Renault Alpine GTA - Last of the True Bargains?

[ChrisPackit]

So Ive been perusing the classifieds thinking of the next classic in the making, and recently been thinking about the Renault Alpine GTA.

I believe they're one of the last true bargains out there at the minute. What's not to love about these cars, handmade chassis and coachwork, rear mounted V6 Turbo (and N/A), rear wheel drive, manual box, 200+ hp. Just take a look at other rear engined, homologated Renaults... Clio V6, R5 Turbo 2 etc, and for £10 grand, you can get you a reasonable example. With the new Alpine coming out this year, I can only see the older Alpines demanding more attention and thus more money.

I guess one could argue the looks are a little Marmite, but I personally love them and the Internet suggests theres only c. 180 left in the UK.

Tell me I'm wrong?! :-)

Cheers

[Hurricane52]

I've had mine for 25 years and the radio is still rubbish. Still not sure how to set up the graphic equaliser.

[sunbeam alpine]

I'm currently helping a mate to restore one. Parts, especially the interior, are a real problem.

[Mercky]

ChrisPackit said:

So Ive been perusing the classifieds thinking of the next classic in the making, and recently been thinking about the Renault Alpine GTA.

I believe they're one of the last true bargains out there at the minute. What's not to love about these cars, handmade chassis and coachwork, rear mounted V6 Turbo (and N/A), rear wheel drive, manual box, 200+ hp. Just take a look at other rear engined, homologated Renaults... Clio V6, R5 Turbo 2 etc, and for £10 grand, you can get you a reasonable example. With the new Alpine coming out this year, I can only see the older Alpines demanding more attention and thus more money.

I guess one could argue the looks are a little Marmite, but I personally love them and the Internet suggests theres only c. 180 left in the UK.

Tell me I'm wrong?! :-)

Cheers

I don't like them. Haven't they got that nasty Volvo V6 they put in Deloreans?

[Ozzie Dave]

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps, Lotus was a major benifactor of Deloriens money for engineering. I must admit I also like the Alpine GTA, but that may be due to my liking of GRP cars, whether they are Lotus, Renault or Marcos

[-Pete-]

I had a PRV 2.7 V6 in a heavy Renault 30 about 30 years ago, I bought it with worn cams and had to do a top-end rebuild. It was quite noisy because of the chain drive but a good engine, downdraft carb and I modified the exhaust a little... so with a lightweight rear-mounted GRP setup and maybe a turbo, imagine it would be heaps of fun!

Edited by -Pete- on Thursday 11th May 23:49

[ChrisPackit]

Graphic Equaliser! So 80's but very cool!

I think there are a few Specialists around who break them so parts are available at a cost.

[Lotus 50]

Ozzie Dave said:

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps, Lotus was a major benifactor of Deloriens money for engineering. I must admit I also like the Alpine GTA, but that may be due to my liking of GRP cars, whether they are Lotus, Renault or Marcos

Pretty sure the DeLorian had a Renault V6 - the Lotus 2L engine was used in the Jensen Healey though...

[andburg]

Another would be the Mitsubishi Starion turbo, both retro cool and not too horrendously priced

The later A610 turbo and strangely the A310 are seemingly much more valuable than a GTA but then it is much better looking to me at least.

[ChrisPackit]

Exactly... The A610 and A310 are more money, which makes the GTA even more of a bargain. I guess the looks are subjective but the A610 has pop up lights which are pretty out of favour at the minute.

I believe nice examples of the GTA will hit the £20k mark before too long...

[sparkey]

I had a GTA turbo a couple of years ago and it was a great practical and fast classic. I did Le Mans in it in comfort with loads of room in the back seat as well as a decent "boot" in the front. It seemed quicker than the 911 of the same age (non-turbo 911) that I travelled down with and got a lot more interest because it looks dramatic and no-one knows what it is (apart from the French who love it). Handled well too.

The interior is very fragile hard plastic and is likely to creak and rattle a bit, and the electrics were a bit more complex than they needed to be at the time so don't expect everything electrical to work all the time.

Otherwise they're worth experiencing.. (I sold mine on ebay for slightly more than I paid for it, to a bloke in S.Africa of all places, who paid immediately and sent someone to collect it - strange world..)


S..

[Yertis]

Lotus 50 said:

Ozzie Dave said:

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps, Lotus was a major benifactor of Deloriens money for engineering. I must admit I also like the Alpine GTA, but that may be due to my liking of GRP cars, whether they are Lotus, Renault or Marcos

Pretty sure the DeLorian had a Renault V6 - the Lotus 2L engine was used in the Jensen Healey though...

And the Excel, which would be my contribution to this thread.

Seems like most GRP is worth peanuts. Anything which rusts away before your eyes and requires continuous bodywork appreciates. It can't be all rarity, because GTAs aren't exactly thick on the ground. Odd.

[texaxile]

andburg said:

Another would be the Mitsubishi Starion turbo, both retro cool and not too horrendously priced

The later A610 turbo and strangely the A310 are seemingly much more valuable than a GTA but then it is much better looking to me at least.

Starions are ok but they do tend to rust badly. Panels are getting hard to come by as well, especially for the early slim body ones (only a handful left).
My brother had a GTA V6 Turbo when he was a manager for Renault, it was pearl white, had awesome bucket seats and a space age dash. Build quality wasn't exceptional but for looks, noise, power and road presence it was brilliant.

Do it!!.

[Sebring440]

Ozzie Dave said:

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps,

That is the quote of the year so far for PH. It should be framed. If you want knowledge, visit the internet. It's all here.

[V8 FOU]

I had a GTA turbo. Briliant car. Ragged it down to Italy a couple of times. It used to lose boost once it got hot, especially on a track day - needs a proper intercooler.
Funnily enough, the main problem is rust! Rear suspension arms and the rear suspension mounts/floors. Almost impossible to repair.

[truck71]

Sebring440 said:

Ozzie Dave said:

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps,

That is the quote of the year so far for PH. It should be framed. If you want knowledge, visit the internet. It's all here.

Not entirely sure what a Delorien is either.

[jackpe]

Always like the fact these are different! Might be one for the list once I've sold one or two of my cars.. In the same way the gap Esprit was undervalued for years but now is on a real comeback.
Mind you I think the Esprit is a rung above this, they certainly look pretty special and handle and are comfortable. if you get a good one they are surprisingly reliable and usable as well. I mean just look at it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXGBSCE1PBI

[XOcette]

Go for it!

Surprisingly practical, sporty yet comfortable, even on long trips.

Mechanical bits are largely fairly easy to come by, but trim can be trickier - you probably want to brush up on your French! Simon Auto in Germany is really good for getting bits, and it is well worth joining one of the clubs. Unless you buy a lemon, you're not likely to lose, though maybe it would be a better investment wise to get a left hooker?

Travelling round France in my Alpine got us plenty of special (nice!) treatment, even from les flics.

I considered a GTA some time back, but settled on this instead:

[andburg]

That is beautiful

[thegreenhell]

truck71 said:

Sebring440 said:

Ozzie Dave said:

DeLoriens all had Lotus 907 2L lumps,

That is the quote of the year so far for PH. It should be framed. If you want knowledge, visit the internet. It's all here.

Not entirely sure what a Delorien is either.

It must be the little-known 2L 4 cylinder version of the DeLorean.