Opel will use the upcoming Geneva Motor Show to resurrect one of its most iconic cars, the GT.

Last week Opel teased us with a vague video of the GT Concept, and now most of the details have surfaced. According to Opel, the GT concept is a "direct descendant"of the iconic Opel GT and Monza Concept and will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016. The front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive Opel GT concept adopts the brand’s sculptural design philosophy with the intention of showcasing Opel’s pioneering spirit, which was so evident when the first GT hit the streets way back in 1968.

“We are taking the next step towards even more emotion and driving pleasure with the Opel GT Concept. The GT Concept shows what Opel stands for now. We are confident, ambitious, innovative and we want win over more customers with every new car,” said Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.

Futuristic Styling for the Opel GT Concept

The original Opel Experimental GT was first shown as a design exercise at the Geneva Motor Show in 1965 and it was such a hit with the public that Opel decided to put in into production three years later. Now, this very futuristic-looking GT Concept will also make its first appearance in Geneva and we can only wonder whether this GT concept will ever make production. We have our doubts…

The Opel GT concept features a prominent red signature line and comes fitted with red tyres, both of which are references to the 1928 Opel Motoclub 500 motorcycle that also had red tyres. The only design elements linking this GT concept to the original GT is the long bonnet, absence of a boot lid, central dual exhausts, and its name.

"We created the GT Concept to capture the bold, emotional spirit of the Opel brand. It is dramatic, sculptural and full of innovations, which is our great tradition that we intend to continue. Back in 1965, Opel developed the Experimental GT, a thoroughly modern vehicle that also boasted a pure sculptural shape. It’s certainly difficult to reinvent an icon but just as the Experimental GT was avant-garde back then, so too is this GT Concept today – absolutely pure, minimalistic, yet bold and uncompromising. This coupé impressively demonstrates the continuous development of our Design philosophy – ‘Sculptural Artistry meets German precision’,” said Mark Adams, Vice President, Design Europe.

The Opel GT concept has no door handles on the large electric doors with integrated side windows. Passengers access the cabin by pressing a touchpad found on the red signature line on the roof. You will also notice that this GT Concept has no side mirrors. Opel have instead mounted two cameras behind the wheel arches which relay images onto two screens inside the cockpit. The windshield also blends into the panoramic glass roof which gives occupants maximum visual pleasure of the outside world.

The Opel IntelliLux LED matrix headlights on the GT Concept are quite unique too in that they feature ‘ultra-modern projection technology’ and shine three-dimensionally. They also allow for glare-free high-beam driving and are also found on the latest Opel Astra. The rear tail lights also feature a 3D design, giving the GT concept a distinct look when the sun goes down.

Small capacity engine

This Opel GT concept is fitted with a 1.0-litre 3 cylinder turbopetrol engine based on the 1.0-litre engine used in other Opel products such as the Adam, Corsa and Astra. This small capacity engine, which delivers 107 kW and 205 Nm of torque, powers the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential transmission operated by shift paddles on the steering wheel.

With a total weight below 1000 kg’s, the GT concept can achieve 0-100kph in under 8 seconds with a top speed of 215kph.

Does it live up to its predecessor?

The original Opel GT relied on dramatically curvaceous looks to win over buyers. It was popularly referred to as a "mini-Corvette", as it resembled a downscaled version of that American icon. Underneath the exotic skin, however, it used a lot of Opel Kadett parts to keep costs down. It was produced from 1968 to 1973.

Cars.co.za's Consumer Experience Manager, Hannes Oosthuizen, previously owned a 1971 example of the Opel GT and is ideally placed to comment on the rebirth:

"Resurrecting a classic name can fall flat very easily if a new car is too far removed from the one that inspired it," says Oosthuizen."Overall, however, I think Opel has done a pretty good job, and certainly much better than the 2007 attempted rebirth by rebadging the Saturn Sky.

"The combination of a long bonnet and short tail has been retained in this new concept, and even though the contemporary legislation doesn't allow Opel to copy the trademark rotating headlamps of the original, this new concept is pretty true to the original in overall appearance.

"I like it a lot more than I thought I would! It also appears to mechanically follow in the footsteps of the original, by using an engine from mainstream Opels and by keeping the weight down. They don't seem to have any plans to build it just yet… but I wish they would!"