This isn’t a concept car shown at a party in Paris. It’s an actual electric hot hatch. Alpine partnered with Lacoste. They call it “Beware of the Crocodile.” Because apparently, the brand needed another warning label.
You wouldn’t guess it from the exterior at first glance. It’s matte bluish-white. Clean white aerodisc wheels keep the rolling resistance down, which matters for range. But the bumpers are forged carbon fiber. The front grille is just a white panel with Lacoste’s name pressed into it. Functional vents sit alongside it. At the rear, a massive diffuser anchors the design, topped by a prominent spoiler.
Look closer though. The lights are wrong. Headlights? Body-colored panels with single red LED slashes. No actual bulbs facing forward there. Just vibes. The taillights follow suit with thin vertical red strips.
Then there is the hood.
Alpine normally puts a badge there. Not here. Instead, the hood features a glossy red pool. Inside it, three angry crocodiles are swimming.
That’s not the limit of the reptilian takeover.
Around the back, the rear window is gone. Removed entirely. In its place, a large, translucent red crocodile pokes its snarling head up over the rear spoiler. Menacing? Absolutely. It’s got a grin that says you should probably leave the driver alone. On the roof, a white fin sticks out of the water, mimicking a scaly spine.
Is this serious design? Or marketing chaos?
The interior answers that question poorly. It’s all red. Alpine says the goal is to make you feel like you’re stepping into the beast’s mouth. Maybe. The seats use 3D-printed latticework. The door pads and steering wheel are wrapped in fabric Lacoste uses for clothes. There’s a green stripe at 12 o’clock on the wheel, a nice nod to the brand’s tennis heritage. The dashboard is plastered with crocodile patches. Dozens of them. Small. Medium. Large.
Automakers love these partnerships. Ford does it with Filson. BMW teamed up with Kith for their XM. Mini tried something with Deus Ex Machina. This is just the latest. But usually, they slap a logo on the side and call it done. Alpine didn’t do that. They covered everything in lizards.
The official count? Two hundred and ninety crocodiles. Spread across the metal, plastic, and fabric of the A290.
It is arguably overkill. It certainly isn’t subtle. But has anyone else seen swimming crocodiles on a hood?
I haven’t.
