When it comes to the Opel GT concept, the intelligence we’ve gathered on the vehicle’s production is more of a “never say never” rather than flat out “nope.”
That’s good news because RM Design has used the digital paint brush once again to tone down the Opel GT concept and detail what a production Opel GT could look like.
Gone are the flashy show car bits, but the overall shape and design remain as a modern take on the classic sports car. Proper door handles, trim and front bumper adorn the production GT while not sacrificing any of its modern character.
In the rear, the concept’s integrated dual exhaust is replaced with a conventional design, while a wraparound rear windshield pays homage to the GT concept vehicle, creating an airy sense.
The red style line from the concept has also been integrated to flow with the shape of the production GT, leading the eye from the front wheel well out to the rear.
Would a production Opel GT make up for fans clamoring for a successor to the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky? Or is it a niche that should be left to the Mazda Miata and Fiat 124 Spider? Let us know in the comment section below.
Comments
Looks like it could be a very nice small sports car, but I’m not sure where it could fit in to the American GM Line. I don’t think its a Buick or Chevrolet and certainly not a Cadillac.
It would fit alongside the Camaro 5, or if the Camaro 6 kept its exterior dimensions and increased interior room, but as it stands now, a car like this could cannibalize the 4 cylinder Camaro.
I could see this fitting in the Buick lineup as long as the top trim gets the LaCrosse treatment when it comes to interior materials. A production GT is actually more realistic than an Avista.
This could fit in Cadillac’s lineup as a Mercedes SLC fighter. If GM would play their cards right for this kind of car, they could spawn an entire platform family including a sedan and a CUV.
Agreed on the Buick affiliation….even possibly a Cadillac if the rumored mid-engine offshoot of the Corvette doesn’t appear. Buick has always seemed to be a recipient of Opel’s coolness.
They actually need a car like this in the Cadillac line up so it wouldn’t be surprising if it ended up there as a Z8/SLC competitor. What is surprising is that they have a spot for it and are simply letting it die on the vine.
You hit the nail on the head. Aim it at the MX-5/124 market with a coupe/convert with equivalent pricing and better performance (thinking 2.0T but maybe V6?). Just look at the market share you may/should get as there is no GM small sports car of this nature available, at least not here in the US.
The basic problem with building an MX-5 competitor is that the MX-5 hardly sells any cars per month. This projected car would only be profitable if it brought more traffic into the showroom.
Regarding your first sentence, your absolutely right, they don’t sell like most GM products and may not be as profitable. Yet, Mazda builds them anyway and now Fiat wants part of the action based on the same platform. Go figure, huh? Let’s ponder this though. Would it be better to build this concept and make a smaller profit due to limited sales and perhaps put Americans to work, or let others have all the market share?
Remember, also, if someone is buying, driving, and enjoying your GM product, their most likely not buying the exact same type of vehicle from another manufacturer. Collector/Exotic cars aside.
No worries though. This is a GM Authority concept tease similar to the Buick Avista and even though a good 90% of people were very enthusiastic about the Avista, it went nowhere. as will this cool concept….
You are correct in bringing people into the show rooms.
But keep in mind the Miata is limited by Mazda as not to over sell the model in any one market. over 5 years you can only sell so many 2 seat cars like this as only cars like the Corvette can do volume.
Mazda also does sells globally and that is how they make up total volume yearly.
I own a 2009 Pontiac Solstice and I definitely think GM should build the Opel GT concept. It is a great looking car and this niche market should not be left to the other foreign builders.
Build it! But common sense wise with live rear axel so the independent rear doesn,t
take up all the space. a good GM turbo 4 is really nice in this kind of car with the proper
trans gear spacing to move it out at low speeds and can blend into traffic well.
Sales volume in this niche are quite small but maybe a business case can be made with Cadillac, Chevrolet and Opel variants.
Would certainly work as a Cadillac with a 2.0T motor as the base engine and the 3.0TT V6 as a V model. The 3.0TT would give the Opel GT betterr power to weight as the ATS-V.
I love two door coupes! We need more, and it would serve well as a Buick.
Here is how you could sell this. You have to follow the Miata formula.
#1 Make it a global model. You sell it everywhere. The only way GM could do this is make it an Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Buick.
#2 make it a roadster with a decent truck for a weekend.
#3 sell it in limited numbers per market to keep people wanting one. You oversell it a couple years and few people will be left in 5 years to buy more.
#4 sell it in special trims and colors every year to draw out repeat buyers.
#5 you take the time and money to get it right unlike the Solstice that suffered compromise. There is no reason a well designed model can not have it all including IRS and interior room with a respectable trunk.
#5 share the platform and make it expandable so Cadillac can use it for a larger version with a V6 and keep the Buick a Turbo 4. Price the Buick in the Miata range and the Cadillac in the BMW Z4 range.
#6 consider a coupe or targa but make it a secondary model not the primary.
#7 Do not make it with a folding hard top. Too expensive and too much weight.
#8 Make the Buick model available in a Track Version and competitive in the SCCA. Mark the Miata as the prime target and take them on. It will enhance the image of all brand names involved racing it here and in Europe. Buick coule really use this right now with their work to cut the age of their buyers.
#9 use this as a marketing tool for the other models in the show room. Use styling from it on the other cars and to highlight your other models. Get people to pay attention to what you have. The Fiero even with all the politics and problems it brought a ton of people into the show room. Pontiac had given credit to the Fiero for them selling so many Grand Am’s and saved them from dying when Olds did. Pontiac was on the bubble in the early 80’s and the Grand Am and F body saved them when Olds started to fail.
This is about the only way this would work. Having been involved with two seat cars as an owner I know this is a tough segment to build a car for. Two seat cars is a limited market and often a second or third car. Volumes are limited and unlike Super cars you can not make up the profits on higher prices. Most models in this segment are 5-10 years and out.
Don’t believe it other than the Miata in this segment the FIero, MRc twice, Delsole, RX7, 240Z, 280z 300Z, Prowler etc all lasted less than 10 years and all were decent cars in their own way for the price. There are many more in this segment that struggled to 5-10 years.
You have to be smart and disciplined to be successful in this segment and Mazda has been. Never over sold and kept even cheap changes coming to keep it fresh. Even then they had to partner with Fiat to afford a new platform as development cost are so high today.
It would add another subtle connection to the original GT if round taillights were incorporated into the design.
Build it!