Vauxhall GT Concept revealed ahead of Geneva debut

Opel has quietly delivered a surprise blow to the usual roster of teaser – spy shots (harder here since it’s a concept) – leaks on the web – that preceded important introductions (just think of the E Class). Some people might need to get their spectacles checked, as the auto in the “photographs” was clearly a rendering and not actually present when the shot was taken.

According to Opel, the front mid-engine and rear-wheel drive GT Concept is a direct descendant of the Opel GT and the Monza Concept and represents the next step forward in its design philosophy. The design of the GT Concept pays tribute to two other sporty cars from Vauxhall’s history, the 1966 Vauxhall XVR and the 1965 Opel Experimental GT.

Opel describes it as “purebred, pared down, yet unashamedly avant-garde”. So a future Opel/Vauxhall production version could be of interest to Holden, which plans to source more than one-third of its model range from Europe after Australian manufacture ceases next year. It’s lighter than an MX-5 and can accelerate to 100kmh in less than eight seconds.

Opel went a step further in uniqueness and integrated the glass with the doors, making it nearly impossible to distinguish where the door ends and the glass begins.

From the red front tyres – a colour theme that extends into the roof, via a strip used as a touchpad to open the doors – to the intricate wheels and those doors themselves, which open into the front wings, it’s a riot of fanciful detailing. Instead of mirrors, two cameras mounted behind the wheel arches project a moving image onto two screens mounted on the inside of the cabin.

As for the mechanical stuff, it uses a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo.

The windscreen flows into a glass full-length roof, which is said to create a similar experience to driving in a targa-topped vehicle. Vauxhall is especially proud of the ultra-modern headlamp and indicators installed on the concept vehicle, the award winning IntelliLux LED matrix lighting that has been upgraded to allow glare-free high-beam driving.

It might not sound like a potent engine, but the GT Concept also tips the scales at a scant 2,205 pounds. Down the back, the rear lamps are in a three-dimensional design, the company says.

GM This concept is modern, it’s ambitious, and we just can’t look away.