Rare Rides: 1987 Renault Alliance GTA, the Sporty Franco-American Hybrid

Today we bring you a very special, semi-complicated Rare Rides. It’s an unusual little sports coupe bearing a French diamond on the front, a Wisconsin-made sticker inside the door, and red GTA badging on the sills.

Come check out the Renault Alliance GTA.

Let’s step back in time for a moment. In 1985, while you were listening to Sting or A-ha, AMC was under majority ownership by Renault. As domestic offerings from AMC winded down in popularity, Renault found itself with excess production capacity in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Chrysler signed on to make use of the excess production capacity in a 1985 deal with AMC/Renault for the assembly of M-body vehicles.

So in ’87, while your cassette tape played Huey Lewis and the News, the all-American Chrysler Fifth Avenue and extra-French Renault Alliance were built in the same factory, by the same people. Of course, that wouldn’t be the only thing AMC and Chrysler shared, but we won’t get too far off the trail today. Onward, to Alliance.

On sale between 1983 and 1987, all Alliance models were assembled in Wisconsin. The Alliance offered three different body styles for the Francophile American — a sedan, coupe, and cabriolet was available. Specific to the sporting GTA variant, you could have either the coupe or the cabriolet.

Under the hood, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine was the only available power plant. Owners who opted for premium grade fuel could expect a full 90 horsepower. Zero to 60 came up in 10.2 seconds, which is slightly slower than a current Subaru Outback with a 2.5-liter and CVT. Computers are getting faster, and so are cars!

Just four colors were available for this sporty Alliance; white, red, silver, and black. The GTA variant received suspension upgrades, as well as better brakes, larger exhaust, spoiler, and special cladding surrounding the exterior. All GTA variants came with a manual transmission.

This Rare Ride is located in Oregon (as most have been lately), and is apparently owned by an individual who also has a sweet Astro RS. Well-traveled at 132,000 miles, the GTA’s eBay sale still has a few days left. The bid as of writing is $970, and it hasn’t met the reserve. Get to it.

[Images via seller]