| Opel GT | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Opel |
| Production | 1968–1973 2007–2009 |
TheOpel GT is a front-engine, rear-drive two-seatsports car manufactured and marketed byOpel in two generations separated by a 34-year hiatus.
The first generation Opel GT (1968[1]–1973) debuted as a styling exercise in 1965 at theParis andFrankfurt motor shows.[2] The production vehicle used mechanical components from the contemporaryOpel Kadett B and two-door hard top bodywork byFrench contractorBrissonneau & Lotz. The styling of the GT was often cited as similar to the1968 Chevrolet Corvette which went on sale in September 1967.[3]
Opel marketed a second generationGT (2007–2009) as arebadged variant of theSaturn Sky two-seater convertible (which was based on thePontiac Solstice), manufactured inWilmington,Delaware,USA.
In 2016, Opel introduced theGT Concept at the 2016Geneva Motor Show as a lightweight, turbocharged, rear-wheel drive two-seater.[4]
| GT | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1968–1973 |
| Assembly | West Germany:Bochum |
| Designer | Erhard Schnell,Clare MacKichan |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé |
| Layout | Front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual 3-speedautomatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,415 mm (95.1 in) |
| Length | 4,113 mm (161.9 in) |
| Width | 1,580 mm (62.2 in) |
| Height | 1,225 mm (48.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 845 kg (1,863 lb)–940 kg (2,072 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Opel Manta (indirect) |
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The Opel GT was equipped with a base 1.1 LOHVinline-four engine, which produced 67 hp (SAE) at 6,000 rpm. However, most buyers chose an optional 1.9 Lcamshaft in head engine, which produced 102 hp (SAE) at 5200 to 5400 rpm. Some of the early 1968 models also came with a slightly higher compression "H" code cylinder head. In 1971, due to emissions regulations, Opel reduced thecompression ratio of the 1.9 L engine used in the US and output fell to 83 hp (SAE). There was also a GT/J model, which was a less expensive version of the 1.9 L GT that lacked nearly all chrome parts and offered fewer standard features, sold only in Europe. The base transmission was a four-speedmanual. A three-speed automatic was available with the 1.9 L engine. The model run of the Opel GT was from 1968 to 1973.
The Opel GT has a steelunibody chassis and afront mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout. The engine is mounted far back in the chassis to improve weight distribution. Frontsuspension consists of upperA-arms and a lower transverse leaf spring. Alive axle and coil springs are used in the rear. The power-assisted braking system uses discs in the front, drums in the rear. Steering is unassisted.
One unusual feature of the Opel GT is the operation of thehidden headlamps. They are manually operated, by way of a large lever along the center console next to the shifter. Unlike pop-up headlights, they both rotate in the same direction (counterclockwise from inside the car) about a longitudinal axis.
Designed by Opel stylist Erhard Schnell,[5] the GT is afastback, that has neither an externally accessible trunk nor a conventionalhatchback. There is a parcel shelf behind the seats that can only be accessed through the main doors. Behind the parcel shelf is a fold-up panel that conceals a spare tire and jack.
During 1968 to 1973, a total of 103,463 were sold — including the first few hundred cars hand-assembled in 1968 and the 1968–1970 models with the 1.1 L engine, which totaled 3,573 cars. Of the later GTs, 10,760 were the cheaper model GT/J model. In some markets, items like alimited slip differential, front and rear anti-sway bars, heated rear window, and engine bay light were standard, although most cars were shipped without them.
In North America, the GT was marketed at Buick dealerships.[6] There was, unusually, noVauxhall counterpart to the GT for the United Kingdom.
Reasons for ending production were the need to redesign the car to remain competitive with up-and-coming sports models, such as the Datsun 240Z, as well as the termination ofBrissonneau and Lotz' bodybuilding contract.
The Opel GT was also used by Italian coachbuilderSergio Coggiola to create theOpel Sylvia GT, an angular design of the folded-paper school. The 1973 Sylvia was also designed with an eye to safety.[7]
Automotive magazineRoad & Track reviewed the GT in their June 1969 issue, recording 0–96 km/h in 10.8 seconds and a top speed of 182 km/h.Road & Track also found the car to have strong understeer, suggesting the 165x13 tires to be too small, although the ride was comfortable.[8]
| GT (roadster) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Saturn Sky (USA & Canada) GM Daewoo G2X (South Korea) |
| Production | 2007–2009 |
| Model years | 2007–2010 |
| Assembly |
|
| Designer | Franz von Holzhausen |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
| Body style | 2-doorroadster |
| Layout | Front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive |
| Platform | Kappa platform/GMX024 |
| Related | Pontiac Solstice,Saturn Sky |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1,998 cc (121.9 cu in)LNFI4 (turbogasoline) |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,415 mm (95.1 in) |
| Length | 4,091 mm (161.1 in) |
| Width | 1,813 mm (71.4 in) |
| Height | 1,276 mm (50.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,325–1,406 kg (2,921–3,100 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Opel Speedster |
The new Opel GT was produced from 2007 to 2010. It was abadge engineered variant of thePontiac Solstice and theSaturn Sky and was available solely with the 2.0 L, 260 hp (194 kW; 264 PS)direct injectionturbochargedEcotec four-cylinder engine. It has 18-inchalloy wheels. The car replaced theOpel Speedster in the European lineup however it was not sold in right-hand drive in the UK, thus there was no replacement for the Vauxhall VX220. TheSaturn Sky andPontiac Solstice were produced at a North American plant which did not have the necessary tooling for producing right-hand drive vehicles.
The Opel GT was available with meaningful, albeit only slight, variations to the Saturn Sky from which it was derived, those being a cigarette lighting implement, door card ashtrays, and differing tail lights and mirrors (for the updated 2009 EU regulations.)[9]
Following the General Motors bailout of 2008 and subsequent restructuring of the company, both Saturn and Pontiac were done away with, resulting in the ceasing of all Opel GT production from 2009 onward. Two 2010 model year Opel GTs were produced, albeit in 2009. Following the entry into the 2010s, there would be no production vehicle to bear the Opel GT name.
| Model Year | Total Opel GT (Roadster) Production[10] |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 2,365 |
| 2008 | 4,851 |
| 2009 | 301 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| Total | 7,519 |
| 2016 concept | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 2016 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Concept car |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé |
| Layout | Front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 998 cc (60.9 cu in)LDBI3 (turbogasoline) |
| Transmission | 6-speedsemi-automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Curb weight | 2,200 lb (998 kg) |
The 2016 Opel GT concept debuted on 27 January 2016.[11] Built on an all-new compact rear-wheel-drive platform, the GT has a lightweight construction and stripped down interior. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine producing 145 hp with a 6-speed semi-automatic gearbox.
The concept features historic design cues associated with Opel's past products; the twin tailpipes with the GT wordmark in the middle are reminiscent of those on the original 1965 GT prototype.
The car made its first public debut on March 1 at the2016 Geneva Motor Show.[12] A production version was being conjectured to follow in 2018, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the original Opel GT's unveiling in 1968,[13] and Opel didn't rule out the possibility.[14]
However, the production Opel GT concept was cancelled not only due to a shrinking market for sports cars, but also the brand's acquisition byGroupe PSA.[15]
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