One of the great forgotten hot econo-cars of the late 1980s is the Renault Alliance GTA. Only built for 1 year as AMC Renault’s sales were suffering from a steep decline, it’s often overshadowed by the VW Golf GTI, Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S and Honda Civic Si in North America, and the Peugeot 205 GTi elsewhere. While the Alliance was down 15hp versus its German competitor, it still performed quite respectably and had a very well-tuned chassis that could pull .89G in the corners, better than most cars of its time. With Ronal alloys, body color grill, sill skirts and mirrors, and lowered suspension, this car epitomizes 1980s performance just as much as the GTI. You can find the white 1987 Renault Alliance GTA convertible for C$3900 in Montreal, QC.
For what was originally a cheap performance car, this has survived in amazing condition. Although the clear coat is apparently suffering from damage, the body is otherwise in good shape with no rust, which is surprising for a Montreal car. It’s interesting how the removal of the roof and some cosmetic modifications can transform a car from rather frumpy to aggressive.
The sport seats appear to be in good condition, with no visible damage to the original fabric on the seat bolsters. The interior is very angular, but the dash is free of cracks and the carpeting and original-pattern seat upholstery look great. Sharp eyes will notice the trim around the seat-back release lever is missing.
Je me souviens on the Quebec plate! The power top looks to be intact (and is said to work well) and the mud flaps make the car look more aggressive. That large chrome exhaust pipe should provide a throaty exhaust note, but is not so large as to draw Honda Civic comparisons. Remember when CHMSL (third brake lights) were new, and manufacturers were still figuring out where to integrate them? Would it have been too hard to integrate it into the spoiler?
Wait, where’s the engine? Hoses, hoses everywhere – at least much work has been done in here, including replacement timing belt, hoses, CV joints, distributor and plug wires, clutch, as well as rear shocks and brakes. The exhaust and cat have also been replaced recently – was this car the same for all 50 states and Canada?
Of course, for some of you, an all-white convertible will make you think of the cheerleader-white VW Cabriolet. So here we have its evil opposite, a black 1987 Renault Alliance GTA convertible, available for $2750 in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. This car, rust-free at 57,000 miles, is said to run and drive perfectly. It has brand-new tires, brakes, and wheel bearings. The convertible top is also brand-new, which begs the question of what happened to the old top on such a low-mileage car.
As with any older car, there are some issues – the passenger door needs a new window regulator and appears to be stuck open, the body has a few dings, and the hood and trunk surfaces are oxidized. Overall though, this car looks in good shape – ask for more pictures, have an inspection done, and get ready for some 1980s French top-down motoring!
Rusty But Trusty 
July 2, 2016 at 11:49 pm |
Are they still 4 sale
Sont elles encore à vendre ?