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Renault Alliance

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Renault Alliance
Renault Encore
1985 Renault Alliance convertible 1985 Renault Alliance convertible
Overview
ManufacturerAmerican Motors Corporation (AMC)
Production1983–1987
AssemblyKenosha, Wisconsin, USA
DesignerRobert Opron
Body and chassis
ClassSubcompact
Body style
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 manufactured and marketed in North America by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) with 623,573 examples manufactured for model years 1983-1987.

A three and five-door hatchback variant, the Renault Encore, was added in 1984.

The two models derived from AMC's partnership since 1979 with Renault that held controlling stake in the smallest U.S. automaker. The Alliance and Encore were essentially the Renault 9 & 11 slightly re-engineered for North American manufacture. They featured exterior styling by Robert Opron and interior styling by AMC's Richard Teague.

History

1987 Renault Alliance coupe
1984 Alliance limousine stretch

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 profitable line of government vehicles; Jeeps; and passenger cars.[2] However, when sales dropped suddenly in 1979 and all of the U.S. automakers saw sales plummet, AMC faltered.

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 called "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 executives came in to run things alongside AMC officials, and the former Nash Motors factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin was retooled to produce an Americanized version of the European Renault 9 subcompact under the Alliance nameplate.[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.[4] 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]

Reception

The Renault 9 had been voted the 1982 European Car of the Year, becoming France's most popular car and Renault's best selling model ever.[5]

The Alliance was listed as number one on Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 1983,[6] with the magazine saying it "represents a blending of compact dimensions, surprising creature comfort, excellent fuel economy, good looks and very pleasing over-the-road behavior."[7]

With a U.S. content of 72%, the Alliance qualified as a domestic vehicle, making it the first car (1983) with a foreign nameplate to win Motor Trend Car of the Year. Motor Trend subsequently dropped the distinction between domestic and imported vehicles for the award.

A 1983 Popular Mechanics survey of 1,000 owners said "60% of our respondants rated the Alliance's workmanship excellent. That's a high figure for any car and considerably above the norm for U.S. built cars."[8] The magazine's editor-in-chief, John Linkletter, addressed the findings that "the old canard about shoddy American craftsmanship suffers" and that "an American manufacturer and a foreign manufacturer can, in a combined effort, produce a very good car."[9]

In 1983, Popular Science said "Renault will find its reputation dramatically brightened when word of the AMC Alliance gets around,"[10] adding: "The new Alliance is a miracle for AMC. Not only does it show a general excellence in construction and appointments, it's also a state of the art front-wheel-drive that AMC could not have produced on its own. Combine those three elements and you have tough competition for the Escort, Chevette and Horizon and the imports, and a product that comes close to being the best in its class."[10]

A 1983 report in the New York Times said "The Alliance's appeal has brought AMC's United States car sales 117.6 percent ahead of 1982 levels."[11]

By 1986, a Popular Science comparison to new Asian-built competing cars, the Renault Alliance was the oldest design, and "felt the most refined."[12] The road test noted the Renault did well in the tests with "trunk and doors closed with an almost Mercedes-like clunk" and "the car's excellent handling" allowing to remain poised trough potholes and "stable when passed by large tractor-trailer trucks."[12] The Alliance performed better than the new Hyundai Excel and that Renault "dealers would be willing to negotiate on the final price."[12]

In 1987, Popular Mechanics reported on the Alliance convertible in sports trim, saying "the GTA package is really excellent, tranforming the bland Alliance econobox into a veritable Pocket Rocket."[1]

In 1987, the New York Times reported that "despite the favorable early response to products like the Alliance and the Encore, the models failed to generate enough sales to prevent AMC's share of the car market from declining to about 1 percent."[13]

Production

1987 Renault Alliance L convertible
1987 GTA convertible

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 Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly plant.[14] Although it was branded as a Renault, the car bore AMC's logo on rear window decals.

The Alliance provided 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.[15] 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.[5]

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.[5]

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]

By 1985, the U.S. automobile market was starting to move away from the subcompact Alliance and Encore as the gasoline crisis ended and consumers were looking at larger cars.[16] American Motors had stopped production of the Concord and Spirit in 1983. The Eagle Medallion, a larger model than the Alliance from Renault (to replace the Renault 18) was not going to be ready until 1987.

In addition to the sedan, the Alliance was offered as a convertible (Kenosha's first droptops since the 1968 Rebels) between 1985 and 1987. That buyers were asking at AMC dealerships for an Alliance-based wagon was lost on Renault, who pointed them toward the larger Renault 18 Sportwagon (whose image was by now substantially tarnished).[16]

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.

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.[17] 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.[14] 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.[5] 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.[17]

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.[18] 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

Renault Alliance build quality became branded as suspect making this "particularly embarrassing for AMC who had... in the 1970s, instituted – and received praise for – an innovative quality improvement program."[16]

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.[citation needed]

In 1992, a recall was issued for almost 540,000 affected vehicles because the end cap connecting the heat exchanger's core to the engine cooling system could rupture and allow hot coolant to escape into the passenger compartment.[19]

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.[20]

In 2009, Car and Driver effectively recanted naming the Alliance to their 1983 Ten Best list, stating "the Alliance proved that Wisconsin workers could assemble a Renault with the same indifference to quality that was a hallmark of the French automotive industry." [7][21]

Legacy

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.[22] 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 "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 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. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b c d Vance, Bill (12 October 2007). "Motoring Memories: AMC-Renault Alliance, 1983-1987". Canadian Driver. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  6. ^ "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)
  7. ^ a b Peele, Robert (4 March 2010). "Franco-American With an Aftertaste". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Lamm, Michael (1983). "PM Owners Report, AMC Renault Alliance". Popular Mechanics: 74–168. Retrieved 6 August 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  9. ^ Linkletter, John A. (1983). "Editor's Notes". Popular Mechanics: 5. Retrieved 6 August 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ a b Dunne, Jim (1983). "Popular Sciece 4000 mile test, Renault Alliance". Popular Science. 222 (1): 46. Retrieved 6 August 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ "Renault Model". The New York Times. 19 July 1983. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  12. ^ a b c Wilkinson, Tom; Keebler, Jack (1986). "Korea's Hyundai Takes on the World". Popular Science. 229 (1): 22–28. Retrieved 6 August 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  13. ^ Feder, Barnaby J. (10 March 1987). "A.M.C.'s Long, Hard Struggle". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  14. ^ a b "Alliance Road Test". Car and Driver (3). 1982. {{cite journal}}: Text "volume 28" ignored (help)
  15. ^ Quella, Chad. "The Spirit Is Still Alive: American Motors Corporation 1954-1987". Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: |chapter= ignored (help)
  16. ^ a b c "The Chrysler-AMC-Renault story" (PDF). automobear com. 1 September 2003. p. 6. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  17. ^ a b "Renault Alliance Parts". Parts Train. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  18. ^ Automobile club d'Italia (1983). World cars. Herald Books. p. 72.
  19. ^ "Renault Alliance Recalls". automallusa net. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  20. ^ "Car Talk Survey Results: Renault Alliance". undated. Retrieved 6 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "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)
  22. ^ 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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