French automaker Alpine and apparel brand Lacoste have unveiled a one-off version of the Alpine A290 Rallye, called Beware of the Crocodile – Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye. Inside, the rally seats incorporate parts produced using 3D printing by ERPRO, marking the second known collaboration between Alpine and the French additive manufacturing specialist within the year.
The one-off car is built on the A290 Rallye, the most performance-focused version of Alpine’s A290 and the platform the brand uses for customer racing. It is designed around a chassis optimized for rigidity, rally-specific suspension, widened tracks for grip, and aerodynamic work aimed at cooling and downforce. The electric powertrain is tuned for immediate torque delivery, a trait Alpine points to as an advantage in rally conditions.
Lacoste’s design contribution centers on a red-dominated cabin, drawing on the color of the crocodile logo’s tongue, along with petit piqué fabric on the seats and door panels, embroidered by workshop Potencier.
Lattice Structures for Weight and Comfort
Within that cabin, the rally seats include components produced by ERPRO using 3D printing. According to Alpine, the technology enabled lattice-type structures, internal lattice geometries that reduce material use while distributing load across a network of interconnected struts, on the seat components. This allows the parts to combine lightness with comfort and structural performance, three properties that are harder to balance using conventional molded foam or machined parts.
Weight reduction is a direct performance factor in rallying, where every kilogram affects acceleration, handling, and energy consumption in an electric vehicle. Alpine frames the seat components as part of a broader effort to cut mass across the one-off build rather than an isolated styling choice.
Alpine’s Second Collaboration with ERPRO in 2025-2026
This is not Alpine’s first use of ERPRO’s additive manufacturing capabilities. In March 2025, the automaker worked with the same partner on the Alpine A390_β show car, where ERPRO 3D printed the headrests using a bio-based elastomer (Arkema’s Rebax Rnew), engineered to be lightweight, breathable, and shock-absorbent. That project also involved Lavoisier Composites, which produced the vehicle’s compression-molded carbon and photovoltaic-silicon floor panels.
The repeat partnership suggests Alpine is treating 3D printing as a standing option for functional, low-volume interior components on concept and limited-run vehicles, rather than a one-time technical demonstration.
Antony Villain, VP Design at Alpine, described the A290 Rallye collaboration as combining “technicality of competition, the lightness of design and the elegance of timeless style.”
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*All Photo Credits: Alpine Cars