Albeit situated at either end of the automotive food chain, both Dacia and Alpine are very similar in that both very nearly got lost in the previously megalithic bureaucracy that used to be Renault.

In May 2023, Renault-owned Alpine previewed its return to the hot hatch segment by unveiling an electric concept car called the A290_β (pronounced “A290 beta,” underlining the hatchback’s status as a ...