Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website IAA Premiere: New Opel Corsa Meets Rare Corsa GT
agosto 29, 2019 - Opel

IAA Premiere: New Opel Corsa Meets Rare Corsa GT

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

  • Predecessor: rare first-generation #Corsa on #Opel stand
  • Time-travel: 1987 “young-timer” drives 2,700km from Portugal to IAA
  • World premiere: sixth-generation #Corsa in the spotlight at Frankfurt show
  • In the tradition: from sporty #Corsagt to battery-electric Corsa-e Rally

 

Rüsselsheim.  #Opel is celebrating three world premieres at this year’s #IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show (public days September 12-22). The new Astra with high efficiency engines, the Grandland X Hybrid4 with all-wheel drive (WLTP1 fuel consumption, weighted, combined: 1.6 l/100 km, 37 g/km CO2; NEDC2: 1.6 l/100 km, 36 g/km CO2) and the new sixth-generation Corsa in three versions. The best-selling small car (more than 13.6 million units) is going electric and with the Corsa-e Rally – also making its debut at the #IAA – even forms the basis of an emissions-free competition car. At the #IAA the new #Corsa will be joined by a special guest – a rare 1987 #Corsagt in yellow, a testament to 37 years of fun and success. The not-so-old-timer was driven from its last home in Portugal to the #Opel Classic Workshop in Rüsselsheim. From there it will drive to the #IAA in Frankfurt, where it will contribute tradition and further excitement to the launch of the new #Corsa.

Opel the reliable: 2,700km from Porto to Rüsselsheim via Zaragoza

It took a while for #Opel Classic to find a scarce first-generation #Corsagt. This particular example, originally registered in Spain, was languishing, forgotten, in a garage in Portugal. The drive to Frankfurt for the small, unassuming Gran Turismo starts from a carpark at the harbour of Porto.

Opel offered the GT from April 1985 until autumn 1987. It was the successor of the Corsa SR, with a 70hp 1.3-litre carburettor engine. The extra power and the subtle spoilers made the GT the sportsman of the first #Corsa generation – until the more extrovert GSi arrived in 1988. A five-speed manual gearbox tamed the thirst and the rpm on longer trips.

Even today, keeping up with the traffic in the #Corsagt is surprisingly quiet and effortless. There is no unnecessary firmness in the chassis, no slack in the steering and no superfluous information in the instrument panel: apart from the usual dials, only a rev counter and an oil pressure gauge. The fuel consumption matches the official figures of the time – more than six litres per 100km is hardly ever burned. The 750kg kerb weight is a big help here, and also allows a power-to-weight ratio of 10.71kg per horsepower.

On the way from Portugal to Rüsselsheim, the GT drops in at Zaragoza, where it was built in 1987. The car is even allowed to visit the production plant. As the yellow #Corsa stops at the assembly line, lots of employees come over as if to greet a long lost friend.

The journey east goes past Barcelona, across France and from Basel along the Rhine. A total of 2,700km for a 32-year-old #Corsa that was ripped out of peaceful retirement in Portugal – without any repairs for the long road trip. As the GT pulls up in Rüsselsheim, the #Opel Classic team is waiting eagerly.

Project “IAA 2019”: from plucky pensioner to show star

The warm sunshine in Spain and Portugal has been good for the #Corsagt. A life without salty roads means no rust, no rot. The yellow oldie is still in good condition. The TÜV agrees and after the check-up for German registration the inspectors put their precious sticker on the licence plate. But now comes the much higher hurdle: the experts from #Opel Classic give the new arrival a thorough examination. Several pairs of beady eyes discover numerous more or less serious imperfections – dents in the roof, non-original badging, scratched glass, worn out seat cushions. Even the horn sounds wrong! In the end the car is taken apart completely.

The Classic team get together with their colleagues from the Service Workshop. “Project #IAA 2019” is formed, under the leadership of Thorsten Götz and Dieter Eder. Piece by piece they rebuild the #Corsa puzzle. First the reconditioned engine, followed by the suspension, shock absorbers and springs. The freshly painted body gets new trim and the correct GT badges. Then come the original light-alloy wheels. Finally the windows are installed, thanks to a friendly #Opel dealer who has them in stock, of course. The #Corsagt is now ready for its second life that will begin in grand style – at the 68th IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show. Visitors can admire the freshly restored #Corsagt on the #Opel stand D31 in hall 11.0. The world premiere of the sixth-generation #Corsa is bound to benefit.

 

[1] Fuel consumption and CO2-emission data given are preliminary and have been determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). EG type approval and Certificate of Conformity are not yet available. The preliminary values might differ from official final type approval data.

[2] Fuel consumption and CO2-emission data given are preliminary and have been determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology, and the relevant values are translated back into NEDC to allow the comparability with other vehicles, according to regulations R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1153 and R (EU) No. 2017/1151. EG type approval and Certificate of Conformity are not yet available. The preliminary values might differ from official final type approval data.

News correlate

febbraio 14, 2024
febbraio 14, 2024
gennaio 30, 2024

Fa battere forte il cuore (non solo) a San Valentino: la piccola Opel è perfetta per single e coppieCampagna di successo: ispirazi...

Dal 13 febbraio al fine marzo 2024, si svolgerà a Roma la mostra “Identitalia The Iconic Italian Brands", organizzata dal Minister...

Elevata quota di veicoli elettrici: aumento delle vendite del 22%Strategia di internazionalizzazione: aumento del 62% al di fuori ...

Ti potrebbe interessare anche

novembre 07, 2023
settembre 27, 2023
agosto 03, 2023

Stellantis consolida la seconda posizione nella classifica delle vendite totali del mercato europeo (UE29), assicurandosi una quot...

Settima tappa dell’ADAC #opel Electric #rally Cup “powered by GSe”Reiter o Carlberg: chi vincerà il primo campionato del mondo di ...

L'artista berlinese progetta un'auto da rally elettricaLa pionieristica #opel #corsarallyelectric diventa  "Art Car"Le donne si co...