52 Highway MPG, Psilocybin Sold Separately: 1984 Renault Encore

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The Renault Alliance won the 1983 Motor Trend Car of the Year Award, so buyers might have figured the hatchback version- named the Encore- would combine French build quality with the financial acumen of American Motors to produce one of the finest motor vehicles of all time. Well, unfortunately, the Kenosha-ized Renault 9 didn't live up to expectations, but it did get great gas mileage... at a time when gas was 95 cents a gallon and getting cheaper by the minute.