(thus now known as Spec Racer Fords), and run in the SCCA club-racing program. Legacy The 1983 Motor Trend Car of the Year award for the Renault Alliance was an industry-wide recognition that contributed to increased sales, as well as to AMC's profits of about $15 million in 1984 (US$ in dollars). The Alliance afforded AMC the opportunity to field a new compact car without the expense of its design and tooling, still the business relationship with Renault exacted a heavy price on the U.S. company. The automaker 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. Automotive journalist Gary Witzenburg noted that the Alliance sedan's "excellent reputation and phenomenal first-year success" caused AMC to stop production of its larger and older Spirit and Concord with the introduction of the new hatchback versions under a different name. The initial positive reception and the "impressive" sales total of 200,000 Alliances by the end of 1984 was later hindered by the market offer of only two models while the competition was offering with a wider range of cars for the market segments. Renault failed to fully accommodate the European-origin cars to U.S. market demands. These included the Alliance's less powerful engine whose output was further limited by the more demanding U.S. emission requirements, as well as the popularity of air conditioning in the U.S. when it was seldom ordered by European customers. The exchange rate of the U.S. dollar also became "very problematic in the mid-1980s" due to the inflation and declining economy in the U.S., compared to French currency. Renault also did not consider the costs of manufacturing at AMC, and failed to "properly support its distribution network" because AMC's U.S. dealerships were seldom brand exclusive. The mistakes in controlling "the quality delivered by the distribution network" resulted in "disastrous" consequences for the image of the automobiles, as well as increasing warranty costs. The Alliance has the arguable distinction of being the car that saved AMC, while at the same time the cars possibly hastened the automaker's disappearance as an independent company. The Encore nameplate would reappear in the United States in 2013, this time on a small Buick SUV. Notes References External links The American Motors Owners Association Renault Owners Club of North America – support, parts, and resources Renault Alliance Club