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Official: Opel GT Concept Brings Traditional Sports Car Cues And Future-Forward Design

In the 1980s and 1990s, sport compacts were all the rage. Manufacturers from across the world did their best to counter the influx of sporty coupes Japan dumped onto the very beginning of Generation Y, before millennials became a thing.

The Germans? Not so much. Sure, there are certainly a few notable standouts, but by the time Opel got around to releasing the Calibra, the Japanese had already come in too fast, and too strong.

So, what has Opel done today? They’ve created a modern-day sport compact for the digital age. This is the Opel GT concept.

2016 Opel GT Concept 009

We’d heard it was coming for quite some time and, frankly, we’re shocked Opel spoiled its own surprise by unveiling the GT concept this early ahead of the car’s debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in March.

After grabbing first glances of the Opel GT concept, it’s clear the brand did not look back on its heritage for design. There is not one piece of design here to remanence over the original GT. Instead, Opel studied the brand’s first concept car ever, the Opel Experimental GT, and designers took a similar approach to how the Experimental GT was crafted.

Opel Experimental GT 005

Original Opel Experimental GT concept

Therefore, pure, avant-garde design is forefront on the Opel GT concept. It begins with the distinctive red tires up front, paying homage to the 1928 Opel Motoclub 500, where the red flows up into the A-pillar, around the greenhouse and into the rear of the GT concept. The design also lets the eye follow the shapes designers have carefully crafted.

Despite the goal to not create a retro design piece, typical sports car traits are alive and well; just take a look at the length of the hood in proportion to the entire vehicle. Though, for how elongated the bonnet is, Opel hasn’t stuffed a mighty powertrain in there.

2016 Opel GT Concept 015

Opel states the GT concept is powered by a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, mated to a sequential six-speed automatic. Altogether, the combination provides 145 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. More importantly? The Opel GT Concept tips the scales at a mere 2,204-pounds. Most importantly? Power is being sent to the rear wheels.

The automotive industry has entered a new age. Optimism is bright in concepts’ eyes, and Opel’s attitude surrounding the GT Concept makes us bullish for a production vehicle. Chevrolet may have left the Code 130R stillborn, but Opel seems to be ready to pick up where it left off; ready to craft a new sport compact for today.

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Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Slots in nicely under the Avista. Build’em both, I say! 🙂

    Reply
  2. It reminds me a little of the last generation Mazda RX-7.

    Reply
  3. This is a weird lookin’ thing; but it holds quite a bit of potential for Opel and Vauxhall. A compact, RWD coupe sounds like a breath of fresh air, and should prove to be a welcomed addition to their lineups! Go for broke Opel!

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    1. Chevrolet had a similar concept back with the Code 130R, and it never manifested.

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      1. I think the OpelGT is using the 2014 Code130R cocepts chassis. This is their interpretation of that vehicle.
        The Code130R also had similar powertrain specs. It had a 1.4T producing 150HP/148lb.ft. where as the Opel has a 1.0T producing 148HP/184lb.ft.

        By using the Code 130R chassis for the Opel GT it is lending more likelihood that we might see a version of the Code 130R in production even though I think it does not make much of a business case.

        Reply
        1. The 130R was using Zeta. I suspect this is using G2XX with the drive train reversed to send power to the rear wheels.

          The G2XX goes best with the 1.0 3-cylinder, so that could be Opel’s path to production. Hey, it worked for the Alfa 4C… a backseat-delete Dart with the drivetrain swapped and mountains of carbon fiber added.

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          1. 4C has a far more sexy design. This Opel must from a design standpoint, be on par with best, and this concept falls short.
            Opel will only gain market share when it can across the line up offer an Audi-like product at a VW price point.
            This more for less disruptive approach is affordable for GM due to Buick’s scale and price point. Opel must become a game changer if it hopes to survive the decade as more than a niche brand (Fiat, Citroen) & develop into a true VW challenger.

            Reply
  4. I like the nose and the tail but lose that silly non opening window.

    I am not sure what to think here. While this would make a great little car there is no platform for it. It is too small for an Alpha and GM has yet to show they plan any RWD platform that is going smaller yet.

    I am for a real world version of this but I worry that there may not be anything coming to support it till GM says more. At least the Avista was based on a platform that is in production.

    Just no more cobbled together platforms like the Solstice from GM anymore if they are to do this it needs to be right. The compromises will not be tolerated today from GM. They were excused the last time due to the money crunch.

    Reply
    1. Platform, clatform. Today one is modular, more flexible.

      VW has only two architectures: MQB and MLB, meaing “Modularer QuerBaukasten” and “Modularer LängsBaukasten” (camel case added for recognizeability of 3-letter-word).

      Baukasten means roughly toolkit (which includes parts), and quer = transversal, and Längs = longitudinal,both meaning the placing of the engine in the front of the car.

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  5. Not production ready of course — and production ready would probably add weight — but a stylistic step in the right direction……some interesting features that are quite unique and marketable, either on their own or as differentiation/brand identity

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  6. this is real consept car. not ready broduction car. next production car takes this consept foglamps

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  7. It looks like a mixture of Mazda mx5 and Amg gt. With no door handles and mirrors, the car is extremely stylish but i am not happy with the performance. The top speed is very low and 8 sec to reach 0-62? Way too much for a sports car! I was looking for all the specifications and came across this site http://www.sportscarsvs.com/en/vauxhall-gt-concept/model-1563-0 where i found a lot of information.

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  8. Really disappointed at the composition of those concept photos. They look half done and 3D rendered, cheaply composed onto street areas.

    If you’re going to take photos of a concept car, please take real ones. This steals the thunder of what should be an amazing production-focused concept.

    The car isn’t ugly, but these photos sure make it look that way.

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  9. Somebody painted a production version of the Opel GT. See here at
    http://www.motor1.com/spy/60822/reader-envisions-production-ready-opel-gt-we-love-it/

    In my eyes it looks better than the concept.

    Contrary to the concept, the windows of the side doors and be opened and the front window has a normal size where a crack in the glass would not cost a fortune — the concept has a front window which is integrated with a panoramic glass roof.

    A criticism of this imaging of a production version: the door handles would look better as being right in the edge of the door like in the first version of the Renault Twingo (see commons. wikimedia. org/wiki/File:Renault_Twingo_rear_20080709.jpg )

    Reply
    1. Have a look at image No. 12 in the image gallery accompanying this article. This shows that tbut sat least the doors are separate from the roof and can be opened without folding the whole roof up.

      On image 12, the car looks like a toy

      Reply

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