovers of beautiful sports cars, just as Alpine has done for more than 70 years. 'Above all, this all-wheel-drive sport fastback is the finished product from a team of passionate men and women who believe electric sportiness is meaningful and are working hard to do it justice.'
Auto Express
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
BMW M2 CS returns with bold new look and plenty of power
The current, second-generation BMW M2 arrived in 2022 and while many thought a hotter Competition variant would make a comeback, BMW has skipped this step entirely by revealing the new M2 CS. Like the previous BMW M2 CS, this new model sits at the top of the M2 line up - with plenty of powertrain and chassis upgrades to go with its more aggressive looks. Pricing hasn't been revealed just yet, though we expect a hefty premium over the standard M2's £68,705 price tag. We've seen the CS moniker not just on the old M2, but also on the previous-generation M5, as well as the current M3 and M4. All those cars got a noticeable power bump and it's the same story here. While the regular M2 has 473bhp and 600Nm of torque, we expect the CS to get well over 500bhp and 650Nm – using the same basic twin-turbocharged three-litre straight-six as the standard car. An interior image shows that power will go to the rear-wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, with a six-speed manual option unlikely. We've seen the CS testing in prototype guise plenty of times ahead of its reveal, although there are some new styling cues to take in here. Firstly, the rear end has a prominent ducktail spoiler that's integrated into the bootlid (as on the recent M4 CSL) and a unique diffuser. The CS also gets a matt black front splitter, a carbon-fibre roof and bespoke, gold, staggered wheels – although it's not yet known how all of this will affect the M2's 1,780kg kerbweight. Advertisement - Article continues below Inside, there's plenty of M-branding, with added 'CS' logos and a carbon centre console. The CS gets more serious bucket seats, too, and – we suspect – some extra track-focused driving modes. UK customer deliveries are expected to begin in the coming months. However, prospective buyers may have to move quickly, because the new CS could be a 'limited run', just like the previous version, which was limited to just 2,200 units globally. Are you happy to see the BMW M2 CS return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section... Find a car with the experts New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini's potential return New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini's potential return The Ford Fiesta could be coming back as an electric car, and here's everything we know so far Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Is pressure from retailers and car makers finally cutting through with ministers? Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Half a million extra PHEVs could reach UK roads by 2030 in place of cleaner EVs due to changes surrounding the ZEV Mandate
Motor 1
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The New Audi RS5 Sounds Pretty Darn Good
In the age of downsizing, Audi appears to be bucking the trend with its next-generation RS5. Prototypes of the hot sedan (technically a five-door liftback) and wagon were spotted at the Nürburgring, making sweet engine noise. The sound we hear definitely comes from something with more than four cylinders. Our money is on a V-6, likely a plug-in hybrid to comply with stricter emissions regulations. Audi has pledged never to produce a four-cylinder RS car, so it's not surprising that the next RS5 could retain all six cylinders. We haven't forgotten about the five-cylinder unit, but the 2.5-liter TFSI is now basically confined to the RS3, as the TT RS is long gone and the RS Q3 is unlikely to return with the inline-five. In September 2019, Audi promised that the RS4 Avant successor would come with an electrified six-cylinder powertrain . The new RS5 models are clad in swirly camouflage but don't hide the fat oval exhaust tips, which now sit closer together, giving off Porsche vibes. The two exhausts are very much real, with Audi having pledged to stop fitting fake exhausts on its cars, not that RS models were ever guilty of that anyway. While I generally think bigger is better, these ovals might be just a tad too large. Feel free to disagree. Elsewhere, the RS5 duo sports larger air intakes and bulging fenders, with the front ones appearing to have big (and hopefully functional) vertical vents to cool the brakes or for aerodynamic purposes. Large wheels with low-profile tires fill the arches nicely, and Audi has added a small spoiler at the rear of the not-a-sedan. If you're concerned about the new RS5 gaining weight, so are we. The outgoing RS4 Avant tipped the scales at 1,745 kilograms in Europe, or 3,847 pounds. Keeping the six-cylinder setup while adding a battery and electric motor could push the super wagon above 2,000 kilograms, around 4,409 pounds. On the plus side, it's bound to offer more power than the RS4 Edition 25 Years , which had 464 hp and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque. New Audi RS6 Avant Photo by: Carspotter Jeroen But this spy video isn't just about the new RS5. The larger, next-gen RS6 Avant also appears, sporting similarly positioned oval exhausts, now closer to the center of the rear bumper. It has even wider fenders and sounds aggressive as well. It's unclear if the new RS6 will also go the plug-in hybrid route, but it's a strong possibility given how a V-8-only setup might struggle under Europe's tightening emissions rules. Ex-Audi design boss Marc Lichte has said these cars will represent the 'last-generation RS ICE models,' adding that the next RS5 and RS6 will be 'mind-blowing.' We're here for it. The regular A6 has just been revealed, so the RS6 will have to wait, especially since the new S6 has yet to break cover. Audi might debut the new RS5 before the end of the year or sometime in 2026. Catch Up With Audi: 2026 Audi A6 Sedan: This Is It The New Audi A5 Plug-In Hybrid Has S5 Power Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Carspotter Jeroen / YouTube Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
