Alpine · 1984–1991

Alpine GTA

The Renault Alpine GTA and the succeeding A610 is a sports coupé automobile produced by the Renault-owned French manufacturer Alpine between late 1984 and 1995. The GTA name was an internal code name (although it was used as a model name in the British market); in Europe it was sold as the Alpine V6 GT or V6 Turbo. It replaced the slow-selling Alpine A310, with which it shared many features, including the layout and engine. The GTA was replaced by the A610 in 1991.

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Predecessor: Alpine A310 · Successor: Renault Alpine GTA/A610

All Alpine GTA data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Alpine GTA

The Grand Tourisme Alpine (or GTA) is a sports car produced by the French manufacturer Alpine, launched in 1985. It is the successor to the Alpine A310, and the first Alpine produced 100% by Renault. It was the first car launched by Alpine under Renault ownership (though Alpine had been affiliated with Renault for many years, with its earlier models using many Renault parts). Longer, wider, and taller, it effectively updated the design of its predecessor, the Alpine A310, updating that car's silhouette with modern design features like body-integrated bumpers and a triangular C-pillar with the large rear windshield. Like its predecessor, it used the V6 PRV engine in a rear-engined layout, with extensive use of Polyester plastics and fibreglass for the body panels making it lighter and quicker than rivals such as the Porsche 944. Passenger room increased, making the rear seat more useful, while equipment was much more complete and now included items such as power locks. It was one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time, and the naturally aspirated version achieved a record 0.28 drag coefficient in its class. Due to its bigger tires and need for more cooling intakes, the Turbo's drag coefficient was a bit higher: 0.30 C x {\displaystyle \scriptstyle C_{\mathrm {x} }\,} . The GTA name, used to denote the entire range of this generation, stands for "Grand Tourisme Alpine," but in most markets, the car was marketed as the Renault Alpine V6 GT or as the Renault Alpine V6 Turbo. In Great Britain, it was sold simply as the Renault GTA, as Sunbeam (and then Chrysler/Talbot) had been using the "Alpine" badge since the 1950s. Rather than being molded in a single piece as for the preceding A310, the new Alpine's body was molded in a large number

Limited editions

=== Le Mans === The Le Mans was released in February 1990, with a plan of building 300 units. 325 were built until February 1991. It used the catalyzed V6 Turbo engine, with power dropping from 200 to 185 PS. It was equipped with a body kit derived from the one proposed by a German tuner. The fenders were widened, and the front turn signals migrated from the fender tips to the bumper. The fenders and front mask were formed in one piece and rocker panels were added. It has specific ACT wheels "BBS style" with a false central nut. Only three colours were offered: Alpine Blue (No. 488), Imperial Red (No. 570) and Beetle Green (No. 592). This body kit led directly to the style of its successor, the A610. In 1990, Alpine had been obliged by French regulations to clean up its engines. Contrary to the Renault 25 V6 Turbo which saw its power going from 182 to 205 hp, the V6 Turbo of the GTA dropped from 200 to 185 PS because of the various adaptations required to fit it at the rear of the car, in particular for the inclusion of the gearbox. With a totally different engine environment, the engineers could not optimize the GTA's pollution control at a reasonable cost without reducing power. The sales volumes of the Alpine did not allow such investments. Apart from the top speed, which dropped from 250 to 240 km/h (160 to 150 mph), the decrease in performance was considered to be hardly noticeable. With the help of the Danielson SA company, Alpine developed through their after-sales & service dealers a simple and inexpensive engine modification intended to calm discontented Alpine buyers. The engine management was optimized and the power increased from 185 to 210 PS. The competition group registration was modified accordingly. The Danielson "Le Mans" has almost the same performa

Alpine A610

The successor to the Alpine GTA, the Alpine A610 was produced by the Renault-owned French manufacturer Alpine from 1991 to 1995. Due to a limited budget at the beginning of the project, its appearance does not differ much from the GTA, and it looks quite similar to the USA GTA with its pop-up headlights. Nonetheless, it is a completely different car, sharing only the windows with the GTA. The basic concepts of all Alpine cars are there (e.g. the rear engine, and the steel backbone chassis that all Alpines since the A110 have had). The car was solely branded as an Alpine, as linking Alpine and Renault together (first as Alpine-Renault then Renault-Alpine) seemed to detract from the Alpine brand's sporty image. The PRV engine remained, but it was enlarged to 3.0 litres (2,975 cc), which enabled it to produce 184 kW; 247 bhp (250 PS) at 5,750 rpm and 350 N⋅m (258 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 2,900 rpm. As with all PRV engines, the 610's engine was downsized to 2,963 cc (3.0 L; 180.8 cu in) in March 1993 to better fit the Swiss taxation system. The A610 Albertville 92 was presented in 1991 for the Olympic Games. Two examples, and other Renault cars, were used to drive VIPs, before being sold. They had a specific color (Gardenia White) and interior, but used the standard engine and technical specifications. The A610 Magny-Cours was created for the Williams-Renault Formula One victory in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours in July 1991. 31 cars were built, with specific color and interior. They carry a "Magny-Cours" legend on the doors and have body-colored rims. The A610 did not result in an improvement in sales over the commercially disappointing GTA and the car was discontinued in 1995, despite acclaim from the motoring press, and approval from the British car show Top Gear. The

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