After we saw a bucnh of video teasers, Opel finally revealed the new GT Concept, awaited to make a public debut in Geneva. encapsulating Brit designer Mark Adams’ philosophy of ‘Sculptural Artistry meets Technical Precision’, its name mirrors that of the 1964 GT Concept.
It is also a tribute to two significant motor show cars: the 1966 Vauxhall XVR and the 1965 Opel Experimental GT, the first true concept vehicles to appear from the design houses of a European manufacturer.
Also an evolution of the Monza concept, the new Opel GT has large doors with integrated side windows that show a seamless transition from glass to painted surfaces. Both driver and front passenger gain access to the interior after pressing a touchpad for the electric doors that is integrated in the red signature line of the roof.
The doorsopen into the front arches, using a space-saving and patented mounting that allows a large opening angle for tight parking spaces in urban areas.
Two cameras mounted behind the wheel arches offer visibility, especially in city driving. They transmit their images to two monitors on the left- and right-hand side of the cabin, replacing the external mirrors. The windscreen flows into a glass panorama roof.
Beneath its bonnet is a very small and unusual 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine, based on the all-aluminium unit used in the Adam, Corsa and Astra. Developing 145 hp and maximum torque of 205 Nm, the engine delivers drive to the rear wheels, via a six-speed sequential transmission operated by steering-wheel mounted paddle shift. Weighing under 1000kgs, the GT Concept accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in less than eight seconds and on to a maximum speed of 134 mph.
