GT5 Transcripts/Opel Speedster

The Opel Speedster was sold as the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK.

Based on the Lotus Elise, the Speedster represents Opel's sole sports-car model. The compact convertible made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999. Like the Elise, the Speedster is all about light weight, built on an innovative bonded aluminum chassis. Lotus manufactured about 10 percent of the Speedster's other components as well.

Even with all this sharing, the two cars possessed distinctively different characters. For one, the Opel's wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than the Lotus's 90.5 inch wheelbase. (91.7 inches to 90.5 inches). But more important, the Speedster had a completely different look. The styling was performed by General Motors, with many feeling that it looked better than the Lotus. It has a handsome face with a pleasant blend of sharp angles and rounded edges.

Underneath the sheet metal beats a different heart. In the Speedster's case, it was a clean-burning 2.2-liter DOHC inline-4 that produces 145 HP and 149.7 ft-lb of torque. The modest output failed to satisfy many enthusiasts, so in 2003, Opel added a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 to the mix. This engine did the trick, with its 197 HP that allowed Opel to reach a top speed of 149 mph. This was possible because of the Speedster's lean 850-kg curb weight. In the U.K., the Opel Speedster was marketed through Vauxhall as the VX220.