The new GT Concept, claimed by the designers to be a direct descendant of the Experimental GT from the sixties as well as the Monza Concept that was presented in Frankfurt in 2013, will set the benchmark for future car designs from Vauxhall and Opel.

“The GT Concept will set the trend for further developments of the brand and shows the design philosophy for our future models,” said Mark Adams, currently head of Vauxhall’s European design division. “The GT Concept also pays homage to Vauxhall and Opel’s interpretations of a light-weight sports car from the mid-sixties which, like the modern-day GT Concept were thoroughly modern with dynamic sculptural forms.”

Unveiled at at last week’s Geneva motor show, the GT Concept’s puristic design language means there are no door handles or exterior door mirrors, and no superfluous decorative elements. With a long bonnet and ultra-short overhangs, a singular red signature line graphically splits the vehicle body horizontally. The absence of a trunk lid, the door design, the central dual exhaust, the looks of the steering wheel and of course, the name all refer to the original GT.

Underneath, the concept has a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged front mid-engine that delivers 143 bhp and maximum torque of 151 lb-ft. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that is operated by shift paddles on the steering wheel.

The two-seater with a total weight below 1,000 kg is claimed to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in less than eight seconds and has a top speed of 134 mph.

“The GT Concept shows that we are innovative and have a clear vision of where we are going,” said Opel Group CEO, Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.

Source: Opel

Tags: 2016 Geneva Motor Show, car design, concept car, Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, GM, Mark Adams, Monza Concept, Opel, Vauxhall