What's all this about?
Vauxhall will put this attractive GT Concept car on its stand in Geneva, and it's a model that looks both forward and back.
How's that?
It pays homage to three of GM/Vauxhall's earliest styling/concept vehicles, namely the 1964 GT Concept (spooky, huh?), the 1965 Opel Experimental GT and the 1966 Vauxhall XVR (look at the date and letters on that one carefully; we've not got it wrong). But Luton also says this is what the sports car of the future will look like.
So what are the key attractions of the 2016 GT Concept?
Well, it looks great. Penned by a team led by Brit Mark Adams, the philosophy here is 'sculptural artistry meets technical precision', leading to electrically opening doors that both swing into the wheelarches (allowing for easy access in tight spaces) featuring glass that seamlessly transitions into the painted surface, as well as a lack of exterior mirrors, a one-piece windscreen and glass panoramic roof, 3D headlights and tail lamps, and, er... red tyres.
And the powertrain?
The Vauxhall GT Concept is powered by a tuned version of the 1.0-litre turbocharged triple found in the Adam, Corsa and Astra. It is mounted in a front-mid position, enhancing the car's weight distribution and centre-of-gravity, and develops 145hp and 205Nm. Modest outputs, maybe, but in a body weighing less than 1,000kg, the GT can hit 62mph from rest in less than eight seconds, while running on to 134mph; making it about comparable with the 2.0-litre, 200hp Toyota GT86. Drive goes to the rear axle via a six-speed sequential manual gearbox, which has paddle shifts on the steering wheel.
Matt Robinson - 28 Jan 2016