Heading straight in to the top of the chart marked ‘Things We Really, Really Want’ is Opel’s electric re-creation of its classic 1970s Manta A.
Dubbed the Manta GSe ElektroMOD, this restored 1970s coupe not only gets Opel’s new ‘visor’ styling at the front (which blends in rather nicely with the classic, original, lines) but it also gets electric power and a battery, instead of the original 105hp four-cylinder petrol engine.
The electric Manta instead gets a 147hp electric motor with 255Nm of torque — output that would have had those wearing stringback driving gloves palpitating with excitement in the 1970s… Energy comes from a relatively compact 31kWh battery.
Electrified
Opel doesn’t quote a range on a full charge, but it’s not likely to be much more than around 200km with that size of battery, even taking into account the Manat A’s relatively light kerb weight. It’ll charge quickly, though — there’s an on-board 9kW charger, and Opel says it takes just four hours to charge from a home charger.
Up front, that new ‘Visor’ face isn’t just for show — the black panel between the LED lights is also a digital screen, which allows the Manta to send out messages to anyone who’s bothering to look. It can say “My German heart has been ELEKTRified” for example. Or “I am on a zero e-mission.”
I’ll be honest; we’re not sure quite how we feel about that. Too twee? Still, Opel (and many other car makers) reckon that such external message displays are critical for a future of autonomous vehicles and their interaction with pedestrians and cyclists.
Style-wise, the electrified Manta gets acid yellow paint and — that ultimate seventies performance accessory — a black bonnet. The wheelarches now house specially designed 17-inch light alloy wheels from Ronal, with 195/40 R17 tyres at the front and 205/40 R17 at the rear, while the Manta badging at the back has been upgraded to the new Opel typeface.
The original chrome bumpers have been taken off, making for cleaner lines, a mod that Opel points out was often made in period, by tuning firms such as Irmscher.
Bucket seats
Inside, while there’s a classic-style three-spoke steering wheel, the dash has been thoroughly updated with two digital display — ten inch and 12-inch respectively — which act as both instrument panel and infotainment system. The dash is, basically, lifted directly from the new Mokka-e electric crossover. There’s also a Bluetooth music system, so that you can connect your modern smartphone to a set of speakers designed by classic amp-maker Marshall.
The bucket seats come from the (somewhat unloved) Opel Adam S hot hatch, while the colour scheme is a mix of dark grey with acid yellow highlights. There’s even a posh Alcantara lining for the roof (it’s far from Alcantara lining that the original Manta was raised…).
“The Manta GSe impressively demonstrates the enthusiasm with which we build cars at Opel. It combines our great Opel tradition with today's commitment to emissions-free mobility for a very desirable, sustainable future. Opel is already electric with many models – and now the legendary Manta is too,” said Opel’s chief executive Michael Lohscheller.
Sadly, what he didn’t say was: “And we’re going to build it and put it on sale…”
Future plans?
For now, the official word is that this one-off electric Manta is “a technological showcase” and “a way of keeping the Opel brand, and its heritage, at the front of people’s minds.”
However, there is some sotto-voce word coming from within Opel’s Russelsheim headquarters, just outside Frankfurt, that there’s something going on in the background.
Opel has, quietly, said that it’s going to carefully monitor the public reaction to the Manta GSe, and that could preview one of several things.
It could be that Opel, as has Jaguar with the classic E-Type, might put a limited number of electric original Mantas into production, for sale as collectors’ items.
Or, it might be that there are plans to revive the Manta name, most likely on a low-slung sporty crossover. Or maybe there’s a plan for an actual modern-day coupe. Or maybe all three. Or maybe none.
If nothing else, at least that black bonnet and battery combo has given us a little hope.
