by Stephen Rivers
- A US-spec 1988 Renault Alpine GTA Turbo surfaced in Oklahoma.
- The car has just 24k miles and is believed to be one of 12 built.
- Renault cancelled its US launch, making survivors super rare.
When you picture rare French sports cars, your mind probably jumps to Bugatti. That makes sense, as only 450 Veyrons and around 600 Chirons were built, and they’ve become something of a modern legend. What folks don’t realize, though, is that Renault’s Alpine division once made something even rarer.
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That sports car was the rear-engined Alpine GTA Turbo, a distinctly French spin on the classic Porsche 911 formula, built in limited numbers from 1984 to 1991. For the U.S. market, Renault went to the trouble of producing just a dozen of the 2+2 seaters, each carrying a hefty price tag due to the cost of bringing the car into compliance with federal regulations.
$30 Million for A Dozen Cars
As Hemmings noted, Automobile Magazine reported in 1987 that bringing the Alpine GTA Turbo up to American standards cost Renault the equivalent of $30 million. That worked out to roughly $2.5 million per car.
To meet American safety and emissions standards, each car received a series of mandated updates that, while necessary, slightly dulled the performance. Emissions equipment alone shaved off 20 horsepower and 10 pound-feet of torque. U.S. crash standards meant adding five-mph bumpers and pop-up headlights. Other updates included ABS, enhanced cooling systems, and air conditioning.
All of this added some extra weight, which might seem like a drawback. But in the case of the Alpine, it actually improved the weight distribution from 36/64 to 38/62. As Automobile Magazine concluded back then, “The Alpine is more manageable and confidence-inspiring than any 911.”
In the same year these U.S.-spec Alpines were finalized, Chrysler acquired Renault’s American partner. With that, the business case for selling a rare and costly French sports car evaporated, particularly since Chrysler already had its own luxury import in the works, the TC by Maserati.
One of Twelve, Still Intact
All of the cash that Renault had poured into legalizing the GTA Turbo for American roads went out the window. Only 12 cars were ever built, and what we have here is one of them. New owner Robert Jackson recently shared his story on Facebook of acquiring what might as well be a unicorn in the automotive world.
The car in question is from 1988 and shows just 24,000 miles on the odometer. According to Jackson, the car’s condition is exactly what you’d hope for from a low-mile survivor, especially one that’s so obscure.
Under the rear deck sits a V6 engine shared with the DeLorean DMC-12, although this version comes with the necessary components for turbocharging. It sends power to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual.
In this setup, the turbocharged V6 produced 200 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0–60 time in about 6.5 seconds and a top speed of over 150 mph. Those figures still hold up reasonably well today, landing it in the same performance ballpark as a modern Toyota GR86.
Surprisingly, Jackson says that it “reminds [him] of a super refined version of the old Dodge Daytona, but rear wheel drive and more power.” The shape is certainly similar. Having driven one of these cars myself, I can say that they’re surprisingly playful but not particularly fast or sharp. The chassis isn’t really designed for hard corners, and the drivetrain is more adept at high-speed cruising than it is at stoplight drag races.
That said, it’s great to see one of the U.S. spec cars, known by their pop-up headlights, finally get the attention it deserves on American soil. Maybe Alpine can make a much more successful venture into the U.S. market in the near future.
