Opel Manta GTE (1983 – 1988) Review
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Opel Manta GTE (1983 – 1988) At A Glance
Well engineered, excellent handling rear-wheel drive coupe, good performance, roomy interior
Rusty, too many unloved 'projects' still around
The Opel Manta GTE (GSi in Germany) represented nothing less than the rebirth of the model in the UK when it was launched in 1983. Many people expected the Opel Manta to die when the Ascona was replaced by a new front-wheel drive version in 1981. Instead, it freshened up the existing car’s styling with glassfibre bumpers, and introduced a new 1.8-litre engine for the cooking models.
The GTE version continued with the same 110bhp injected 2-litre as before (not in the UK, though), but more aggressive looks and lower list prices suddenly made the long-time Ford Capri rival look a whole lot more competitive. By 1988, when it was finally phased out, the Manta was looking like an anachronism, but an engaging one. Rusty and trusty now.
