RAY MASSEY: Renault's on high charge with swish Alpine cruiser

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As they say in France: 'Vive la difference!' And if you really do want to dare to be different and stand out from the usual performance-car crowd of electric Teslas and Porsches, then consider the new Alpine A390, which I've just been driving ahead of it hitting UK showrooms.

With a long sporting pedigree and heritage, Alpine is the relatively recently revived performance-car arm of French car giant Renault. But how best to describe the styling of the new A390?

Alpine itself calls it a 'sport fastback', which is a fair enough description. With low-slung lines, it's sportier than a crossover and roomier than a coupé, making it fit for family-friendly fun.

Built at the firm's HQ in Dieppe, the A390 is described by bosses as 'a racing car in a suit', promising 'an extraordinary driving experience'.

I certainly found it to be a smartly turned-out car – but more a sophisticated cruiser than a bruiser.

Cosseting the driver in comfortably fashioned sports seats, and nimble for its size, it proved a long-legged, relaxed performer on fast-moving motorways, with bursts of energy on tap just when you need them.

Spirited drive: Ray and the sporty electric Alpine A390, described as 'a racing car in a suit'

On A-roads and twisty country lanes, its performance credentials come into their own, with an engaging, spirited and fun drive coupled with confident and agile road-holding. There's plenty of room in the rear for passengers, too.

There are two versions of this elegant fast-back available. I drove the more powerful 470hp GTS, riding on 21in alloys and accelerating from rest to 62mph in 3.9 seconds with the help of a launch control boost, up to a top speed of 133mph and with a range of up to 328 miles.

That compares with the standard 400hp A390 GT, which runs on 20in wheels and accelerates from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, up to a top speed of 124mph. It has a longer range of up to 344 miles.

All-wheel drive power comes from three electric motors – one at the front and two at the rear – powered by an 89kW battery. It proved handy when I was tackling narrow, single-track country lanes and had to use a muddy and slippery passing place.

The new A390 clearly irritates Tesla drivers. One was so determined to overtake that he exceeded the speed limit by a significant margin (I didn't) in a crass attempt to make a point.

'You've been Tesla'd', quipped my passenger. But it proved just one thing to me – the sophisticated Alpine (like its driver) has far better road manners.

All-wheel drive power comes from three electric motors – one at the front and two at the rear – powered by an 89kW battery

Just above the right centreline of the steering wheel is a red 'OV' button which, when pressed, gives you 10 seconds of extra rocket-power for overtaking

At the rear, fragmented triangles frame a backlit Alpine logo in complete lettering

Prices for the Alpine A390 are likely to start at about £60,000 for the GT and just under £70,000 for the GTS. Order books are set to open in January.

Forward and reverse are via buttons on the centre console. There are five drive modes including Normal, Sport, Personalised, and Track. The F1-inspired 'RCH' button on the steering offers five levels of regenerative braking, the last being a 'one-pedal' driving mode. Just above the right centreline of the steering wheel is a red 'OV' button which, when pressed, gives you 10 seconds of extra rocket-power for overtaking. But choose your moment carefully.

My car came in a fetching metallic blue shade called Bleu Alpine Vision, with a black roof and French tricolour flag on the rear pillar and rear privacy glass. The steering wheel had a blue centre with the 'A' for Alpine logo.

In a playful touch there's a silhouette of the classic Alpine A110 hidden in the corner of the windscreen as an 'Easter egg' to discover.

My 21-inch Snowflake Diamond-cut forged wheels were shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tyres.

The front Alpine Sports seats in two-tone Nappa Leather have 8-way powered adjustments with heated and massage functions to help take the strain out of long journeys.

The front Alpine Sports seats in two-tone Nappa Leather have 8-way powered adjustments with heated and massage functions to help take the strain out of long journeys

The 21-inch Snowflake Diamond-cut forged wheels were shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tyres

Alpine says 85 per cent of the design revealed in last year's striking Paris Motor Show concept car has been retained

The Alpine has a French tricolour flag on the rear pillar and rear privacy glass

The new Alpine A390 is also packed with safety and road-handling kit including electronic stability control, hill start assist, intelligent adaptive cruise control, active driver assistance, hands free-parking, a safe occupant exit alert, blind spot warning and intervention, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking (looking out for cars, pedestrians, motor-bikes and cyclists), a driver attention monitoring system, and 360 degree cameras.

Alpine says 85 per cent of the design revealed in last year's striking Paris Motor Show concept car has been retained.

Integrated handles for the two rear doors help maintain its coupe-like fastback profile. A powered tail-hate opens to reval a decent-sized 532 litre boot.

Inside, the dashboard, centre console and door panels are coated in leather. The interior ambient lighting system can be customised with up to 48 colours including a sophisticated blue-themed lighting atmosphere. The driver-oriented cockpit has immersive 12.3-inch and 12-inch high-definition screens facing the drivers.

And in a victory for drivers concerned about digital distraction, Alpine has included physical climate control buttons which allows drivers to adjust settings without taking their eyes off the road.

The A390's heated sport steering wheel is wrapped in Nappa Bleu leather and features a flat bottom and a centre point.

It also integrates controls for the various driving modes, driver assistance, telephone, voice assistant, and instrument panel display modes.

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Two specific coloured aluminium buttons, inspired by the world of Formula 1, control the regeneration level up to One Pedal mode and the boost available for overtaking and launch control. There is also specific switchgear for audio controls.

The car's unique lighting signature includes, at the front, a cluster of illuminated triangles called Cosmic Dust designed to evoke a comet piercing the atmosphere. When the driver approaches the vehicle, they come to life in a welcome sequence. A projection of the Alpine logo surrounded by snowflakes is 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.

The new Alpine A390 is available in six body colours with the option of a contrasting black roof.

Firmly in the sights of the new Alpine A390 are the Porsche Macan EV, Tesla of course, as well as other more established performance brands including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Alfa Romeo and DS (part of Stellantis).

Specific models being targetted 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 3 e-motors and active torque vectoring.

The new A390 model follows in the wake of the earlier A290 and ahead of the all-electric A110 in what Alpine bosses say is the creation of their 'dream garage.'

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.

With the Winter the ski-ing season underway, what better car than an Alpine A390 in which to head to the mountainous snow-peaked Alps.

World's most expensive car debuts in UK

The world's most expensive car was on display in the UK for the first time this week.

The Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail, valued at £25 million, made its debut at the Peninsula London hotel on Monday.

Costly: The Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail is valued at £25 million

The bespoke two-seater was a focal point for the launch of 100 Years Of The Phantom, a sumptuous book produced for the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club (RREC), in partnership with the SJH Group, to mark the centenary of the limousine. It was also on view at the London Press Club Ball.

The car includes 1,603 pieces of hand-finished Black Sycamore veneer and a removable Audemars Piguet timepiece.