What is the German word for pony car? The Manta It was introduced in 1970 on the German shore of the Baltic Sea, perhaps to make it feel more comfortable. Those were the days of a two-door fastback coupe (see capri, Also built by Ford in Germany, in Cologne) and the new Opel was a novelty of the right time. The first model, equipped with a four-cylinder 1.2-liter 60-horsepower, was included in the Manta Berlinetta, with a sporty steering wheel, halogen headlights, power windows, a vinyl roof and a fog-proof rear window. In just twelve months, Manta found 56,200 clients; From the first series, a total of 498,553 were built. The chassis was shared with Ascona, With various engines: the most powerful was a 90-horsepower 1.9 S four-cylinder, also installed on the Rekord. In the following years, several versions were added, including the 1974 GT / E, with 105 hp 1.9, with Bosch L-Jetronic electronic injection. The last version arrived before the Manta B in 1975 with “black magic”, black with orange stripes on the sides.
Manta B was a bestseller. Among the various productions of the second generation, the rarest and the most performing is the 400, introduced in Geneva in 1981. The number refers to samples designed to match the Group B World Rally Championship. The Manta appeared at the “start” with the 2.4-liter 16-valve twin-valve four-cylinder engine, which discharged 144 hp to the ground. The 400, among other things, won by their 1984 Paris-Dakar victory, and fourth in the overall standings under the podium with four-wheel drive. The last two versions of the Manta B were the GSi and the GSi Exclusiv, produced in small series by Irmscher. In all, the second generation was built in 557,490 units through 1988. In total, more than a million manta: Russelsheim’s extraordinary and infrequent life cycle.
Special item. “We chose the Manta because the animal names were the best at the time. American George Galleon, Opel’s chief design officer at the time, said,“ The Ford Mustangs and Corvette Stingray (race, three-wheelers) have had a lot of success in the United States. ”In a video filmed by the French explorer and director Underwater Jacques Cousteau, noticed a giant manta radial galleon photographed from below on the bright sea surface. “It was perfect and became the chrome emblem next to the front wheel arches.” Speaking of distinctive elements: Aside from paying homage to the classic manta, GSe ElektroMOD adopts Vizor, which is the characteristic. The characteristic that we will find in the future Opel. The Vizor organically integrates into one unit the grid, the lighting system and the Blitz, the brand logo. The new Crossland and Mokka are already equipped with it. It is just a demonstration of how the German company is moving rapidly towards electrifying cars and light commercial vehicles. By the year 2015. 2024, each Opel model will have a fully electric version and additional components. Progress, a fad? Despite being deprived of the sound and inspiration that internal combustion provides, the Manta GSe ElektroMOD is no longer in trouble. Find original spare parts in the event of engine and transmission failure. Nor is it subject to a ban on entry from historic centers. The possibility of not going unnoticed is guaranteed.
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