2016 Opel GT Concept

Opel has come out with some rather interesting concepts in the past. Some, like the 2013 Opel Adam Rocks Concept, were more production ready, while others were more intense like the 2013 Opel Monza. And, let’s not forget the outrageous 2011 Opel RAK E Concept. That RAK E Concept was so futuristic and out of this world that we knew it wouldn’t make it anywhere near production. But what about Opel’s newest concept that is set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March?

This wild-looking concept is called the Opel GT Concept and is a “direct descendant” of the Opel GT and the Monza Concept. Vice President of Design for Opel Europe, Mark Adams, said, “We created the GT Concept to capture the bold, emotional spirit of the Opel brand. It is dramatic, sculptural and full of innovations, which is our great tradition that we intend to continue. This coupe impressively demonstrates the continuous development of our Design philosophy – ‘Sculptural Artistry meets German precision’.”

Opel is calling this concept a “real sports car, ” but first impressions give the feeling that there will be a lot of changes if the GT Concept ever makes it into production form. Sure, things like the lack of door handles and side view mirrors are about 10 seconds away from becoming common on new cars, but the overall styling of this concept is arguably far ahead of its time. So, with that said let’s take a look at this early preview of the concept before its official public debut.Exterior

 Opel GT Concept
Overall the car is rather smooth in its design. Up front, the wheel arches remind me of the early ‘70s Chevy Corvette, while the front fascia reminds me more of the third generation Camaro without the parking lights and huge vertical splitter in the lower air dam. It is interesting how the middle of the fascia is so rounded and bubbly, while the outer extremities are sharp and precise. Even the hood is more bubbly than anything, but accented by that sharp body line right in the middle. In a way, the front end really does scream “sports car.” I really like the way the LED running lights begin thin at the top of the headlight, but gets wider to the far outside of each headlight assembly.

Moving over to the sides, the first noticeable thin is the lack of door handles and side view mirrors.

Moving over to the sides, the first noticeable thin is the lack of door handles and side view mirrors. Look at how long the door itself is – it is literally like 70 percent of the side of the car. The black and silver finish is a nice touch, but those red front tires, and that line that runs along the top of the door and terminates below the rear window seems like a bit much. If Opel Opel was hoping to make the concept stand out, they certainly get an A+ in that department. I do like that sunk-in body line on the door and the way the body appears to widen as you move closer to the rear wheel arches. By the way, if you’re wondering about how the doors open, well right behind the door, there is a small touchpad on that red stripe to operate the electric door latches. I must say, however, that it is almost creepy the way the door glass and body come together seamlessly.

The rear of the concept reminds be of the rear end of the 25th Anniversary Edition Mazda MX-5, albeit with different taillights, no trunk lid, and a different exhaust configuration. On this concept, there is no trunk lid, but without that, the car is able to sport a very smooth appearance in the rear. The taillights are purposeful and elegant, without taking up too much of the rear. I particularly like the way the rear diffuser and rear fascia come together in an upward sweeping motion to the central exhaust outlets. I’m not sure that I like how far apart the two exhaust outlets are, but I can appreciate the unique look that comes with them being position so high in the rear fascia.

Interior

 Opel GT Concept
Unless Opel drops new images of the interior of this concept, we’ll just have to wait until the car debuts at Geneva in March. We do get a quick look at the inside the concept through the exterior image you see here, so we do have some ideas, but we can’t see everything that is going on in there.

Long and flat on the top, the three-spoke wheel is somewhat taller than normal, with the lower corners somewhat rounded.

The first thing I noticed was the oddly shaped steering wheel. Long and flat on the top – perfect for all of us one-handed drivers – the three-spoke wheel is somewhat taller than normal, with the lower corners somewhat rounded. Ahead of the steering wheel is what appears to be a three-gauge cluster, presumably consisting of a digital tachometer and speedometer. There may be two smaller gauges to the right of the larger pods, but it’s hard to make out from this image. It looks like there is either a speaker of HVAC vent protruding from the driver side of the dash, but it looks like the passenger side is shaped in a way that wouldn’t accommodate such a design.

The car is obviously a two-seater, and that driver’s seat looks to offer enough support on the sides that the driver will remain firmly in place even in the most extreme cornering maneuvers. The center console seems rather tame for a concept of this caliber, with a pocket opening under the upper-most portion of the console. There is probably a touchpad on the center console to allow shifting of the transmission. One thing is for sure – with what we can in the image, I can’t wait to see full shots of the interior.

Drivetrain

 Opel GT Concept
The exterior hits toward two potential drivetrains that could be hidden under the hood. With that long hood and dual exhaust exits, there could be a larger engine hidden behind the metal right? Not so much. According to Opel, the concept is powered by a 1.0-liter, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine that is based on the engine used in the Opel Corsa and Opel Astra. Being considered a “real sports car” by Opel, I’m a little surprised at it having such a small engine. Opel claims it produces 145 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.

The concept hits 62 mph (100 kph) in less than eight seconds with a top speed of 133 mph.

That horsepower and torque is routed to the rear wheels via a sequential six-speed transmission and mechanical locking differential. At least Opel got that right – if this was another front-wheel-drive concept, I was going to be a little upset. Opel claims the concept weighs “less than 1,000 kilograms,” which means it should tip the scale at less than 2,200 pounds. At that weight, the car hits 62 mph (100 kph) in less than eight seconds with a top speed of 133 mph.

For comparison purposes, this “real sports car” falls right in line, performance-wise, with the 2016 Honda Civic. It hits the 60 mph benchmark in 7.5 seconds with a top speed around 125 mph. Of course, that isn’t really a fair judgment, as I wouldn’t put the front-wheel-drive civic in the same category as a car like the GT Concept. To be fair, the 2016 Lotus Elise Sport will also beat out the GT Concept. It has 134 horses and 118 pound-feet, but can tackle the 60 mph sprint in six seconds with a top speed of 127 mph. I guess the GT concept will win in the long run, but I wouldn’t bet on it in a eighth-mile race.

Conclusion

 Opel GT Concept
Where do I even start here? I guess I can say that I actually like the exterior styling of the Opel GT Opel GT Concept – at least for the most part. I think the red wheels and that weird red line are a little much, but I can get over it. I am rather disappointed in how underpowered this concept is. With that long hood and rearward passenger compartment, I expected to see at least a V-6 under the hood.

I understand that some sports cars are considered as such because of their overall design and look, but to me, a sports car should have some real power. I would be happy with even 250 ponies and enough torque to play around with every now and then. My 2004 Honda Civic could outrun this thing hands down any day, and that isn’t good when it comes to a “real sports car.” Ok, so maybe I’m being a little harsh here, it is just a concept. Aside from things like the red tires and those unusual wheels, the car really isn’t all that far off from being production ready. If Opel decides to move it over into production, I really hope they add a little more power under the hood.