Test drive Opel GT: Yellow danger

Opel is a brand best known for making smart and practical cars at an affordable price. However, along with this, the company needs to update its image, and one of the proven recipes for this is to launch a model designed for fun. Test of the German model of American origin Opel GT.

The Opel GT is actually the technology twin of the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, two roadsters that General Motors US has been selling (and more than successfully) overseas for about two years now. The proportions of the car are worthy of a racer of a much higher class - a long and proudly drained torpedo, a small and neat cockpit, a short, sloping and massive rear end, a remarkably low and very wide body. It is difficult to argue about this - this car attracts attention, arouses curiosity and commands respect. Somehow imperceptibly, but even partly almost animal-powered Viper's Evasion.

There is no room for prejudice

If you believe the conventional wisdom about cars of American origin, then this roadster should be equipped with an eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of at least four liters, consume at least 25 liters per hundred kilometers (for a more economical ride ...) to be with equipment made several decades ago, and may have the road behavior of a family limousine. That is, to be the exact opposite of the idea of ​​​​a classic roadster. But this time it looks different. Designed by Bob Lutz, it's exactly what we least expect from a post-bunny job in the automotive industry. Now the little athlete already has a European version sold under the Opel brand, and the design and construction of the car has undergone further changes aimed at meeting the needs and tastes of the Old Continent clientele. For those who think that American convertibles are constantly chasing the size that is considered normal in our latitudes in the luxury class, let's look at the dimensions of the GT body - the car is only 4,10 m long and only 1,27 m high. Perhaps, to some extent Surprisingly, the car has a rear suspension on transverse and longitudinal struts - a classic European scheme for cars of this class. Assumptions about the existence of an ultra-slow “osmak” under the hood, the manners of which have not changed much since its creation around the mid-50s, are also unfounded. Rear-wheel drive is assigned to an in-line four-cylinder engine with a volume of only two liters, which, however, thanks to its turbocharger, reaches a monstrous 132,1 liter power of 264 hp. With. / l. This is the work of the Opel ORS tuning division, and in this case, its power is increased to XNUMX horsepower.

Roadster as if taken from a textbook

In fact, aside from some design choices, the only typical American thing about this model is the interior. Which means the presence of a familiar picture - an abundance of plastic that is not very pleasant to look at or touch, the assembly of which is not very accurate, as evidenced by the appearance of some noise when driving on poor asphalt. Otherwise, the equipment includes everything necessary for a representative of this segment - air conditioning, audio system, steering wheel adjustment, sports seats, power windows and even cruise control. The cockpit definitely cannot be called spacious, and because of the short stature, getting in and out is not very convenient, but the second is absolutely inevitable, and with regard to the first, it should be added that there is enough space for people with short or medium stature, the situation begins to look more problematic for people above 1,80 m.

Cockpit like a racer

The driving position is like a typical sports car - the seat provides excellent lateral support, the steering wheel, pedals and gear lever are located so that the driver becomes one with them in literally no time. Turning the ignition key causes an angry gurgle, which is hardly expected from an engine with similar characteristics. One of the things that takes some getting used to is the not-so-harmonious way to start the car – if you don't get enough throttle, it just goes out, and pushing the right pedal too generously causes the rear wheels to spin violently. Acceleration in the first four gears feels almost menacing at times, and especially third gear (in which, by the way, the GT is capable of a "modest" 156 km / h ...) can make you wonder if you would. used until the tank runs out of fuel. The combination of a raspy voice from under the hood, an angry growl from the exhaust system, and the hiss of a turbocharger results in an acoustic design that is generally considered an almost impossible feat for a four-cylinder car.

Authentic driving experience

The clutch pedal is “hard”, short travel, high speed lever is located in an optimal ergonomic solution, the support for the left foot is made perfectly, and the straightness of the steering borders on a professional go-kart. The braking test results are fantastic, and the braking force dosage could hardly be better. If you have enough skill, this machine can achieve the lateral accelerations that are characteristic of athletes in much higher categories, but if the person is not completely confident in himself, the idea of ​​\uXNUMXb\uXNUMXbsuch experiments is definitely not advisable. Throttle is more abruptly applied or retracted, the rear end becomes treacherously “peeping out”, the rear wheels lose traction easily, and driving a car with ultra-direct steering in some situations is not an easy task. Therefore, one of the best tips for those who have the desire but lack the skills and experience to drive an extreme sports car is that the GT is designed entirely for the pleasure of the pilot and co-pilot, but is also a toy that requires a steady hand and full concentration. and falling into the wrong hands at the wrong time can be dangerous.

If you want to go slowly - please, you are on the move!

Funnily enough, driving slowly with this roadster also has its own charm - the turbo starts pulling impressively from about 2000rpm and at low speeds with a positive you will have time to draw more attention to yourself. The comfort of driving on asphalt and, in general, the passage of bumps at a slow pace are not the strengths of the model, but at high speeds the situation becomes more acceptable. Although the boot capacity becomes a comic value of 66 liters when the guru is removed, there are still additional niches behind the seats, so a weekend at sea for two seems to be quite a feasible task for the GT, as long as the luggage is in moderation. And since it is a guru - despite wearing the Opel brand, the open model shows some practical weaknesses in this regard, as the textile roof is raised and lowered entirely by hand, and the procedure is relatively simple, but not very convenient to perform. Here, however, it is time to return to the true nature of things - this is a classic compact sports roadster, in which case we are looking for things like the lowest possible weight, dynamics, optimal handling and so on, as well as the use of heavy and heavy trucks. an expensive electric roof will only dilute the philosophy of the model.

At the end…

Finally, let's ward off another possible misconception about the nature of this model, one that charmingly reminds us that a car isn't always just a means of getting from point A to point B - it's all about price. By default, sports cars are expensive and accessible to only a few. However, even here the GT does not fit into the generally accepted framework. The cost of the tested car is slightly less than 72 leva - the amount with a positive result cannot be called insignificant or insignificant. But considering that in competition, the opportunity to enjoy a racing sports car with similar power and comparable potential costs at least 000 10 leva more, things are starting to look different. Without pretending to be perfect, the Opel GT is a wonderful pleasure car that not only overcomes a bunch of clichés, but certainly deserves to be called one of the most intriguing offerings in the class of affordable sports cars.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov

Photo: Miroslav Nikolov

Evaluation

Opel GT

The Opel GT offers plenty of power and a classic convertible at an attractive price point. On-road behavior and dynamic performance at the level of a racing sports car. It makes sense that comfort and practicality are definitely not the strengths of this model.

technical details

Opel GT
Working volume	-
Power	194 kW (264 hp)
Maximum torque	-
Acceleration 0-100 km / h	6,3 with
Braking distances at a speed of 100 km / h	36 m
full speed	229 km / h
Average consumption fuel in the test	12,3 l / 100 km
Base Price	71 846 levov