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This rather striking creation is the Opel GT Concept, which the German manufacturer will be displaying at the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) in March.
Said to encompass both the company's 'vision of the future sports car' and at the same time pay homage to some of Opel's concept cars of the past, the 2016 GT Concept is a lightweight, front-mid-engined, rear-wheel drive lightweight with a small capacity turbocharged engine.
The philosophy behind the Opel's eye-catching design is 'sculptural artistry meets technical precision' and some of its most distinctive features are as follows: the doors boast integrated side windows with a 'seamless' transition from the glass to the painted surface; to get into the car, the occupants need to touch a red signature line on the GT's roof and then the doors open electrically into the arches, allowing easy access in tight parking spaces; like any self-respecting concept car, the Opel GT does not possess exterior mirrors, instead relying on two rear-facing cameras for backwards visibility; the windscreen flows into a glass panorama roof; and it has 3D headlights, allowing for glare-free high-beam driving.
Its drivetrain configuration is even more interesting than the bodywork. It has a front-mid engine layout, which keeps the centre-of-gravity low and also benefits the GT's weight distribution. The engine is question is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged unit, developed from that found in the Adam, Corsa and Astra. Here, it develops 145hp and 205Nm; not huge figures, but thanks to a kerb weight of less than a tonne the GT is reasonably rapid. A six-speed sequential manual fires the drive at the rear wheels, resulting in a 0-100km/h time of less than eight seconds and a maximum speed of 214km/h.
The GT Concept bears the same name as the 1964 styling model that was the first to emerge from Opel's sister plant in Luton, UK, as well as two 'true' concept vehicles that Opel claims were also pioneers, in this case the first of their kind to appear from the design houses of a European manufacturer: the 1965 Opel Experimental GT and the 1966 Vauxhall XVR.