Renault Alpine GTA at 40

Renault Alpine GTA at 40
Sneaking its big anniversary into the end of 2024, the Renault Alpine GTA started production at the end of 1984, and was the first model to come from the Alpine name officially under Renault ownership.

As distinctively Eighties as its predecessor – the Alpine A310 – was Seventies, Renault’s grand tourer had all the attributes to challenge the best sports cars around, but never really took off. It’s a shame really, because it had plenty going for it at the time; and still now when considered a classic.

Supercar styling, supermini practicality

Well, when we say ‘supermini’ practicality, the overall proportions are certainly not perfectly suited to nipping around town. But the GTA was no impractical supercar. It had oceans of glass, creating a comparatively light interior, and there was seating for four.

Don’t let the sloping hatchback rear fool you though. The Alpine GTA is a rear-engined machine, so that boot space is actually a boot shelf, with a Renault developed V6 sitting at the back – it all makes comparisons to period Porsche 911s remarkable easy.

But despite having performance to match a Porsche 944 Turbo, the GTA was rated by contemporary journalists as being more accessible. The handling was more stable than the 911 towards the limit, aided by improved weight distribution.

This last point was helped in part by the use of fibre-glass panels for much of the bodywork, also ensuring that much of the GTA that you can see doesn’t rust. The underside however can be a different story, so if reading this and thinking about buying one, just take care and get it thoroughly inspected.

Punchy performance

Renault fitted two different engines to the GTA – a 2.9-litre naturally aspirated 90-degree V6 producing 160hp and 166 lb ft of torque, while a 2.5-litre turbocharged V6 was also available with 200hp and 214 lb ft of torque. The latter brought the 0-60mph time to 6.3 seconds, so serious performance was available for those who bought one.

And thanks to a lighter clutch, un-assisted but fairly light steering, and softer set suspension, the GTA provided considerable competition to the likes of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz in the grand tourer market.

Unfortunately, the Alpine name was not quite as prominent as perhaps it should have been. Renault’s acquisition of Alpine earlier in 1984 meant that what had always been a close relationship became official. And although Alpine had racing heritage to rival anyone, badge snobbery undoubtedly played a part in the GTA’s sales.

Now though, it’s a desirable and distinctive sports car, with clean lines, a practical interior, and the sort of analogue driving experience that is almost impossible to find in anything built this millennium. Of course, caveat emptor, but the Renault Alpine GTA is a good example of a car that’s still likely to go up in value if kept in good condition.