2007 Salon
International d'Auto et Accessoires, Geneva, Switzerland
Opel GTC Concept
The world premiere of the GTC Concept (Gran
Turismo Coupé) at the 77th Geneva Motor Show gives an insight into how
dynamic and refreshing Opel’s new design language will look in the
future. “This concept car demonstrates the new interpretation of the
Opel brand,” explains Alain Visser, Executive Director, European Opel
Marketing. “The GTC Concept embodies the confident, emotional direction
we’re taking with Opel. Its exciting lines combined with its high
driving dynamics and interior flexibility reflect what the Opel brand
trademark characteristics will be in the future.” Even a new, more
refined brand emblem, with the Opel name proudly embossed into the Blitz
ring, is suggested.
“You have seen a number of recent
concept cars become reality at Opel,” says Hans Demant, Opel´s
Managing Director and GME Vice President Engineering. “Concepts
like the GTC Genève and Antara GTC or the Flex-Fix rear carrier
system from the TRIXX previewed their production variants. This car
is a confident ambassador for the brand and could play a similar
role for us, previewing the engineering and design cues of our
next-generation Opels.”
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The four-seat coupé is powered by a 220
kW/300 hp, 2.8-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine and features an
intelligent, electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system, which
provides optimum traction and stability as well as excellent agility in
all driving conditions.
Brand-typical on-board flexibility
is ensured by the thoughtful “Flex4” system (patent application
submitted). The backs of both rear seats can be docked separately to the
front seats by remote control, creating a spacious three or two-seater
with flat load floor and up to 1020 liters of luggage compartment
capacity. As is typical of Opel cars, the seats do not have to be
removed or installed.
The GTC Concept reveals the
next-generation of Opel styling. Much like the Opel Speedster did in
1999, or the GTC Genève Concept did in 2003 this car marks a break in
the evolution of Opel’s design language and signals that the next
chapter is about to be written.
Key elements of the silk grey-lacquered
Coupé concept car finished with a matte grey paint (length/width/height:
4830/1867/1432 millimeters, wheelbase: 2737 mm) begin with an aggressive
front end performance face emphasized by large aluminum vertical intakes
that intersect the headlamps. These vertical elements are mimicked in
the rear exhaust elements, proposing an unmistakable down-the-road
signature performance graphic, coming or going.
The proud front is highlighted by a
prominent, trapezoidal grille with signature Opel bar and Blitz,
executed in polished aluminum, and gracefully finished with a bolder
Opel Blitz emblem concept. The centerline crease coupled with the
distinctive aluminum vertical intakes and outboard LED vertical driving
lamps choreograph in harmony to visually communicate power and strength.
The distinctive design continues with LED technology, enabling creative
headlamp inner shapes that propose a night time signature illumination
graphic in the front and rear lamps.
Another significant design cue of
the two-door sport-coupé with its sleek silhouette is the sophisticated
bodyside shapes and surfacing. The sheetmetal surfaces suggest
athleticism coupled with elegance to provide tasteful distinction in a
visually loud marketplace. The car features sculpted side lines that
further progress the Opel profile shown on the Antara and Opel GT
production vehicles.
In addition, large flares hug the
aggressive wheel and tire package, visually suggesting road confidence
to the customer. Thanks to the wide track (front/rear: 1627/1629 mm),
the Opel GTC Concept provides a commanding stance, planted by 20-inch
rims with 245/40 R20 “red line” styled rubber. The wheels reference the
motor sport aesthetic of black rims - however, elegantly finished with
high- gloss black spokes contrasted with machine polished edges,
alluding a signature performance wheel look.
The GTC Concept’s rear visual
solutions strategically echo the design language of the nose with an
integrated rear bar and blitz emblem resting on the distinctive Opel
rear center crease. Sophisticated surface development sculpturally
integrates the rear spoiler into the sheetmetal to visually communicate
performance.
The rear appearance features Opel signature
shaped rear lamps, uniquely displaying a LED night lighting graphic
showcasing the exterior brand identity. The smart exterior shape and
aerodynamic characteristics are rewarded by the cD value of 0.25.
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Opel’s interior designs have
progressed to become warmer and more inviting in products like the
new Corsa, Antara and Opel GT. However, the Opel GTC Concept
significantly represents the next chapter of Opel’s interior brand
identity. Echoing the exterior, the interior shapes and surfaces are
sculpturally-crafted to visually articulate a dynamic driving
experience. The dashboard’s top-pad wraps around from the instrument
panel to the door, embracing the occupants. The sweeping décor
dynamically stretches one’s eye from the surfaces of the door and
instrument panel, creating a memorable environment. The horizontal
theme is secured with a large integrated centerstack design floating
above the décor surface, an appearance reminiscent of premium audio
equipment.
Complementing the exterior material
theme, matte ebony surfaces are contrasted with rich high-gloss
piano black décor finishes and structurally elegant aluminum
accents, revealing a new standard of Opel aesthetics. The U-shaped
aluminum graphic on the steering wheel is reflected again on the
center console and the gear shifter, visually connecting the driving
interfaces to emphasize Opel’s driving dynamics. The rotating
navigation control is ergonomically positioned, allowing it to
easily be located and controlled by the driver, without having to
remove his/her eyes from the road. The four, sporty, round
instruments encircled by translucent rings are backlit in dynamic
red, replacing Opel’s traditional amber tones. These interior
appearance solutions intentionally reinforce the dynamic ownership
experience Opel provides.
As a final identity concept, the refined
“redline” graphic of the tire pattern is vertically woven into the contoured
sport seat surfaces and the centerline of the steering wheel, proposing that
a visual performance identity can be distinctive without compromising taste.
With the lower seating position and vertical
hip point known as the H-point , both front occupants sit perfectly
integrated in the car. Thanks to the lower-set instrument panel, outward
visibility remains excellent. This also provides a generous sense of space,
an effect strengthened by its color: the instrument panel’s upper section is
dark, while the lower section is light.
The intelligent packaging is further
highlighted by plenty of space in the rear of the Opel Concept car, despite
its flat roof line: rear headroom is 920 millimeters. The rear seats are set
low, but the four-seat, two-door car still offers Opel’s brand-typical
flexibility thanks to a novelty developed by Opel engineers: the “Flex4”
interior concept (patent application submitted).
“Flex4” enables the backs of both the rear
seats in the Coupé concept car to be moved forward separately at the touch
of a button via sensor-control and docked to the front seats. The luggage
compartment cover is thereby automatically pulled over the remaining seat
surfaces in the floor. This creates a three or two-seater with a flat load
floor up to 1.80 meters long. Luggage compartment capacity increases from
500 liters to 755 liters (three-seater) or up to 1020 liters (maximum
capacity: up to waistline).
The Opel GTC concept car is powered by
a turbocharged, 220 kW/300 hp, 2.8-liter V6 gasoline engine with two
variable camshafts, which is combined with a six-speed manual transmission.
Maximum torque of 400 Nm is available from 1850 up to 4500 rpm, and
accelerating from zero to 100 km/h is calculated to take around six seconds.
Top speed is limited to 250 km/h.
The power from the high-tech turbo engine
is channeled via an advanced, electronically-controlled four-wheel drive
system, which is fully integrated into the car’s adaptive IDSPlus chassis
management system. An electronically-regulated torque transfer device
seamlessly distributes power between the front and rear axles for optimum
traction and driving performance. The high-speed control allows more power
to be provided to the rear axle before any traction loss can occur, for
example during quick acceleration. This creates a driving feel similar to a
sporty rear-wheel drive car. An electronically-controlled limited slip
differential at the rear axle provides additional stability and traction
thanks to torque distribution between the rear wheels.
