The Opel Performance Center (abbreviated as OPC) is a subsidiary of General Motors' German Opel subsidiary, founded in 1997 to oversee Opel's motorsports activities and develop performance versions of Opel vehicles. It performs a similar role to Holden's HSV unit, but it is even more similar to Ford's American Special Vehicle Team. The OPC operates as a separate German GmbH, based in Rüsselsheim (Opel's home town).
OPC commercial models
The marketable vehicles developed by the Center are sold under the Opel brand, as special versions of the standard Opel vehicles. They are typically painted in a bright shade of blue (though other colours are available too). Their main competition in Europe are the ST versions of Ford's European range and SEAT's FR range. As GM's Opel vehicles are called Vauxhall Motors in the United Kingdom, the performance cars are renamed from OPC to VXR.
As of 2006, OPC has developed the following special versions of Opel vehicles:
- 1999 Opel Astra OPC - a version of the three-door hatchback and five-door station wagon (Caravan) Astra G (B) (out of production now)
- 2001 Opel Zafira OPC - a version of the Opel Zafira A compact MPV (out of production now)
- 2005 Opel Astra OPC - again, based on the three-door Astra, this time the three-door hatchback (GTC) version of the Astra H (C)
- 2005 Opel Zafira OPC - a version of the Opel Zafira B compact MPV
- 2005 Opel Vectra OPC - a version of the Opel Vectra C five-door liftback (GTS) and five-door station wagon (Caravan)
- 2006 Opel Meriva OPC - a version of the Opel Meriva mini MPV
- 2007 Opel Corsa OPC - a version of the Opel Corsa D.
- 2009 Opel Insignia OPC - a version of the Opel Insignia
OPC concept cars
Over the nine years of existence, OPC presented the following concept cars:
- 2001 Opel Astra Coupe OPC X-Treme - based on the DTM V8-powered version of the Opel Astra Coupe
- 2002 Opel Corsa OPC - a very production-ready version of the 3-door Opel Corsa C that, however, never made it to production
- 2003 Opel Vectra OPC - contrary to the commercial Vectra OPC, this one was based on the pre-facelift Vectra GTS and was powered with a tuned 1.9 CDTI engine
- 2004 Opel Astra High Performance Concept - a study version of the later 2005 Opel Astra OPC, but painted in "power red"
External links
- Opel Performance, the corporate website of OPC
- Opel-OPC, the website showcasing current OPC serial models
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