Last week, ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show, Opel revealed a GT concept that checked off all the right nostalgia boxes. A sporty two-door coupe, the Opel GT concept looked ready to take on Mazda’s MX-5 Miata and Scion’s FR-S.
Like a classic sports car, the Opel GT concept was front-engined with a rear-wheel-drive chassis. It used a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine related to the one used in Opel’s Adam, Corsa, and Astra, sending 145 hp to the rear wheels. Nevertheless, even though most agree that the Opel GT concept is longingly beautiful, it turns out that we shouldn’t get too excited for a production version.
Speaking with Automotive News Europe, an Opel spokesperson stated that the Opel GT is, “purely a concept study to show off innovations that may one day be found in an Opel production car.” Essentially, the Opel GT is just a glimpse into where Opel’s design language could head in the future. The problem with building the new GT is that Opel sees the sports car market as dwindling; while there’s still some demand for a niche product like a new Opel GT, the company believes that demand is “shrinking in size.”
Opel’s statements counter reports from a handful of automotive news outlets claiming the Opel GT concept signaled a production car that could be ready in just two years, with some going so far as to suggest the car could use the chassis from the Opel Astra and Buick Verano.
Mark Adams, Opel’s Vice President of Design for Europe, told AN, “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.”
Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription required)
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