Test drive Opel celebrates 1996 victory with the famous Calibra V6

The classic AVD Oldtimer Grand Prix takes place at the Nürburgring.

The AVD Oldtimer Grand Prix at the legendary Nürburgring is the main event of the season for classic car lovers. This year, the Opel brand is celebrating its successful motorsport tradition with famous cars from the athletics championships. Leading the grid is the Calibra V6, which won the 1996 International Touring Car (ITC) championship. The black Calibra with Cliff's promotional logo, piloted by Manuel Reuters, won the last title in the ITC series, despite strong competition from the teams. Alfa Romeo and Mercedes. At the Nürburgring, the all-wheel drive Calibra will be piloted by former DTM driver and Opel brand ambassador Joachim (“Jockel”) Winkelhock.

But the Calibra V6 won't be alone at launch. The ITC champion car will be driven by an Irmscher Manta A (with which rally legends Walter Röhl and Rauno Aaltonen won the 24 Spa 1975 Hours), a Group 4 Gerent Opel GT with 300 hp. With. racing Steinmetz Commodore since 1971. Other crowd favorites include the Group 5 Opel Rekord C, also known as the "Black Widow", as well as the Group H Opel Manta, which hasn't missed the Nürburgring 24 Hours since its debut on the circuit. The 8-horsepower Astra V500 Coupe that won the 24 Green Hell 2003-Hour Marathon also made itself at home with Manuel Reiter, Timo Scheider, Marcel Tiemann and Volker Strichek. The racing Astra called the OPC X-Treme is almost in series production, and the car, presented at the brand's booth at the Geneva Motor Show in 2001, will be shown at the Oldtimer Grand Prix this year. Especially for rally fans, the OPC X-Treme will accompany at the Opel Classic booth in the paddock three rally cars piloted by former world and European rally champion Walter Röhl – Ascona A and Kadett C GT / E from the legendary era of Röhl / Berger and Opel Ascona 400, where Rehl and his co-driver Christian Geistdörfer took the crown of the 1982 World Rally Championship.

In addition to the classic sports cars, the current generation of Opel will feature a track touring car from the TCR series. The new Opel Astra TCR will officially debut as part of the Oldtimer GP and will join the Calibra V6 and the company on the track. The Opel Astra TCR combines a production car and the latest racing technology, allowing customer teams to race on short and marathon tracks in accordance with strictly regulated rules. The five-door Astra is powered by a highly efficient 2,0-liter turbo engine, regulated by the regulations to 300 hp. and 420 Nm of maximum torque. But with a curb weight of only 1200 kilograms, these figures are more than enough to provide a very attractive sporting show for the public and accessible for teams on the track.

2020-08-29