BETTER PARTS25 years Opel Calibra
Rüsselsheim, September 8, 2014
Opel builds iconic coupe. This short sentence can be quite positive values , but unfortunately most people think now inevitably to something stupid Bertie, played by Til Schweiger in " Manta, Manta " and his conspicuous broad, deep and colorful Manta B.
Proles carts and the working class
The film of 1991 visualized what all car Germany thought in this period: Opel coupe? They're tuned these rednecks carts with their mullet-bearing and coming from the working class drivers who have the blonde hairdresser in the passenger seat. This Opel built actually true cult coupe. We remember us back and think of the GT, the Commodore coupe or the Monza. Beautiful and now welcome guests to classic car events. And even if the Manta B was negatively charged, this car became even during its construction to the cult.
25th anniversary
It is the year 1989, are located at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Opel and proposes a new page in the history Coupé on. The Opel at the IAA provide a new sports coupé, the Calibra. What more could not imagine at this time: The Calibration should be with 238,647 units sold in seven years of production, the most successful sports coupe of the 90s.
Affordable and modern, the Calibra
Even the Manta series benefited from the large-scale engineering of Ascona. The Calibra served in technology issues accordingly in the closely related Vectra sedan. The large-scale art had a decisive advantage: The Calibra was comparatively low. The starting price was DM 33,900. But you got the Calibra with two-liter base engine and 115 hp.
Multiple world champion
The Calibra was world champion and in two segments. Firstly, Manuel Reuter was able to drive the coupe at the head of the International Touring Car Championship ( ITC ) in 1996, on the other hand, the air resistance of the vehicle was record-breaking. The achieved drag coefficient of 0.26 was until now the least of a series vehicle.
Standard comfortable, individually expandable
Despite the flat coupé lines and developed for optimum air guidance body of the Calibra was suitable for everyday use. An independent suspension, a semi-trailing arm rear axle, a regulated catalytic converter and a power steering were standard and early nineties are not yet common in the automotive industry. Connected to the long wheelbase ( 2,600 mm) provided the calibration for a coupe plenty of room for four passengers and up to 980 liter boot for their luggage. Who wanted more comfort, could expand the facilities by an air conditioner or an electric sunroof.
The main models to final production
Besides the aforementioned two-liter base petrol engine with 115 hp, the Calibra could be ordered as 16V. Double the number of valves got 150 hp from the two-liter engine and made the Opel sports car 223 km / h fast. The standard front-wheel drive, there was an optional all-wheel drive for the two-liter units. Standard was manual five-speed circuit. For the election was also a four-speed automatic and even a six-speed gearbox was available. The circuit with six courses was available from the 1992 Calibra Turbo reserved with standard all-wheel drive, 16 - inch alloy wheels and 204 hp sin.
Six-cylinder and the special editions
Just in time for Opel plant use in the German Touring Car Championship (1993/1994) ( 2.5 liters, 170 hp) and the various two-liter four-cylinder in the new white - yellow DTM - look came along the new Calibra V6. These came in May 1996, the Special Edition Cliff Motorsport. This painting corresponded to the Class 1 racer Manuel Reuter. In addition, the body lowered by 20 millimeters rolled on BBS alloy wheels for customers. The conclusion was the last edition, which was ordered by the end of April 1997. With sports suspension, BBS aluminum rims, leather interior and air conditioning, the final model was therefore luxurious. As engines of 2.5 - liter six-cylinder, or at that time already 136 hp entry-level petrol engine was a choice.
A victim of the amateur wrenches
On August 29, 1997 was officially concluded with Calibra. 25 years after the presentation and 17 years after end of production, the vehicle is now ripe for classic cars. Even if the opinion is divided into two parts, like when the Manta was a classic: potential to become a classic, the aerodynamics world champion. And, because the Opel was a pioneer not only technical, but because of the Calibra to certain parts of the story of the Manta B recapitulates: Due to the sporting genes to the entry-level price of the Calibra many hobby screwdrivers fell victim. This makes original copies to rare individual cases. Currently, there are still around 10,000 vehicles in Germany approved bearish . (ml)