1971 Opel Manta

The first generation Opel Manta, the Opel Manta A, was in production from 1970 to 1975. It was a two-door coupe with four seats and an ample boot. Styled in-house with help from Detroit’s Chuck Jordan, it is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car.

The Opel Manta A was launched two months before its saloon stablemate, the Ascona A. The Ascona was developed as a Kadett replacement – but at the last minute Opel chose to downsize the Kadett and position Ascona against the Ford Taunus. Technically therefore, the Manta was a replacement for the Kadett fastback saloon.

The Opel Manta A was available in a variety of specifications, including the SR and prestigious Berlinetta. Over its five-year life, few changes were made to the basic formula – simply trim packages and colour options. The strongest seller was the 1.9SR with a manual gearbox in Britain – though it didn’t sell in anything like as strong a number as Ford’s Capri.

Broadspeed developed a turbocharged Manta in Britain and 33 were built, including 5 prototypes. The 5 were commissioned by Opel, while the additional 28 were built by Dealer Opel Team when an engineer recognised the potential of the project. These ‘production’ models were all black, based on the Berlinetta, and featured a vinyl roof. Subtle Turbomanta badges were the only external giveaway.

Transeurop Engineering in Belgium fitted Opel Manta As with the 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine from the Commodore. Opel had trialled the idea in 1971 but rejected it on cost grounds – the market was not buying large engine cars. Transeurop disagreed. 79 cars were built, and sold through Steinmetz in Germany. The cars were not sanctioned by Opel and were therefore not badged as Opels – rather as TE2800s in the style of Brabus Mercedes or Alpina BMWs.

The Opel Manta A mainly uses a 1.9-litre derivative of the cam-in-head (CIH) engine. Smaller engined Mantas used a 1.6-litre derivative of the same engine, though an overhead valve 1.2 was also available in Europe. These drove the rear wheels, via a four-speed manual transmission – or an optional three-speed automatic in the case of the 1.9.

Opel Manta As drive nicely – a little firm for British roads perhaps, but with a great engine, lots of torque and an excellent gearchange. The independent rear suspension also makes them feel planted, unlike some of the Opel Manta’s period competitors.

Mechanically it’s all Opel Ascona A, meaning that if you go to Germany parts are easy enough to source. The CIH engine was used by GM until 1994, so service items are still easy enough to get hold of. With few Mantas in the UK, replacement panels might be hard to source but they’re out there if you look hard enough – or visit Opel Classic Parts online.

There are few electrics to go wrong, but rust is a concern for Opel Manta A owners. Arches, sills, valances and floors are obvious points, but the area to worry about is the bulkhead. Many UK cars have been patched here already, and the value of the car will depend on how well this has been done.

1.9 manuals are the most desirable factory Opel Manta As – the 1.6s and automatics are less desirable. Many have been fitted with later 2.0 GT/E engines and five-speed gearboxes – these are almost as desirable as the best original 1.9 manuals, as a popular upgrade. Good history files and original, uncrashed cars are worth the most.

Ford’s Capri was always the Manta’s strongest rival, though the original Toyota Celica and even the Morris Marina Coupe could be considered rivals. In house, the Vauxhall Firenza and Magnum Coupe were Britain’s take on the mid-size GM coupe market.