Geneva preview: 2007 Opel GT

Newswheel staff :: 01 February 2006 :: Filed under Front engine sportscar, Roadster, Opel / Vauxhall, Opel / Vauxhall Opel GT

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Opel jumps the gun with badge-engineered sports car

The Opel Speedster (Vauxhall VX220 here in Blighty) is dead. Long live the Opel GT. Following the teaser shot a few weeks ago, Opel has done the dirty on the new GT and released these first official images. The GT will have its first public airing at Geneva at the end of the month but sales a little further out – spring 2007.

Remember the original Opel GT? That seminal ‘70s sports car? A bit before our time, really. According to Opel, the original GT was the cult sports car of the ‘70s. Umm, right. We confess, the original GT is vaguely familiar, but unless the marketing drones at Opel instigate a reality check before the new car is wheeled out at Geneva, there’ll be an awful lot of sniggering.

Anywho, what to make of the new GT? Well, despite Opel’s claims that styling inspiration comes courtesy of VX Lightning concept of 2003, it’s pretty clear what the GT is: a (very) lightly worked over Saturn Sky, complete with GM’s four-cylinder ECOTEC engine. In fact, the makeover is so mild, Opel hasn’t even bothered to give the GT a set of new alloys. 18-inch rims pinched from the Sky have been deemed sufficient. Not quite, in other words, the Lotus-built, Elise-based thoroughbred that is the Speedster / VX220.

But that’s not necessarily bad news. It’s a proper rear-driver, thanks to GM’s compact Kappa platform (also used for the Pontiac Solstice) and that dreary-sounding ECOTEC four pot packs direct injection and 260bhp. That’s enough to hit 62mph in less than six seconds. Full whack is said to be well over 140mph. Too hot for Mazda’s Mx-5 to handle? Looks like it. And if it’s really good (and competitively priced), it might even make Porsche’s entry level, 240-odd bhp Boxster look just a little silly.

The Saturn Sky, for the record, kicks off at around $23,000 Stateside. Of course, that’s for a 170bhp non-turbo model. More info on availability and pricing as we get it.

Those Opel GT / Saturn Sky comparison pics in full (GT in black, Sky in silver):

P.S. Here’s a glimpse of what the GT’s interior will almost definitely look like, again courtesy of the Saturn Sky: