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2007 Opel GT Launch in Palm springs, CA

12K views 53 replies 32 participants last post by  Gary 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is official notice, that the "media blackout" imposed regarding the Opel GT Introduction Event, is now lifted. (Thursday 10AM local time).

It was necessary, to impose this blackout, to provide security for media representatives and restrict photographic assess to new Opel vehicles, during this event. Opel (as a division of General Motors) needed to know that they could rely upon the U.S. Opel Community to act in support of the extraordinary efforts they made, to ensure this event was a success.

Event participants, are now authorized to share their images and stories, that are associated with
this event.

Mod Edit: Post photos Here
 
#5 ·
I am certain much more news is forthcoming but lets just say that the US Opel Community was treated like royality and we in turn treated the new turbo-charged GT's with respect....OK one blown tire and one speeding ticket!(many of us were guilty...its just too hard to convert kilometers to mph when your spooling up the turbo on mountain roads!) I should mention a rev limiter kicks in at 6200 rpm :no:
 
#6 ·
... I should mention a rev limiter kicks in at 6200 rpm :no:
The rev limiter is there to protect the engine - it's on my Solstice too and I've hit it a few times. However, you can have the ECM re-tuned to remove the upper speed limiter that GM felt compelled to include and make other performance adjustments. I had this done on my Solstice and it added about 1 MPG in fuel economy and some HP gain. Of course, on the turbo GT, that probably isn't required... :cool:
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hugh Opel Event, Palm Springs

My wife and I just returned from three great days in Palm Springs for the official GM launching of the the new Opel GT. General Motors spared no expense at the launch. They flew in over 450 media writers from Europe over a two week period. They also had 25 classic GT's there to represent the history of the Opel GT. Many of the classic GT owners are members of this website. The program went like this: The media would be briefed on the new Opel GT in a meeting room at the hotel. Then the media would exit the hotel to a roped off private parking lot behind the hotel. To the media's complete surprise, they would come upon a line up of 25 great looking classic GT's. The media was then allowed to drive the classic GT's to staging area a few miles away from the hotel were they would transfer to a fleet of new 2007 Opel GT's. Next, the media took the new GT for a 4 to 5 hour test drive thought the desert and challenging mountain winding roads on a predetermined route. It was quite a contrast going from the classic Gt to the new GT.
To show their appreciation, GM invited the 25 owners of the classic GT's to Palm Springs to allow us to experience the same program as the media. They put us up in a nice hotel and feed us good meals. We drove the new GTs yesterday for about five hours. We also meant the project managers, engineers, vice president and other Opel big wigs. They treated us very well.
One other bonus, the 25 classic Gt's were signed under the hood by the original designers and Opel personnel.
BTW, this was all hush- hush and we could not discuss this until the event was over. Now it can be talked about.
I would like to thank Gil from OGTS for bringing this all together for the Classic GT owners. He, and his staff , did a wonderful job.
 

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#11 ·
My wife and I just returned from three great days in Palm Springs for the official GM launching of the the new Opel GT.
That is so cool :cool: - what an opportunity! :biggthump
 
#10 ·
It was a French journalist who did not follow the course and did not wear his seat belt. His passenger was belted and was only bruised
 
#13 ·
Someone suggested half jokingly that you could always buy a Saturn Sky Redline and re-badge it with Opel... :D
 
#20 ·
:crying: Wish I could have been part of such a coo event!
 
#24 ·

2007 Opel GT Launch

There were 19 total 2007 Opel GTs that Opel offered to the owners who donated there Opel GTs to help promote the new GT launch for the European press.
Our Opels were used for appox. 2 1/2 weeks as a surprise to both journalists who came to Palm Springs in a fleet of Opel Astras. Opel hoped to evoke "Emotion" bringing the orignal Opel GT experience to normally very jaded journalists.
From the responce: The journalists were surprised to see the vintage Opels, instead of the new Opels in the Parker Hotel lot. They were completely blown away when they were told that they would be able to drive the vintage Opels over to the Launch point 15 minutes drive time away through beautiful downtown palm Springs.
The pay off for everyone was Wednesday the 8th. last week, when Opel pampered our group in the luxury Viceroy Hotel, Diner and New GT Drive Day.


Wednesday was our Drive Day
19 gleeming new GTs awaited us with there convertible tops down. The car I received was a yellow GT with lic. # 007M21. The 260HP 2.0L direct injection turbo with 5 speed gear box, running to a independant rear suspension onto 18 inch wheels wrapped in Potenzas.
Our group was able to take the new GTs up & over the mountains for a few hours, treated to lunch and back to the parker hotel.

The new GTs handle great, especially when the traction control is switched off & the esp was turned to 'Competative' mode. The Opel handled very responce in this mode and responded rapidly to each input. Power was smooth, no turbo lag, and felt much like a high end touring car, and not brutal like a racer.
Tight responsive and in touch with the driver. Just the way I like cars.
others felt the cars was twitchy, but I think that has to do more with personal driving styles, that the car.
All in all, it was an exceptional day, in a Opel that felt much like a European sports car.
Dennis 73 GT Targa, 73 Manta GT/E clone
 
#25 ·

2007 Opel GT Launch

There were 19 total 2007 Opel GTs that Opel offered to the owners who donated there Opel GTs to help promote the new GT launch for the European press.

Offered as in they could buy them? Or, was it just for the ride youe mentioned?
 
#31 ·
Does Europe use the same method of getting their Octane #? I know there are two methods so would any reprogramming be necessary?
 
#32 ·
Europe is Different

There are 2 different aspects:

Octane measurement is different, meaning
their 100 octane is about our 95 octane.

Also, the fuel blends (particularly in California)
are quite different, in the anti-smog compounds
that are used.

US gasoline offers significantly less performance.
On the other hand, US gas sells for far less
than the equivalent $6-$7/gallon price in Europe.
 
#36 ·
Real good points made Dennis, but that was when we were going through major changes in emissions controls here and they were not mandated in Europe. Now the emissions standards are fairly close worldwide, so the standards and requirements can be incorporated in any car, for sale anywhere, at a fairly minimal cost to the manufacturer. From what I've seen here and on the "net" the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and the Opel GT engine are within 4 HP of each other. The other requirements for safety glass, headlghts, and bumper and other DOT and CARB requirements are easy to attain, expecially when the same platform is used on all three cars. Makes me wonder why the GT isn't sold as is by either Pontiac or Saturn, with the DOT and CARB requirements as it was by Buick in days past. It would sure save on the extra cost for minor sheetmetal changes and rebadging. I wonder why the bean counters didn't figure that out. :confused:
 
#38 ·
Spoke to Roger Wilson last night, he was at this event and drove the new GT. He said the guy next to him s**t his pants when he was at 200KPH and an unexpected wrongly banked turn popped up, Roger said he started down shifting
like crazy as he didn't dare touch the brakes since the left side of the road was nothing but down, down, down. He did say, as others have in this thread, that everyone was treated very well by GM and that he had a fantastic experience.
 
#40 ·
As the guy with soiled shorts next to Roger Wilson I have to tell you that the new GT is amazing. With its traction control engaged this car will make you look and feel like a formula 1 driver. The bottom end torque allows you to drive it hard without revving the engine which is good because when it hits the rev limiter the fuel shuts off and the fun is over. Turn the traction control off and Nascar style smokey burnouts are yours for the asking. The down side is that if you are over six feet tall you will be cramped and your hat will try to blow off. There is NO trunk space with the top down. The dash lacks the proper gauges that a enthusiast will want. Now how can I put my beautiful GT body with leg and interior room on a new GT running gear.
 
#43 ·
Now for them to bring back the Manta :)

You would see the Blue Max put together in record time and driven across country ;)

Charles
 
#45 · (Edited)
I wonder what will happen to the wrecked GT. It is a tragedy that happended.
 
#48 ·
Did they, meaning GM, have a corresponding simultaneous introduction of the GT to the only people on the planet that can legally buy one? It would be as if the new Pontiac G8 had only been introduced in Melbourne and not in Chicago as well.

That aside, seems like they catered more to the OpelGT community than they did when they announced the Sky.

And with such low production numbers compared to the Sky Redline I am 99.999% sure that there is no difference at all in the drivetrain. I would even go so far to suggest that the Opel GT meets and exceeds US bumper regulations (unless Europe is higher)
 
#54 ·
Fixed the link.

Note: After the site was hacked a few years back, the photo gallery folder was changed From: /photos/
To: /photopost/

Links to pics in older posts will work if you change the url also, drop a post in the "bugs Forum" and a Moderator will update any bad links.
 
#50 · (Edited)
I did find the album although the link doesn't work any longer.

The reason that I asked was that this car has appeared on Craigslist though I didn't see pictures of this car specifically in that album.

1973 Opel GT - Classic Sports Car

Please excuse my ignorance but I can't seem to recognize the top signature and can't attribute it to anyone involved with Opel. Who's is it?

I do recognize Chris Pinn, Chief Engineer of the 2007 GT as well as Chuck Jordan Lead Designer of the Original GT.

 
#51 ·
Believe the top signature to be that of Morad Nasser (spelling?)
 
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