I don't like to drive ordinary cars. It's hella cliche, but life IS too short to drive boring cars. So you won't see me in a Civic any time soon.
After my Talon got kablooied at a red light, I searched for a replacement. Diamond-encrusted-24K-gold-bar-shitting-unicorns are easier to find than unmolested AWD Talons - so I searched for alternatives.
One of the more exciting cars I found was this 1991 Renault Alpine GTA.
What's so great about this Alpine? Being rear-engined ups the cool factor immediately, but there's something better. It is powered by a PRV V-6. Yes, another car I could call cousin to my DeLorean. But wait there's more!
This is no ordinary PRV V-6. This sucker's TURBO-CHARGED! It's the Talon and the DeLorean all smooshed into one! Imagine the raspy rattle of the unusual 90 degree odd-fire V-6 combined with that sweet, high-pitched turbo surge! AMAZE to the aural delight!
What I don't like is the bar-fight interior. Ok, it's not that bad, but it's not great. Even in showroom condition it just doesn't have the 90s style of the Talon. And while I like that it's rear wheel drive, in my heart of hearts I know I can't live without my all-wheel-drive. Summer would be love, but every winter I'd feel like the summer fling has ended. Like a part of me was missing.
As with the Citroen XM, I couldn't afford the asking price. $17,900 is high, at least for me. But someone is going to get one heck of a cool 200-hp car.
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Martini: True. But I hope you can find a balance between a very unique automobile and reliable service. What that might be, I don't know. But I wish you well on this journey!
ReplyDeleteStay tuned and you will find out Michael!
ReplyDeleteI have an Alpine stereo in my DeLorean. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteBahaha. Only if you change the fade to rear speakers only.
ReplyDeleteI was always suspicious as to why these cars were so relatively rare. Why was that? Was there something fundamentally wrong with them?
ReplyDeleteRenaults were never very popular in Canada and I don't know why. When their engines couldn't meet Canada's emissions standards, dealerships closed. People want things that are easy - and with no dealerships, getting parts and repairs done were too worrisome for most people.
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