The GTA name, used to denote the entire range of this generation, stands for 'Grand Tourisme Alpine' but in most markets the car was marketed as the Renault Alpine V6 GT or as the Renault Alpine V6 Turbo. Due to its bigger tires and need for more cooling intakes, the Turbo's drag coefficient was a bit higher: 0.30 C x. It was one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time, the naturally aspirated version achieved a record 0.28 drag coefficient in its class. Passenger room increased, making the rear seat more of a useful proposition, while equipment was much more complete and now included items such as power locks.
Like its predecessor, it used the V6 PRV engine in a rear-engined layout, with extensive use of Polyester plastics and fibreglass for the body panels making it lighter and quicker than rivals such as the Porsche 944.
Longer, wider, and taller, it effectively updated the design of its predecessor, the Alpine A310, updating that car's silhouette with modern design features like body-integrated bumpers and a triangular C-pillar with large rear windshield. It was the first car launched by Alpine under Renault ownership (though Alpine had been affiliated with Renault for many years, with its earlier models using many Renault parts).
