<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-09-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070415</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GP STRATEGIES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GPX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001423385</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Sagard Capital Partners, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>325 GREENWICH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001423388</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Sagard Capital Partners GP, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>325 GREENWICH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001423386</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Sagard Capital Partners Management CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>325 GREENWICH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>900</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2878543</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Consists of shares of common stock, par value, $0.01 per share, of GPX (&quot;Shares&quot;) granted under the GPX 2003 Incentive Stock Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Consists of 900 Shares being reported by the filing of this Form 4 and 2,877,643 Shares owned by the Reporting Persons prior to the filing of this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Sagard is the direct beneficial owner of 2,878,543 Shares.  GP and Sagard Management are indirect beneficial owners of 2,878,543 Shares.  Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 16a-1(a)(2)) of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This Form 4 is being filed by Sagard Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;Sagard&quot;), Sagard Capital Partners GP, Inc., a Delaware corporation (&quot;GP&quot;), and Sagard Capital Partners Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation (&quot;Sagard Management,&quot; and together with Sagard and GP, the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;).  As a result of direct and indirect securities holdings, Power Corporation of Canada and Mr. Paul G. Desmarais may each be deemed (i) to control the Reporting Persons, although the filing of this Form 4 shall not be construed as an admission that any such control relationship actually exists, and (ii) to beneficially own the securities reported herein.  Each of Power Corporation of Canada and Mr. Paul G. Desmarais disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Dan Friedberg, President of Sagard capital Partners, L.P.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Dan Friedberg, President of Sagard Capital Partners GP, Inc.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Dan Friedberg, President of Sagard Capital Partners Management Corporation</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
