A forgotten Renault worth remembering? Ou un citron totale?
Following last week's 21 Turbo, we couldn't help but notice this GTA Turbo freshly added to our classifieds. On the one hand, they were an arse-engined, plastic, not-that-fast French wannabe-supercar from the Eighties with the instrument binnacle from a Renault 5. On the other hand they were an exclusive, attractive, refined French wannabe-supercar from the Eighties with the instrument binnacle from a Renault 5 which - say it quietly - was by all accounts more than a match for a Porsche 911 in terms of driving experience.
Whatever your opinion, commercially it was... well, if you wanted to be kind you'd call it an 'expectations shortfall', and if you didn't you'd call it a flat-out disaster.
Despite a rapturous reception by the motoring press at the time, they just didn't sell. Maybe it was the use of the diminutive R5 fascia, or maybe it was that feeling of 'well this is huge fun, but I get the feeling something's going to go wrong with it soon' which accompanied so many fast French cars from the Eighties...
Today of course there aren't so many about, which makes this one all the more special. The vendor sold GTAs when they were new, and when he saw this one he said that it was 'too good to say no to'. Apparently this one really is 'like new'. It sat in a museum for the first five years of its life, and since then has had just one lady owner.
Price-wise, fifteen grand is top money for a GTA-Turbo. You might even get an A610 for that much - or would you prefer the peace of mind of 911 ownership?
i wanted to beat the crap out of Mr J Clarkson for destroying one of these cars in his idiotic DVD's.. pratt
I think these are great cars, love the engine layout and the looks, the older version with pumped up arches and sierra style headlights looks even better!
Fantastic cars..... remember my father was going to purchase one new, back in the 80's and going to the showroom as a teenager and being all boggled eyed at one. Just for you guys at PH HQ, my father ended up with a Renault 21 Turbo new..... mums choice!!!.... cant believe my father gave into my mum.....lol
I looked into getting a GTA V6 turbo many years ago(pre internet) and found the chap I spoke to in the owners club (his number was in a classic car mag) a complete c0ck who was unwilling to help or provide any information. David Preece of the quattro owners club was very helpful, so I bought one of them instead. Always had a soft spot for the GTA though...
