If the Opel The near future is not just for the fans: The brand with the flash shows the Opel GT sports car concept at the Geneva Motor Show (March 3 to 13). The small, light front mid-engine runabout stands in several respects in the tradition of the icon of the same name from 1968. An adorable, not overpowered fun machine in an affordable price range like the original GT could result from it, but only maybe.
Long snout, tight rear, extremely short overhangs and a rear passenger compartment with a low roof - sports car enthusiasts lick their fingers according to the proportions of the roughly four meter short study. The icon does not imitate the icon's coke bottle design, although fans may recognize reminiscences in the sculptural shapes such as the modeled sides or the bonnet. In addition, the centrally arranged double exhaust and the absence of a trunk lid refer to the original GT.
However, the puristic study is a child of its time, so very modern: door handles and exterior mirrors are missing, pressure on the red signature line that runs across the side of the concept opens the doors electrically, cameras transmit the exterior images to monitors in the cockpit. Doors and side windows form a smooth surface, as does the front window and panoramic glass roof. The hood, which is pulled far down, emphasizes the otherwise simple front with the narrow LED headlights.
As with the first Opel GT and the Corvette sports car icon from the GM parent company, the study is powered by a front mid-engine - the deep, central center of gravity ensures sporty handling. The 1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine is based on the engines from Adam, Corsa and Astra and delivers 107 kW / 145 hp (205 Newton meters) in the sport trim. The power is sent to the rear axle, which is equipped with a mechanical differential lock, via a sequential six-speed gearbox, which is operated via paddles on the steering wheel. Because the two-seater weighs less than 1.000 kilos, the performance is sufficient to accelerate to highway speed in less than eight seconds, with a maximum of 215 km / h.
The GT Concept should “only” show what Opel now stands for: “We are confident, innovative and want to inspire more customers for the brand with every new car,” says Opel boss Karl-Thomas Neumann. A run in the series is at least not excluded, although not specifically planned. After all, the GM subsidiary is currently focusing on returning to profitability this year. Sperenzchen are probably not planned for now.
The 1968 Opel GT was shown for the first time at the IAA three years before it entered series production. After positive public reactions, the Rüsselsheim company made the concept ready for series production. Such a time frame is probably too short for the modern GT, but Opel should look closely at the reactions of the public - and then recalculate with a sharp pencil.
