Born in the USA, presented at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show but marketed in 2007, the Opel GT Roadster derives from its Yankee siblings Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. Of the Opel GT Coupé, produced between 1968 and 1973, General Motors kept only the name. There is, however, one similarity between these two models almost forty years apart: they are both often compared to the Corvette—and in fact the stylistic reference to the North-American marque’s supercars is more than evident, with due comparisons between different epochs.

This second series, born in the mid-2000s, brought along not only the stylistic homage just mentioned, but also important technical features such as an optimally balanced chassis and a powerful, reliable engine that put the “German” car in competition against vehicles with much bigger engines. By virtue of these characteristics the Opel GT was proposed to the public with a traditionalist philosophy that focussed on driving pleasure and enjoyment. Despite the presence on the market of illustrious rivals, with the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes SLK in the lead, the Opel GT Roadster won the 2007 “Cabrio of the Year” award. But the commercial success of a car, like for any other product, is achieved with a good promotional strategy—in this, Opel was overly lazy. Due to a non-existent marketing campaign and a marque that was not exactly renowned for either premium or sports cars, the GT only obtained slightly more than acceptable results in some North-European countries. In Italy its presence was barely acknowledged, in spite of the tempting price.

Owning a Opel GT Roadster today is a choice driven by a passion for its qualities, it means placing oneself above the trends and paying homage to a car that deserves an important spot amongst tomorrow’s historical cars.