Opel Speedster: 21 years ago a spider with Lotus DNA was born – Sports Cars
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Opel Speedster: 21 years ago a spider with Lotus DNA was born – Sports Cars
Twenty-one years ago, at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, the world premiere of the Opel prototype took place. fast ship, A 2-seat spider created by a German manufacturer for driving pleasure lovers.
Developed from Opel International Technical Research Center Rüsselsheim in cooperation with Lotus Engineering Norfolk, England, Opel Speedster it had an aluminum chassis and a composite body. The engine, located at the rear center, was a new 4-cylinder ECOTEC engine, which Opel produced at the plant in Opel. Kaiserlautern, in Germany, with a working volume of 1800 to 2200 cubic meters. see for the various models in this range. The 2,2-liter version fitted to the Speedster, with 4 valves per cylinder and direct injection, developed 147 hp. (108 kW) and allowed a speed of up to 100 km / h in less than 6 seconds. It reached a top speed of 220 km / h and weighed only 800 kg.
Lotus DNA and the German Heart
La Opel Speedster It was built on the platform of the second generation Lotus Elise Spider, which differed from the previous series with a slightly modified chassis and electronic control unit developed by Lotus. The decision to partner with the British manufacturer dates back to when Opel was preparing to celebrate its XNUMX anniversary.
La fast ship It was assembled at the Lotus plant in Hethel, about 150 km northeast of London, where the production base of the famous British sports car manufacturer has been located since 1967. Quality control was entrusted to a team of Opel technicians responsible for verifying that the German manufacturer's directives and procedures were followed during production.
Then, in 2004, the performance of the Opel Speedster increased dramatically with the introduction of the 2.0 hp 200-liter ECOTEC Turbo engine. (147 kW) from Astra. Thanks to its low weight of only 930 kg, new improved Speedster Turbo he was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 in just 4.9 seconds and exceed 240 km / h.
In the spring of 2006, the Opel Speedster will cease production after nearly 8.000 vehicles have been produced.
