VAUXHALL REVEALS GT CONCEPT AS TEMPLATE FOR FUTURE SPORTS CARS
- Purebred concept receives world premiere at Geneva Motor Show
- Bold, minimalistic form points to Vauxhall/Opel’s ever-evolving design philosophy
- Turbocharged, front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive with sequential gearbox
- 1966 Vauxhall XVR & ‘65 Opel Experimental GT showcars pre-cursors to GT Concept
GT CONCEPT SHOWCASES VISIONARY TECH-LED INTERIOR
- Advanced interior echoes futuristic exterior
- Button-less operation only via touchpad and voice control
- Self-learning HMI system recognises driver’s preferences
VAUXHALL’S NEW MOKKA X REVEALED AT GENEVA
- New Mokka X arrives in showrooms late 2016 after Geneva Motor Show debut
- Bold, muscular new exterior and elegant interior; designed by Brit Mark Adams’ team
- New 1.4-litre Direct Injection Turbo with automatic transmission and all-wheel drive
- Cutting edge connectivity with OnStar and IntelliLink via Apple Car Play and Android Auto
BRIT-BUILT ASTRA SPORTS TOURER MAKES GENEVA DEBUT
- Astra success continues with new Brit-built Sports Tourer
- More space inside, same exterior dimensions as outgoing model
- Full Astra range on display alongside all-new BiTurbo engine
VAUXHALL REVEALS GT CONCEPT AS TEMPLATE FOR FUTURE SPORTS CARS
- Purebred concept receives world premiere at Geneva Motor Show
- Bold, minimalistic form points to Vauxhall/Opel’s ever-evolving design philosophy
- Turbocharged, front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive with sequential gearbox
- 1966 Vauxhall XVR & ‘65 Opel Experimental GT showcars pre-cursors to GT Concept
Vauxhall and Opel will reveal their vision of the future sports car with the GT Concept at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show (3rd – 13th March).
Purebred, pared down, yet unashamedly avant-garde, the GT Concept is even shorn of door handles and door mirrors, its breathtaking form clothing a classic front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive chassis that will appeal to driving enthusiasts.
While the GT Concept is forward-thinking, encapsulating Brit designer Mark Adams’ philosophy of ‘Sculptural Artistry meets Technical Precision’, its name mirrors that of the 1964 GT Concept, the first styling model to be produced by the nascent Vauxhall Design & Engineering Centre in Luton which opened the same year.
But importantly, it pays homage to two significant motor show cars: the 1966 Vauxhall XVR and the 1965 Opel Experimental GT, the first true concept vehicles to appear from the design houses of a European manufacturer. The 2016 GT Concept is also a logical step on from the innovative and beautiful Monza concept from 2013.
‘We created the GT Concept to capture the bold, emotional spirit of both the Vauxhall and Opel brands,’ said Mark Adams, Vice President, Design Europe. ‘It is dramatic, sculptural and full of innovations, which is our great tradition that we intend to continue. In the mid-Sixties, Vauxhall and Opel created their own interpretations of a light-weight sports car – the XVR and the Experimental GT – both of which were thoroughly modern with dynamic sculptural forms. It’s certainly difficult to reinvent iconic concepts like these, but just as each was avant-garde back then, so too is this GT Concept today – absolutely pure, minimalistic, yet bold and uncompromising. This coupe impressively demonstrates the continuous development of our design philosophy.’
A key innovation of the GT Concept is its large doors with integrated side windows that show a seamless transition from glass to painted surfaces. Both driver and front passenger gain access to the spacious interior after pressing a touchpad for the electric doors that is integrated in the red signature line of the roof.
The doors cleverly open into the front arches, using a space-saving and patented mounting that allows a large opening angle for tight parking spaces in urban areas. Two cameras mounted behind the wheel arches offer enhanced visibility, especially in city driving.
They transmit their images to two monitors on the left- and right-hand side of the cabin, rendering external mirrors obsolete. The windscreen flows into a glass panorama roof, affording occupants a similar experience to that of a targa-topped car.
Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director, Rory Harvey, summarised what the GT Concept meant to both brands: ‘It shows what Vauxhall and Opel stand for now – ambitious and confident brands that are not frightened to innovate.’
GT Concept continues philosophy of Vauxhall and Opel’s groundbreaking Sixties’ concepts
‘GT Concept’ was the name given to a remarkably prescient and rakish, full-sized styling model, the first of its kind from Vauxhall’s new-for-1964, £2.25m Design & Engineering Centre in Luton, which became the leading centre of its kind in the UK for the next two decades. But two years later it was a radical show-car that really put the Centre on the map.
‘Uncompromising in its styling treatment, the XVR shows the future trend in world automotive design’, said Vauxhall’s Director of Design, David Jones, when he revealed the Luton company’s radical concept at the Geneva Motorshow in 1966.
Built to showcase Vauxhall’s design innovation and autonomy in the mid-Sixties, the XVR project was managed by the legendary Wayne Cherry at Luton.
Inspired by parent company GM’s work with concepts in the US – including the ‘65 Mako Shark II – the XVR (Xperimental Vauxhall Research) had a simple purity of line, gull-wing doors forming a unique split windscreen, a clam-shell bonnet and pop-up headlights.
Three cars were built, including a 100mph driveable vehicle with a pre-production 2.0-litre engine producing 100bhp. And while the car never reached production, design cues like the ultra-slim rear lights could later be seen in Vauxhall’s Viva HC and Firenza models.
Opel’s Experimental GT, however, did become a production reality. First shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1965, it broke the mould for European concept cars. A sleek and low-slung coupe, the Experimental GT was the product of Opel’s new-for-1964 design centre in Rüsselsheim. Like today’s GT Concept, it eschewed unnecessary decoration and made the ‘design statement’ that its creator, Erhard Schnell, was keen to achieve. Three years later, the Opel GT was a production reality.
Fifty years later, the GT Concept once again showcases Vauxhall and Opel’s pioneering spirits. Reinforcing its appeal to driving enthusiasts, the car has a red signature line that splits the vehicle body horizontally and proportions it.
The distinctive red tyres – mounted on rims with a ‘roller-skate’ design – are a reference to an iconic Opel motorbike from the 1920s – the Motoclub 500 – which sported red-coloured rubber.
And while the long bonnet, central dual exhausts and lack of a boot-lid are all shared with both the Vauxhall XVR and Opel Experimental GT, today’s GT Concept is unashamedly forward-thinking, with no retro references.
A real sports car – front mid-engined, turbocharged and rear-wheel drive
The GT Concept’s front-mid engine configuration keeps the car’s centre of gravity low and central for excellent dynamics. Beneath its stretched bonnet is a powerful 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine, based on the all-aluminium unit used in the ADAM, Corsa and Astra.
Developing 145PS and maximum torque of 205Nm, the engine delivers drive to the rear wheels, via a six-speed sequential transmission operated by steering-wheel mounted paddle shift. Weighing under 1000kg, the GT Concept accelerates from 0-62mph in less than eight seconds and on to a maximum speed of 134mph.
Another unique feature of the GT Concept is its integrated headlamp/indicator units. Using ultra-modern projection technology, the lights have a three-dimensional beam which allows glare-free high-beam driving. Based on Vauxhall/Opel’s award-winning IntelliLux LED matrix lighting, first seen in the recently-launched Astra, the GT Concept sees the intelligent lighting system’s next stage of development. The design of the lights is completed by the three-dimensional design of the tail lamps.
VAUXHALL GT CONCEPT SHOWCASES VISIONARY TECH-LED INTERIOR
- Advanced interior echoes already revealed futuristic exterior
- Button-less operation only via touchpad and voice control
- Self-learning HMI system recognises driver’s preferences
Vauxhall’s GT Concept’s interior, showcases a host of innovative technology to improve driver experience, as the futuristic sportcar debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
Leading its innovation is a system called Human Machine Interface (HMI), which means the sports car is operated purely by voice control and a central touchpad, making it button-less.
The self-learning system recognises the driver’s habits and adapts to his or her needs. This results in a dialogue during which the car responds in spoken form and can, for example, chose the right music, route or temperature according to the situation. HMI could even recognise whether passengers want to listen to hip-hop or chill-out music.
In order to always offer the most appropriate support, the software learns from every command, every touch of the steering wheel and every setting over days, months and years.
If the driver would rather not use voice commands, he or she just needs to reach for the round touchpad on the centre console. The two classically inspired round instruments are actually projection surfaces that can be backlit in different colours and display a variety of information three-dimensionally, a further development of the system shown in the 2013 Vauxhall Monza Concept.
If the GT Concept is being used for business, while permanently connected to the office, the right instrument facilitates navigation with an intuitive graphic without numerical values; when under time pressure, it displays consumption. If the driver would rather corner at speed, HMI optimises the accelerator, transmission and engine control accordingly and the right instrument even displays the g-force values of the longitudinal acceleration.
HMI also keeps a close eye on the GT Concept’s surroundings, improving overall safety. It can issue spoken warnings, for example: “Be careful. Don’t overlook the motorcycle behind us!” And instead of side door mirrors, the GT Concept relies on cameras mounted behind the front wheel arches to show what is happening behind and next to the car. The images are transmitted to round monitors to the left and right of the driver. In addition, the large central screen displays all desired information.
GT Concept’s two sports seats are ergonomically designed for ultimate passenger comfort and the low beltline of the doors create an easy arm position, while the steering wheel and pedals can be adjusted electrically down to the last millimetre.
The instrument panel of the GT Concept is made from brushed aluminum, the round camera monitors are embedded in outer aluminum air jets with the polished GT emblem and the shining red seatbelt retractors reflect the design of the red front tyres. Finally, the steering wheel features a retro spoke design.
VAUXHALL’S NEW MOKKA X REVEALED AT GENEVA
- New Mokka X arrives in showrooms late 2016 after Geneva Motor Show debut
- Bold, muscular new exterior and elegant interior; designed by Brit Mark Adams’ team
- New 1.4-litre Direct Injection Turbo with automatic transmission and all-wheel drive
- Cutting edge connectivity with OnStar and IntelliLink via Apple Car Play and Android Auto
Vauxhall’s new Mokka X, which reaches UK showrooms late this year, debuts at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show with a fresh interior and exterior design, a new powertrain and featuring OnStar and Apple CarPlay.
With over half a million sold in Europe and nearly 100,000 in the UK, Mokka has seen huge success since its launch in 2012. The Mokka’s compact size (4.28m long), sporty looks and elevated seating position having wowed customers looking for an affordable SUV.
Incorporating cues from Vauxhall’s new design philosophy, the new Mokka X will be the first model to introduce the “X” segment identifier for future Vauxhall SUV and crossover vehicles.
The Mokka X’s bold new look is thanks to work carried out by a design team led by Brit Mark Adams. Its new front treatment is aligned with Vauxhall’s new design philosophy including a wing-shaped horizontal front grille and the dominant, sharp double-wing signature of the LED daytime running lights. At the rear is another double wing signature highlighted in the tail lamps, with LED technology an option. Vibrant new colours such as ‘Amber Orange’ and ‘Lava Red’ will also be available. On the inside, the Mokka X has a completely new dashboard inspired by the new Astra.
After introducing the much-lauded 1.6-litre ‘Whisper Diesel’ engine last year, the Mokka range is now extended further to include a new generation 1.4-litre Direct Injection Turbo (152PS) petrol unit which first appeared in the Astra. With a six-speed automatic transmission, adaptive all-wheel drive and start/stop, this Mokka achieves 42.8mpg* and CO2 emissions of 154g/km*.
In addition to the AWD system, Vauxhall engineers have once again made innovative technology available to a broad group of customers by introducing LED Adaptive Forward Lighting headlamps. The new AFL LED system adapts the headlights’ lighting patterns automatically to the driving situation so that the best possible light performance is given without dazzling other road users.
BRIT-BUILT ASTRA SPORTS TOURER MAKES GENEVA DEBUT
- Astra success continues with new Brit-built Sports Tourer
- More space inside, same exterior dimensions as outgoing model
- Full Astra range on display alongside all-new BiTurbo engine
Following its world premiere at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the new Astra Sports Tourer is on display at Geneva Motor Show in the same month it goes on sale in the UK, priced from £16,585 on-the-road.
Like its five-door hatch sibling, the Sports Tourer is based on an all-new lightweight vehicle architecture with a new design, powertrains and technology. The Sports Tourer is built at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant in Cheshire.
The Sports Tourer further extends the dynamic lines of the five-door. It has the same exterior dimensions as the outgoing model yet offers much more space for passengers and luggage. The Sports Tourer’s total cargo capacity is now 1,630 litres, thanks to more efficient packaging.
Range highlights include the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Turbo Start/Stop ecoFLEX model priced from £17,285 on-the-road. The diesel offering includes the 1.6-litre ‘Whisper Diesel’ (110PS) Start/Stop ecoFLEX model (prices start at £18,785 on-the-road) that achieves 83.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 89g/km.
Technology includes OnStar, Vauxhall’s ground-breaking connectivity system, and IntelliLink infotainment system which allows users to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And for the first time on a Vauxhall, the tailgate can be opened using a small kicking motion under the rear bumper, in combination with “Keyless Entry and Start”. A further kicking motion under the bumper will close the tailgate.
Also on display is the five-door hatch range, which is in UK showrooms now and an all-new turbocharged diesel engine. In combination with start/stop and six-speed manual transmission, the 1.6-litre BiTurbo CDTi in the Astra hatchback body style achieves 67.3mpg combined and 112g/km. Performance is not compromised with a top speed of 137mph and 0-60mph acceleration in 8.4 seconds.
