In 1965, the Opel Experimental GT amazed crowds in Frankfurt, paving the way for the production GT. Executives, press, the public, and even Opel’s rivals showered praise upon the vehicle. But like all good stories, the creation of the GT started years earlier and thousands of miles away in the United States.
The Beginning
The story begins at Chevrolet in the early 1960s when Corvette and Corvair were at the peak of automobile design. Famed automobile designer Bill Mitchell tasked a couple of young designers to come up with a true sports car based on the Corvair. The results were the Corvair Monza and Monza Spyer, which were both hits with the press, but ended up being scrapped as GM saw the cars as providing too much direct competition to the Corvette.
Meanwhile In Germany
In 1962, as all this was happening, Clare MacKichan was sent on a five-year assignment to direct the design program at Opel. Previously involved with the creation of the Corvette and introduction of the Chevrolet Bel Air, he was trusted to have a steady hand and worked well with others. His task was to move Opel from being the purveyors of sensible cars to ones who would provide excitement by capturing the design trends that had emerged in the 1960s. At the time, Erhard Schnell was in charge of the advanced studio. The teams first task was to design an “everyman” sports coupé.
From Concept To Production
After blowing away audiences at the 1965 Frankfurt IAA work begin to turn the Experimental GT to a production GT. Initially, engineers intended to leave the Kadett chassis unchanged. Schnell, however, had designed the prototype with the engine placed 16 inches to the rear of the front axle line. Schnell was correct as it proved to be better to achieve a tapered hood and good weight balance. Production began in 1968, and the vehicle quickly earned the nickname the baby Corvette.
Source: Car Design News
NEXT: 15 Cars In Jay Leno’s Collection He Needs To Get Rid Of