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Reverted 1 edit by 67.164.224.243; RV - opinion 25 years after the fact has no bearing on the design, production, or sales of this vehicle. Besides, their recanting now clouds all their selections.. ([[WP:TW|T
→Legacy: It's in other articles and it deserves mention. I suggest you go to the Wikipedai article at Encyclopedia Dramatica and learn to stop being a pedantic cunt.
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== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


While initial sales were promising, these concerns hurt sales. AMC's declining profit picture, combined with Renault's concerns with declining sales, hurt the Alliance's chances in the American market.
While initial sales were promising, these concerns hurt sales. AMC's declining profit picture, combined with Renault's concerns with declining sales, hurt the Alliance's chances in the American market. Ultimately, these concerns colored the legacy of the Renault Alliance, leading ''Car and Driver'' to criticize ''Motor Trend'' for naming it their 1983 "Car of the Year." <ref name=Embarrassing>{{cite web|url=http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/best_worst_lists/dishonorable_mention_the_10_most_embarrassing_award_winners_in_automotive_history_feature |title=Dishonorable Mention: The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History |publisher=''Car and Driver'' |date=January 2009 |accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref>


The Alliance afforded AMC the opportunity to field a new compact car without the expense of its design and tooling, still the alliance with Renault exacted a heavy price on AMC, which was required to shed its profitable [[AM General]] line of commercial and military vehicles because of U.S. Government regulations prohibiting foreign companies from owning domestic military suppliers.
The Alliance afforded AMC the opportunity to field a new compact car without the expense of its design and tooling, still the alliance with Renault exacted a heavy price on AMC, which was required to shed its profitable [[AM General]] line of commercial and military vehicles because of U.S. Government regulations prohibiting foreign companies from owning domestic military suppliers.

Revision as of 22:47, 19 July 2010

Renault Alliance
Renault Encore
1985 Renault Alliance convertible 1985 Renault Alliance convertible
Overview
ManufacturerAmerican Motors Corporation (AMC)
Production1983 – 1987
AssemblyKenosha, Wisconsin, USA
Body and chassis
ClassSubcompact
Body styleAlliance: 2-door sedan,
4-door sedan, and
2-door convertible
Encore: 3-door hatchback and
5-door hatchback
LayoutFront-engine, front-wheel drive
RelatedRenault 9 & 11
Powertrain
Engine1.4  L I4
1.7  L I4
2.0  L I4
Transmission3-speed automatic
4-speed manual
5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase97.8 in (2,484 mm)
Length163.8 in (4,161 mm)
Width65 in (1,651 mm)
Height53.1 in (1,349 mm)
Curb weight2,000 lb (910 kg) base 2-door
2,300 lb (1,000 kg) GTA conv.[1]
Chronology
PredecessorAMC Spirit
SuccessorEagle Summit

The Renault Alliance is a subcompact automobile that was built and marketed in North America by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) through its partnership with its majority owner Renault between 1982 and 1987, when the Chrysler Corporation acquired AMC.

The Alliance derived from the Renault 9 & 11, with its interior styled by AMC's Richard Teague. AMC marketed the Renault Encore hatchback beginning in 1984, shariing many of its components with the Alliance.

History

1987 Renault Alliance coupe
Alliance limousine stretch
1987 Renault Alliance L convertible
1987 GTA convertible

Relentless competition from the "Big Three," new safety regulations and two energy crises in 1973-74 and again in 1979, left American Motors in a weak position in the U.S. marketplace. The company had three product lines: a generally profitable line of government vehicles; Jeeps, which sold well and at high margins when consumers were not overly concerned about fuel efficiency; and passenger cars, which appealed mostly to price-sensitive buyers.[2] However, when the bottom dropped out of the market in 1979 and all of the U.S. automakers saw sales plummet, it was AMC which faltered first.

That year, AMC signed an agreement with Renault of France giving that company a share in AMC's ownership, in exchange for the rights to sell Renault cars in the U.S. Later, Renault acquired a controlling interest, and thus was born what some were quick to call "Franco-American Motors."[3] With the United States dollar then relatively weak against the French franc, manufacturing in the U.S. seemed the best way to grow especially since fuel prices were rising and the major U.S. carmakers had yet to bring out large numbers of small, fuel-efficient cars.[2] Renault's thrifty, front-wheel-drive models looked like sure winners in the U.S. market and the partnership with AMC gave Renault a ready-made manufacturing base and dealer network.[2]

The Renault 9 was voted the 1982 European Car of the Year and it quickly became France's most popular car and Renault's best selling model ever, so the car already had a well established track record.[4] Renault executives came in to run things alongside AMC officials, and the old Nash factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin was retooled to produce an Americanized version of the European Renault 9 subcompact, which was aptly renamed Alliance.[3] Market research found that consumers preferred the Renault name over AMC, but not strongly; thus the model was christened the Renault Alliance, with the AMC name relegated to a small sticker and to the tail end of the advertising materials.[5] The cars were aimed at the lowest price range in the U.S. market, the Alliance had a sticker price starting at US$5,995.[2]

Production

The Alliance was a 2- or 4-door sedan, launched in June 1982 as a 1983 model after a US$150 million overhaul of AMC's historic Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly plant.[6] Although it was branded as a Renault, the car bore AMC's logo on rear window decals.

The Alliance was listed as number one on Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 1983.[7] It was the 1983 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

The Alliance seemed just what the doctor ordered for AMC: modern front-drive sedans with a 163.8-inch (4,161 mm) overall length on a 97.8-inch (2,484 mm) wheelbase and a thrifty, transverse four-cylinder engine.[3] The Alliance had a long list of standard equipment and got 37 miles per US gallon (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg‑imp) in city driving.[8] Fuel economy on the highway with the 5-speed manual transmission approached 60 mpg‑US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg‑imp). It was a sensible car for a post-oil crisis period in which good fuel economy was highly prized.[4]

The Alliance was slightly smaller on the outside than the competing first generation Ford Escort (North America), but a somewhat bigger on the inside where it looked larger and more inviting. Interior space was good for four or occasionally five people, in part due to a cleverly engineered front seat — where the seat was mounted on a 9-inch (229 mm) wide central rail (rather than two side tracks) allowing for copious rear foot room on either side of the rail. In addition to the usual recline and fore-and-aft movements, the upscale DL models got a curved track that allowed the seat to be adjusted along the arc to find the most comfortable position for driver and passenger.[4]

The Alliance sold well with over 142,000 of the debut 1983 models. Bolstered by two- and four-door hatchback derivatives called Encore, sales zoomed to over 208,000 the following year.[3] However, the cars came out just in time to encounter a sag in the small-car market because as fuel prices fell, consumers began to drift away to larger automobiles, leaving the Renault-based models to scramble against low-priced Chevrolet Chevettes, Ford Escorts, and the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon twins, as well as a slew of Japanese imports.[2] This meant that total sales fell to 150,000 for 1985, then to 65,000 in 1986, and finally to only some 35,000 in 1987.[3]

In addition to the sedan, the Alliance was offered as a convertible (Kenosha's first droptops since the 1968 Rebels) between 1985 and 1987. In the 1987 model year, the Encore, the shortened Alliance-based hatchback, was renamed the Alliance hatchback.

For the final 1987 model year, a limited production, high performance version of the Alliance was marketed as the 'Renault GTA. It came in 2-door sedan or convertible form and had a 95 hp (71 kW) 2.0 L engine. Popular Mechanics magazine described the GTA package transforming the "bland Alliance econobox" into an "excellent ... veritable Pocket Rocket" and the convertible "an attractive and sporty-looking package."[1] The testers noted the GTA's excellent slalom and skidpad results, as well as it "feels much faster due to its raspy exhaust easy revving engine ... adding up to a pleasing driver's car."[1] The GTA was an entry in the expanding "souped-up" or "hot-car" market segment as the price of gasoline decreased, and the two top models served as last-ditch sales boosters for the economical Alliance line.[9]

The Alliance used Renault supplied OHV engine in 1.4 L and an OHC 1.7 L engine with Renix throttle-body fuel injection from the Renault Le Car. The proven four-cylinder was now dressed in the latest electronics boasting an electronically controlled fuel system, a digital ignition system, and a microprocessor to manage the optional three-speed automatic transmission.[10] California emissions standards required the use of port injection. Power went through either a four-or five-speed manual, or a three-speed automatic transaxle. The base engine produced 64 horsepower (48 kW) to get the 2,030-pound (921 kg) Alliance from 0 to 60 mph in a leisurely 14.3 seconds, and gave it an 89-mile (143 km) top speed.[6] Steering was rack and pinion. Suspension was fully independent via MacPherson struts in front, and a compact and quite ingenious system of transverse torsion bars and trailing arms at the rear.[4] At just under 2,000 pounds (910 kg) for the base model, the Alliance was the also the lightest car assembled in the U.S. in its time.[10]

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) spec-racing series "Renault LeCar Cup" was successful, and while relatively underpowered with its "fuel sipping" 1.4 L engine, the Alliance's "excellent" ride and handling compared to the other small cars sold in America at the time, was an advantage that contributed to establishing a , the "Alliance Cup" in 1983.[11] Modifications to the showroom stock cars were limited to fitting a roll cage, free flow exhaust, upgraded shock absorbers, as well as wider rims and tires.

Reliability

Mechanical problems and indifferent workmanship were as evident on the cars built in Kenosha, as on French-built Renaults.[3] The 1986 Consumer Reports "Annual Auto Issue" surveyed owners after five years of ownership. The 1983 Renault Alliance scored with low ratings in "engine", "clutch", "driveline", "engine cooling", "suspension", "exhaust system", "automatic transmission", and "manual transmission" categories. An open access poll (unscientific) by Car Talk with a total of 55 respondents, indicated low ratings, but many praised the fuel efficiency of their cars.[12]

Legacy

While initial sales were promising, these concerns hurt sales. AMC's declining profit picture, combined with Renault's concerns with declining sales, hurt the Alliance's chances in the American market. Ultimately, these concerns colored the legacy of the Renault Alliance, leading Car and Driver to criticize Motor Trend for naming it their 1983 "Car of the Year." [13]

The Alliance afforded AMC the opportunity to field a new compact car without the expense of its design and tooling, still the alliance with Renault exacted a heavy price on AMC, which was required to shed its profitable AM General line of commercial and military vehicles because of U.S. Government regulations prohibiting foreign companies from owning domestic military suppliers.

Alliance production at the Kenosha plant ended in June 1987, shortly after Chrysler's buyout of AMC was announced. The damaged reputation of the Alliance would also affect attempts to launch other Renault cars, including the brief appearance of the Renault Medallion, and Eagle Premier (the latter which would be the basis for the successful Chrysler LH platform-based automobiles).

The Alliance provided many donor parts (engine and suspension) for the Sports Renault race car, a single make series created by the Sports Car Club of America in 1984.[14] Designed by Roy Lunn, it was a low-cost purpose-built racer. The car was developed and manufactured by Renault/Jeep Sport USA in Livonia, Michigan, under direction of Vic Elford, with more than five-hundred were built. Most cars still exist, although the majority have been converted to use a Ford engine (thus now known as Spec Racer Fords), and run in the SCCA club racing program.

References

Inline
  1. ^ a b c "Ragtop Fever". Popular Mechanics. 164 (6): 71–76. 1987. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e Brown, Andrew (4 March 1985). "Potholes Ahead at American Motors". Fortune. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (7 June 2007). "AMC Pacer, AMC Alliance, Chrysler Buys AMC". howstuffworks com. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Vance, Bill. "Motoring Memories: AMC-Renault Alliance, 1983-1987". Canadian Driver. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Text "12 October 2007" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Alsop, Ronald; Abrams, Bill (1986). The Wall Street Journal on Marketing "Alliance: Overcoming AMC’s Dowdy Image". Dow Jones-Irwin. pp. 55–57. ISBN 9780870948961.
  6. ^ a b "Alliance Road Test". Car and Driver (3). 1982. {{cite journal}}: Text "volume 28" ignored (help)
  7. ^ "1983 10 Best Cars: AMC/Renault Alliance - An Alliance Builds an Alliance". Car and Driver. 28 (7). 1983. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. ^ Quella, Chad. "The Spirit Is Still Alive: American Motors Corporation 1954-1987". Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: |chapter= ignored (help)
  9. ^ Flammang, James M. (1994). Chronicle of the American Automobile: Over 100 Years of Auto History. Publications International. p. 558. ISBN 9780785307785.
  10. ^ a b TRenault Alliance Parts, Parts Train, undated, retrieved August 8, 2008.
  11. ^ Automobile club d'Italia (1983). World cars. Herald Books. p. 72.
  12. ^ "Car Talk Survey Results: Renault Alliance". undated. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Dishonorable Mention: The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History". Car and Driver. January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-26. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ Taylor, Rich, ed. (1990). "Racing 1990: cheap thrills". Popular Mechanics. 167 (1): 96–97. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
General
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