Two of France’s most recognizable names, Alpine and Lacoste, have come together for a clothing line and a one-off build of the electric A290 Rallye hot hatch that, although highly unlikely, we’d very much like to see reach production.

Read: Alpine’s New A290 Rallye Throws Mud And Sparks At $70K

The build carries the full name ‘Beware of the Crocodile – Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye’, and it takes its color cue from the bright red of the crocodile’s tongue on the Lacoste badge. The exterior is mostly white with red turning up only in flashes, while the cabin goes the opposite direction and drowns itself in red almost wall to wall.

Key changes include flared wheel arches, a revised front bumper with red accents on the covered headlights and DRLs, and plenty of forged carbon fiber. The hot hatch also rides on a set of classic aero-disc-inspired rally wheels finished in white. As with the standard A290 Rallye, a roof scoop makes the cut too.

The rear is the most striking area. The rear window is gone, and in its place sits a large red crocodile head that appears partly submerged in red water, which is in fact just the car’s red-painted ducktail spoiler.

A Cabin To Match

Alpine and Lacoste have then transformed the EV’s cabin. Hundreds of little crocodiles are spread across the dashboard while Lacoste’s petit piqué red fabric adorns the racing seats and door panels. Intricate embroidery has been completed by the same firm that produces the embroidered crocodiles on Lacoste’s polo shirts, and 3D printing has also been used to shed unnecessary weight from the seats.

Not only have the firms collaborated on this special A290, but Lacoste ambassador Pierre Niney and Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly are also the stars of a short commercial released to promote the partnership. In addition, the French firms are launching a collection of polo shirts, T-shirts, accessories, and other pieces.

Peugeot is honoring the 100th anniversary of its first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1926 with a series of special editions across its entire car and SUV lineup.

The Peugeot 24 Hours Le Mans edition will be available for the 208 hatchback, the 308 hatchback and estate, the 408 fastback, as well as on the 3008 and 5008 SUVs. In other words, only the Rifter and Traveller vans escape the special treatment.

More: Peugeot’s First Electric GTi Does 62 MPH In 5.5 Seconds For Under €43,000

The special editions will be based on the high-spec GT trim of the respective models. The full lineup appeared on an official teaser one year before their commercial launch, which is scheduled for the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Peugeot promises “unique” styling touches and a combination of “elegant black” with the signature blue hue of the illustrious race. Still, we can’t spot any differences with the GT variants of the existing models in the dark teaser.

Peugeot

Phil York, head of Peugeot Marketing and Communications, spoke to Auto Express about the upcoming specials. He said that the Le Mans edition is a “different package” compared to the GTi, but claims it will bring “some real value to the customer”.

More: Peugeot’s Next Flagships Are Being Designed For China Whether Europe Likes It Or Not

While the official announcement focuses on the styling aspect of the special editions, the official said, “We won’t make it design only, it has to be the full package. We want technology!”

The equipment and powertrain lineup of the upcoming models will be announced on a later date. However, chances are they will be based on the plug-in hybrid or electric variants of each model, which usually have the highest output.

What Happened At Le Mans This Year?

The announcement lands right on the heels of the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Toyota Racing returned to the top step of the podium with a stellar 1-3 finish, with BMW M in second place and Cadillac taking fourth. It was a weekend of high drama that saw the end of Ferrari’s three-year winning streak, with the sole surviving 499P Hypercar crossing the line in fifth, just ahead of the Alpine A424. Meanwhile, the updated Peugeot 9X8 hybrid hypercars secured the 11th and 12th positions.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Stellantis keeps getting deeper into China’s automotive world, first with Leapmotor, and now with Dongfeng. Not content with building bargain-priced Leapmotors in Spain, Stellantis announced plans today for a new joint venture with long-time Chinese partner Dongfeng that could see premium Voyah-brand cars built in France for European buyers.

The proposed deal would create a Stellantis-led company split 51-49 between the two manufacturers. Its responsibilities would stretch beyond simply importing cars. The new business would oversee manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, sales and distribution activities tied to Dongfeng’s new-energy vehicles across selected European markets.

Related: Jeep’s Next EV Could Be Made In China Instead Of Ohio After Stellantis Deal

Though Stellantis hasn’t confirmed where production would take place, Autonews says Dongfeng would set up shop at the Rennes plant in Brittany, in western France. Once capable of pumping out more than 400,000 vehicles annually, the site’s output has slowed dramatically over recent years. Today it mainly builds the Citroen C5 Aircross, leaving plenty of unused capacity waiting for fresh products.

That’s where Voyah enters the picture. Dongfeng’s upscale EV brand sold relatively small numbers in Europe last quarter, but local production could completely change its prospects. Building vehicles inside Europe would help sidestep tariffs aimed at Chinese-made EVs while also satisfying increasingly important Made-in-Europe expectations.

Courage Enters Brave New World

One model being suggested as a likely production candidate is the Voyah Courage SUV (seen below). The dual-motor, 429 hp (435 PS / 320 kW) EV has a 4.9-second 0-62 mph (100 kmh) time, a claimed 292-mile (470 km) WLTP range and Chinese-made versions are already on sale in Europe.

The move also adds another twist to Stellantis’ growing dependence on Chinese EV know-how. Just last week, the company confirmed future Jeep and Peugeot electrified models will be built in Wuhan beginning in 2027 for China and export markets. That means future Jeeps sold abroad could owe plenty to China’s rapidly evolving EV ecosystem.

From M-Hero To Jeep

Jeep’s image has always played heavily on its rugged Americana and military-flavored heritage. But under Stellantis, the brand’s electric future – at least outside of the US – is tapping into Chinese technology, manufacturing and supply chains. Last year we reported on rumors that the Dongfeng M-Hero M817 SUV (seen below) could be transformed into a Jeep.

Peugeot last month showed the Concept 6 and Concept 8 sedan and SUV that previewed a sharp-looking pair of future models that will also be built in China by Dongfeng, both for domestic consumption and export to global markets.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa framed the latest deal as a natural evolution of the companies’ decades-long partnership. “With this new chapter in our collaboration, we will give our customers an even greater choice of competitive products and pricing,” he said, adding the alliance combines Stellantis’ global footprint with Dongfeng’s advanced EV expertise.