Opel GT concept - 144hp, less then 1,000kg , RWD

[Legro]

It's a long shot, but BMW has shown some interest in making a lightweight roadster with the MINI Superleggera. I know it's front wheel drive and looks like a fish, but it's still a 2-door roadster which actually does exists. And although extremely unlikely they do hold the rights for Triumph brand, which would give them a more suitable brand for making a lightweight rear wheel drive 2-door sports car.

The only other still existing brand that has some merit behind them in the lightweight sports car market is MG, which is now owned by a company that probably has no interest in making that type of a car. And even if that would happen, I don't think it'd be quite there with the others.

 

[VXR]

You get the sense Vauxhall would love to go sportier than Opel usually allows, when you consider the VX Lightning concept to celebrate their centenary in 2003 was the precursor to the Solstice/Opel GT production car. Plus, their exclusive deal with HSV for the Monaro/Clubsport/GTS and Maloo.

 

[homeforsummer]

Renault could revive Matra for low end sports stuff.. Running gear from Twingo, seating for three and call it Murena/Bagheera..

I'd forgotten Matra existed, despite being a big fan of the Murena. Was mid-engined, but would definitely be a cool revival.

Unfortunately, things seem to have gone quiet on Matra. Pininfarina bought it from Renault in 2003 and it's since been sold to another company.

Vauxhall/Opel and indeed GM as a whole has a history of doing this sort of thing with Lotus. I don't really know off the top of my head who holds Lotuses reins these days, or what position they'd be in to work with GM on something which would have to be fairly high volume to be worthwhile. But a small, light front engined, RWD sports car/coupe would be right up their street. They'd certainly be the go-to team for designing and developing this kind of car as a Lotus Engineering project if not a Lotus Cars product. It would just take some balls from GM's bigwigs to green light it.

Lotus is still bankrolled by Proton, I believe. Not sure how close links are to GM any more.

Something like that would definitely suit the Lotus brand, but I'm not sure they could actually do it well in volume. Better to have Opel/Vauxhall build the thing using their greater resources, and get some bods at Lotus to sort the important stuff like the feel of the controls.

 

[RocZX]

Opel GT interior

 

[catamount39]

If they produce this car (barring what the production version would look like), it'd be the best thing since sliced cake.

 

[mustafur]

That interior is never going to happen.

 

[catamount39]

That interior is never going to happen.

Of course not, I'm mainly interested in the rest of car.

 

[05XR8]

it's part FT-86. Part Carrera GT. Anything is possible.

 

[homeforsummer]

That interior is never going to happen.

Well duh, it's a concept car. Realistically the entire car is never going to happen, but it's interesting to see that some people within Opel have suddenly mustered up the ability to design an interesting car.

 

[Saf1]

I love it!!!! Looks amazing, especially impressive amongst all those flamboyant-yet-generic concepts about...I really, really hope they make this. And nowadays with manufacturers trying to outstyle each other hopefully very little changes for production...and the list of reasons why concepts get diluted is a long one but for price reasons they can have a base spec version and the high spec version could be more like the concept. Idk if this has been done before but it really should have been the way, to dilute a concept "necessarily" but offer the no-compromise version for more money and that's almost always just been engine upgrades mostly, how about pay enough and you can have an interior that you pinch yourself in everyday!!

 

[GTboyz]

That interior is never going to happen.

Well duh lol it's a concept car.

I'm interested in how will the production version look like. That is, if they decided to put it in production.

 

[TexRex]

Good grief. The interior of the car looks as much like the inside of a shoe as the outside of the car looks like the outside of a shoe.

 

[Legro]

Good grief. The interior of the car looks as much like the inside of a shoe as the outside of the car looks like the outside of a shoe.

You seem to own some strange looking shoes.

 

[Robin]

Good grief. The interior of the car looks as much like the inside of a shoe as the outside of the car looks like the outside of a shoe.

I also agree, it couldn't be a running shoe on wheels more if it tried. Even the materials and colours scream footwear.

 

[TexRex]

You seem to own some strange looking shoes.

Tell me there's no resemblance.

 

[GTracer38]

Apart from colour, I'm not seeing it.

 

[Keef]

Pretty sure the running shoe-like colors were done on purpose. People associate that with fitness so of course they want that image in a youthful, athletic sports car.

 

[opelgt1969]

I really like it, Hmmm might have something to do with my user ID. Own a 69 and a parts 71

 

[TheCracker]

The trainers that influenced the Veyron:

The trainers that influenced the Corvette C5R:

The trainers tha influenced the Ferrari FXX:

The trainers that influenced the 997 GT3RS:

 

[Robin]

It's not simply to do with the colour similarity, the shape of the car is very much shoe like with a long low bonnet and a high cockpit and rear.... which none of the shoes above represent of the cars they are supposed to.

 

[homeforsummer]

It's not simply to do with the colour similarity, the shape of the car is very much shoe like with a long low bonnet and a high cockpit and rear.... which none of the shoes above represent of the cars they are supposed to.

Long bonnet + low profile + short cabin = traditional sports car shape.

And on the second point I'm not so sure. That blue and black Nike that @TheCracker posted really does look a bit like a Veyron...

 

[TenEightyOne]

RWD I can agree with, but under 3000lbs? Given what GT actually stands for--I don't see it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer

That very link disagrees with you. In particular I see the GT/E is listed there, one of many Opel/Vauxhall GT models that's been under 3000lbs. Some might say that the definitive GT is the hugely valuable 250 GTO, 2000lbs

To the topic at hand; not the most exciting GT concept one could imagine, and Opel currently lack a platform to produce it on. That's not to say there won't be one but I think we're unlikely to see quick development.

 

[homeforsummer]

That very link disagrees with you. In particular I see the GT/E is listed there, one of many Opel/Vauxhall GT models that's been under 3000lbs. Some might say that the definitive GT is the hugely valuable 250 GTO, 2000lbs

The concept of a GT in the real world is certainly nebulous. Worth mentioning that every 'GTI' is technically a 'Grand Tourer', however big, small or badly built, and arguably a two-seat coupe like this concept better fits the traditional GT description than a hotted-up hatchback.

Depends on your performance requirements too, I suppose. A small, lightweight, two-seat coupe is basically my perfect kind of car and absolutely one I'd want to travel distances in, in the Grand Touring tradition - across Europe, across the US or whatever. It'd be fun on any twisty bits encountered, while using minimal fuel on the straighter bits.

 

[VXR]

The only way Opel will ever evolve is having the balls to offer something like this. It's nearly 30 years ago since they were brave enough to offer the Calibra and that's a car many still love now. I don't see any of their current range attaining that mythical status any time soon.

 

[TexRex]

The unofficial render posted a while back is plenty daring, not to mention stunning. Outlandish is the domain of exotics.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

The only way Opel will ever evolve is having the balls to offer something like this. It's nearly 30 years ago since they were brave enough to offer the Calibra and that's a car many still love now. I don't see any of their current range attaining that mythical status any time soon.

Calibra? Mythical? It was a bloody Vectra in drag! Nothing special about it, even the V6 and 4x4 turbo were lackluster..

 

[TexRex]

It was a bloody Vectra in drag!

 

[VXR]

There's a big following for them and just because it had plebian underpinnings, doesn't mean it wasn't a car loved by owners and admirers.

 

[Dennisch]

because it had plebian underpinnings,

It was just an awful car all around. The only thing that it kinda had were its looks.

 

[VXR]

By my reckoning, most SUVs are pretty awful, but their looks sell to people. That's why the Calibra sold. It wasn't a great car, but it did get bums in Opel seats and column inches. The point being, Opel need that now and they'll only get it by making cars like this concept.