If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t dig the sound of a big V8 but loves the looks of the third-generation Corvette, then you’re probably a fan of the oft-ignored four-cylinder Opel GT. First shown as a concept car in 1965, the precursor to Opel’s little sports coupe was called the Experimental GT.
To celebrate 50 years of design, Opel took some time with the Experimental GT’s designer Erhard Schnell to learn about the car’s backstory. And not surprisingly, Mr. Schnell speaks exactly like you would expect a man by the name of Erhard to – with a thick German accent.
Nonetheless, the man is an icon in the creation of the GT and his words are worth listening to, even if you only understand about half of them. So turn up the volume and tune in to the video below.
Comments
From the Opel GT, to the Fiero, to the Solstice & Sky/Opel GT… every 20 years, GM graces us with a Corvette Mini. Here’s looking to 2026… nothing but (Hydro) Blue Skies until then.
Many sports cars go in cycles. I had a GM marketing manager and Alfa fan show my that most sports cars have a life of 5-10 years and disappear. The Corvette, 911 and Miata are the few rare long lived 2 seaters.
RX7, MR2 several times and Nissan 280 and 300 all lived short lives. He told me they go in cycles as they for the most part do not change much and those who want them buy them and it is a limited group of buyers.
In the case of the Fiero there was also a lot of mistakes made and over production but even if they had done it right and the Corvette people had not attacked them the Fiero may have only had another 5 years. I have been involved with Fieros for 30 years and I have to agree with what he said.
I expect GM may do a sports car a little sooner but it will be done much different than the past and it will not be all that cheap. A low volume sports car that is low cost is one of the most difficult cars to build and sell. Everything is a compromise and you are riding right on the margin.
The Miata has lived for so long as they never over sell the car and offer many special packages and editions. But even now they have been trying to share with Alfa to share the cost as Mazda is struggling with keeping its price down. The Alfa deal fell through so it will be interesting to see where this goes.
As for the Vette it and the 911 have hit Icon status but even today the Vette was really hurting for sales at the end of the C6’s life. GM will have to make more changes more often to the Vette to keep it viable. It too has to make a business case and Tadge is bent on increasing and maintaining sales so I expect we will see more changes sooner than you expect.
I could add that the 911 isn’t exactly a 2 seater.
You can add the Mercedes SL to that list of 2 seaters with longevity, although almost nobody remembers it exists.
Well the 911 is a 4 seater if you are taking two amputee’s with you. LOL!
Yes the Benz is there but it is just one of those odd cars. It survives because it uses so many parts from the higher production cars.
In the 911’s defense, at least it’s rear seats are barely usable. They’re not unusable like the Lexus SC430.