Opel GT
| Opel GT | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Opel |
| Production | 1968-1973, 2007-2009 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | sports car |
The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car first presented as a styling exercise in 1965 at the Paris and Frankfurt motor shows, and introduced as a production model late in 1968[1] by the German automaker Opel. It relied partly on components from the contemporary Opel Kadett B and had a body made by French contractor Brissonneau & Lotz. Its styling has been likened to the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette which went on sale in September 1967, which inturn was styled after the 1964 Pontiac Banshee.[2]
Although the life of the GT was limited to six model years, after a 34-year hiatus it returned as a 2007 model based on the Saturn Sky, and was built alongside it in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. The plant was scheduled to close in July 2009, ending production of the GT, and its siblings.
GT (1968-1973)
| GT | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1968-1973 |
| Assembly | Bochum, Germany |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | sports car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
| 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) |
The Opel GT was equipped with a base 1.1 L OHV straight-4 engine, which produced 67 hp (SAE) at 6,000 rpm. However, most buyers chose an optional 1.9 L camshaft 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 the compression 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 1900-engined GT which was sold only in Europe. Standard transmission was a manual four-speed. 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 used a steel unibody and a conventional front-engined, rear-wheel drive layout. The overhead camshaft engine was mounted far back in the chassis to improve weight distribution. Front suspension consisted of upper A-arms and a lower transverse leaf spring. A live axle and coil springs were used in the rear. The power-assisted braking system used discs in the front, drums in the rear. Steering was unassisted.
One unusual feature of the Opel GT was the operation of the pop-up headlights. They were manually operated, by way of a large lever along the center console next to the shifter. Unlike most pop-up headlights, they both rotated in the same direction (counterclockwise from inside the car) about a longitudinal axis. One standard joke about GT owners was that you can easily spot them due to the heavy muscles on their right arm built up by using the lever to pop up the headlights.
Designed by Opel Stylist Erhard Schnell,[citation needed] the Opel GT was a fastback, that had neither an externally accessible trunk nor a conventional hatchback. There was a parcel shelf behind the seats that could only be accessed through the main doors. Behind the parcel shelf was a fold-up panel that concealed a spare tire and jack.
The interior of the Opel GT was surprisingly large for a car of its size, owing to its original design process (exterior metal was sculpted around an interior model). Headroom and legroom were sufficient for those over 6 feet (1.83 m) tall.
During 1968 to 1973, a total of 103,463 cars were sold. The most collectable GTs are probably the first few hundred cars hand-assembled in 1968 and the 1968–1970 models with the 1.1 L engine, which totaled out at 3,573 cars. Of the later cars 10,760 were the cheaper model (GT/J), which lacked nearly all chrome parts and offered fewer standard features. In some markets, items like a limited 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 sold at Buick dealerships. 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 of Brissonneau and Lotz' bodybuilding contract.
Appearances in media
Automotive magazine Road & 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.
A gold 1969 Opel GT was Agent 86 Maxwell Smart's car in the last season of the comedy TV series Get Smart. Maxwell Smart drove a GT in several episodes, and the car features prominently in the opening credits. In the 2008 movie adaptation Get Smart, Bernie Kopell (who played Siegfried in the original Get Smart series) makes a cameo appearance in which he drives a GT. Maxwell Smart's cars in Season 1 and 2 (a Sunbeam Tiger) and in Seasons 3 and 4 (a VW Karmann Ghia) are also in the scene.
In the 1971 movie Omega Man, in one of the beginning scenes, when Charlton Heston enters a used car dealer to find a new car, there is a gold Opel GT along the wall behind him while he looks at a Mustang.
Classic GTs today
The Opel GT shared many parts with other Opel models, mostly the Kadett B. Opel also used variants of the CIH engine from 1966 to 1995, so most parts are somewhat available. Also, in the USA and Europe, there are companies which specialize in Opel GT parts and services; including some new body parts. Some of the rarest and most costly parts are the ignition switches, rear trim strips, and 1968–1970 rear axle bearings.
One can fairly easily adapt larger engines, transmissions and brakes from newer Opels. For example, a fuel-injected 2.0 L engine (110 hp DIN) and a five-speed Getrag manual transmission from an Rekord E or Manta B may be used to improve both fuel economy and performance.
GT (Roadster) (2007-2010)
| GT (Roadster) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Saturn Sky (USA & Canada) GM Daewoo G2X (South Korea) |
| Production | 2007–2009 |
| Model years | 2007–2010 |
| Assembly | Wilmington, Delaware, USA |
| Designer | Franz von Holzhausen |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | sports car |
| Body style | 2-door roadster |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Platform | Kappa platform |
| Related | Pontiac Solstice |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1998 cc I4 |
| 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 kg (2,921 lb)–1,406 kg (3,100 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Opel Speedster |
On February 1, 2006, Opel issued a press release announcing the upcoming production of a new Opel GT, as a likely 2007 model.
The car shared the GM Kappa platform with the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky. Unlike its platform mates, the 2.0 L, 260 hp (194 kW; 264 PS) direct injection turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder engine was the only engine offered.
The Opel GT replaced the Opel Speedster in the European lineup; however, it was not manufactured in RHD, and thus there was no replacement for the Vauxhall VX220 in the United Kingdom.
It also featured 18-inch alloy wheels and a folding cloth top similar to those found on the Solstice and the Sky. Since GM's Saturn division already shared models with Opel, the GT is in fact Opel's version of the Saturn Sky.
The Opel GT roadster differs from the Saturn Sky in very few, but subtle areas. It features a cigarette lighter on the driver's side door, two ashtrays (one on each door), a passenger-side storage cubby (instead of a speaker grate, behind the passenger seat), and a rear fog light. Opel made these changes to appeal to the European market, and because in Europe the Opel GT was considerably more expensive than the Saturn Sky, due to its captive-import status.
Additionally, Opel GT models did not include OnStar, as OnStar had not yet launched in Europe. Because of this, while 2009 MY Saturn Sky models had optional built-in Bluetooth, this option was not available on the Opel GT. At the time, all GM cars routed Bluetooth through the OnStar module, making it not viable to offer Bluetooth on the Opel GT.
Like the Saturn Sky, 2009 model year GTs do not have rear cupholders below the waterfall, leaving the car with a single cup holder that is prone to breaking on the passenger side of the drivetrain tunnel. The two deleted cupholders can be easily re-added. Unlike American Kappa-platform cars, the waterfall does not feature the emblem of the brand.
In terms of styling, the Opel GT features unique tail lights, and a unique front grille. Both of these changes were made from the original Opel GT roadster concept, which used Sky parts at the time. The rear bumper also has a wider license plate area, to accommodate European license plates.
Only two 2010 model year, VIN-coded cars were built under regular production, which were validation completed during the plant closure. While little known, it makes the 2010 MY Opel GT the rarest GM car in regular production, ever.
Production by model year
| Model Year | Total Opel GT (Roadster) Production[3] |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 2,365 |
| 2008 | 4,851 |
| 2009 | 301 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| Total | 7,519 |
References
- Henrion/Müller (1997). Opel GT Projekt 1484. Podszun. ISBN 3-86133-170-5.
- road test article compilation (n.d.). Opel GT Gold Portfolio 1968–1973. Brooklands Books. ISBN 1-85520-326-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
External links
- www.opelgtworld.de
- Opel Motorsport Club
- The Classic Opel Community
- VisualOpel - Illustrations, diagrams, and parts
- Forum for the 2007-2009 Opel GT
- Classic Opel Parts database
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