1972 Opel GT

The Opel GT, initially intended as a show-car only, received overwhelming public acclaim following the 1965 Frankfurt Motor Show debut that it spurred its series-production, which eventually commenced in 1968. The Opel GT was designed by GM designer Clare MacKichan, who had previously been responsible for the styling of the 1955 Chevrolet line-up. The Open GT was given a pointed nose, a short rear deck with an aero-efficient Kamm tail, blade-type bumpers, and a fastback coupe bodystyle. The running gear and chassis were sourced from Opel's Kadett GT, including the transverse-leaf front suspension, disc brakes in the front, and drum brakes at the rear. It also had a worm-and-roller steering gear and a live rear axle with coil springs, radius arms, and a Panhard bar. Power was from either an overhead-valve 1.1-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 60 horsepower, or an overhead-cam 1.9-liter 'four' sourced from the Opel Manta coupe.

This was actually a coachbuilt vehicle, with Opel supplying Kadett floorpans to French body builder Brissoneau et Lotz, where the bodywork was fitted.

Even though the Opel GT had a small outer appearance, it offered a roomy and functional interior. In a similar fashion to the Corvette, the GT had no external trunk opening, necessitating the loading up luggage to a compartment behind the seats and concealed by a small curtain.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2016