It will be a long tale, if one make up his or her mind to describe Opel Omega, Opel Astra, Opel Corsa all together. This story is only about Opel GT...
Who would think that the history of legendary Opel GT would be begun at the ordinary party with its unmeaning talks about the weather and how many cubic meters will the neighbor sawmill saw by this autumn? Harley Earl stood with a goblet of bourbon, taping on the window glass. It was drizzling. Coming back from the party, Earl's sons were awkwardly parking their car - a clumsy dilapidated conveyance, the gift of grandfather. It seemed that Earl was stroked by lightning. He hardly showed the door to guests, waited until night was over and no sooner did he appear at the office he gathered all his stuff.
Forget about all that we do before. How do you think what is present-day young man dreaming about? About Villise, on which his father conquered the Germany? Nothing of the kind. He dreams about opened sport two-seat car. And from that moment we shall work exactly at such car- fast and cheap and simple at the same time.
Harley Earl had the right to give these explicit demands: he was the main stylist of General Motors Company. Firstly, no success can be suspicious. Especially in price. Newborn Corvettes cost 3532$ - What students of colleges could buy it? For this money, one could buy rather grown-up Buick. Decoration... it was like split of car personality. On the one hand, it pretended on prestige. On the other there were wretched made of cloth curtains and miserable door-handles. Automatic transmission Powerglide did not promote the sails of "true tiger" as well. Nevertheless, Corvette became the most famous and the most desired sport car of America. Automobile successfully took part in different competitions. In 1963, designers of General Motors created the dream-car, called Mako-Shark-II, stylistic dominants of which became the base for the next, the third generation of Corvettes already.
In the middle of 60-th the Germans had a wish to bring Corvette into Europe. And they fulfill it. The name of new car was simple, but rather pretentious: GT(Grand Turismo). After offering a new conception "the time of new sport cars, sport views, modern technique for accessible prices has come", in 1965 Opel Company exhibited trial variant of GT in order to define the feasible reaction of potential customers.
The next year, the next exhibition it was decided to "push"the car on the market. However only in 1968, new GT appeared finally in salons of sale. Opel GT was produced in two variants of small 4-cylinder engineer: GT-1100 è GT-1900. Nonetheless, in many respects its speed opportunities were not inferior to the American monster: 199kmhr and 185 kmhr accordingly.
It was not so bad for the car, price of which was little more than10 000marks, in comparison with Corvette of 1668 - in Germany it cost 4 times expensive. Two models were available: Opel GT-A 1100 SR with motor of 1078 cubic cm and 60Hp and Opel GT-AL 1900 S with motor of 1897cubic cm. and 90 Hp. The last are still well reserved.
Great rarity Opel GT Cabrio assisted at production program with even greater rarity - half-open version targa (demountable top and rigid framework instead of cover), which was produced only in two exemplars for the Frankfurt exhibition in1969. Versions of body cabriolet had round cloth, leather salon and soft tent, a top, of which one could easily get rid off. This version gain huge population among youth due to its elegant appearance and serious promotion company of Opel. Stylish round headlights, putting itself away into the bonnet - it was worth to see!
Opel GT was a car of American idea and it had some success beyond the ocean. About 70% of all machines were realized there.
It was not the best decision to hide in stocky and raptorial car not the mighty sport heart but low-powered cheerless motors. It became the reason for rapid activity of tuning companies, offering remaking motors for some reward. In its turn, it was the reason for the "pilgrimage"to Virgillio Conrero.
In 1970, he had a reputation of the best Italian tuner of engineer details. Senior Conrero even being a boy spent all of his free time at the workshop of his father. Only due to the happy case, he was not there at August 3 in 1932, when the burst destroyed the building, and all being there including Conrero-the oldest died. It was an accident. 14-years old Virgilio then became a mechanic of engineers and after the war had been working on Fiat for a long time, before the fame and following after it prestige orders came.
Engineer of Opel GT was not a very difficult work, its construction let to make changes without affecting the main of its parts. Engineer of Opel GT came back from the magician Conrero with the power of 193 Hp and ability of making 8000 turns per minute. The speed of 240kmhr converted the drive into the flight with the 6 seconds of taking off.
Actually, the debut of new car nearly failed. No, no, not the car was the reason. When in 1971 the car was rolled out for running in onto the racing track, Conrero even had not time to take the steering wheel. One man driving Porsche 911 did not blend with the turn and caught on the senior, whose right leg was broken therefore.
However henceforward Opel GT with triumph left track after track, giving many unpleasant moments to its rivals. For example, on the Targa-Florio races (where is reaching for finish is already the exploit) it yield only to special single models of Porsche and Alfa Romeo.
Another version for the youth was Opel GTJ (J=Junior). It was being produced from 1970 until 1973. Its traits were horizontal moldings with the inscription GTJ on the perimeter of body and special discs. Interior of salon was also remade; some new devices and velour upholstery appeared.
During six years, Germans produced about 103 thousands of mini-corvettes. Not the largest number in the world but it was not the purpose in fact. Opel GT was the car of sons from well-off families, who cannot afford Porsche.
Opel GT2 Coupe was shown in 1975 on Frankfurt exhibition. Ultramodern sport coupe in a streamlined body with the doors, moving back. It was just not in time. The energy crisis urgently whispered the leaders of General Motors that one Corvette is quite enough, and the output of the second generation was abolished. Among the model line of Opel only little sport Manta remained. Again Corvette became the an American attribute with its party, bourbon and sawmills.
Opel GT Reincarnation.
At the autosalon in Detroit new sport roadster Sky was shown. It has the following parameters:
The volume of engineer is 2.4 liters, the power is 170Hp (in the future it will receive also motors of 210 and 280Hp), mechanic 5-step gearbox, its length is 4.09, width-1.81, height-1.27, its beauty is beyond description. How does it connected with the Opel GT? Very closely.By the end of year 2006, the twin of new Sky will appear on the European market. It will be new, revived almost from ashes Opel GT.