Alpine and Lacoste Put 3D Printed Lattice Seats in the A290 Rallye

A crocodile meets a rally car

Alpine and Lacoste have revealed a one-off A290 Rallye called Beware of the Crocodile. Inside the cabin, the rally seats include parts made with 3D printing by the French specialist ERPRO. It is the second time this year the two French names have worked together on additive manufacturing.

Lacoste's contribution is a red-dominated interior that nods to the crocodile logo's tongue, with petit piqué fabric on the seats and door panels. The 3D printing sits underneath the styling, doing structural work rather than just decoration.

Lattice structures do the heavy lifting

ERPRO built lattice-type geometries into the seat components. A lattice is a network of interconnected struts that spreads load while shedding material. The result is lighter parts that still carry the comfort and structural demands of a competition seat, a balance that molded foam or machined parts handle less elegantly.

Weight matters in rallying. Every kilogram changes acceleration, handling, and the energy draw of an electric powertrain. Alpine treats the printed seat parts as part of a broader effort to cut mass across the build, not a one-off styling flourish.

The second ERPRO collaboration in a year

This is not Alpine's first run with ERPRO. In March 2025 the pair worked on the A390 beta show car, where ERPRO printed headrests from a bio-based elastomer engineered to be light, breathable, and shock-absorbing. That project also pulled in Lavoisier Composites for carbon and photovoltaic floor panels.

The repeat partnership suggests Alpine now views 3D printing as a standing option for low-volume, functional interior parts on concept and limited-run cars. Antony Villain, Alpine's VP of design, described the work as combining competition technicality, design lightness, and timeless style.

What it means for makers

You will not print a rally seat at home this weekend, but the lesson travels. Lattice structures are one of the few things 3D printing does that older manufacturing simply cannot match at this scale. The same software that shapes ERPRO's seat struts is available to any hobbyist with a printer and a weekend.