Opel Performance Center
Encyclopedia
Opel Performance Center GmbH, commonly known as OPC, is an independent subsidiary of the german automaker Opel
, which is responsible for the planning, development and coordination of all motorsport activities in charge of Opel in Europe.
The former DTM racer Volker Strycek
, who won the DTM in 1984, is managing the Opel Performance Center GmbH.
's European range and Volkswagen
's GTI and R range.
OPC has developed the following special versions of Opel vehicles:
s:
race.
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
, which is responsible for the planning, development and coordination of all motorsport activities in charge of Opel in Europe.
The former DTM racer Volker Strycek
Volker Strycek
Volker Strycek is a German racecar driver and automobile manager.In 1984 he became the first Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft champion, driving a BMW 635 CSi, without winning a race...
, who won the DTM in 1984, is managing the Opel Performance Center GmbH.
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 FordFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's European range and Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
's GTI and R range.
OPC has developed the following special versions of Opel vehicles:
- 1999 - 2004 Opel Astra G OPC - a version of the three-door hatchbackHatchbackA Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
and five-door station wagon (Caravan) Astra G (B) (out of production now) - 2001 - 2006 Opel Zafira A OPC - a version of the Opel Zafira A compact MPV (out of production now)
- 2005 - 2011 Opel Astra H OPC - again, based on the three-door Astra, this time the three-door hatchback (GTC) version of the Astra H (C) (out of production now)
- 2005 - 2010 Opel Zafira B OPC - a version of the Opel Zafira B compact MPV (out of production now)
- 2005 - 2008 Opel Vectra C OPC- a version of the Opel Vectra C five-door liftback (GTS) and five-door station wagon (Caravan) (out of production now)
- 2006 - 2010 Opel Meriva A OPC - a version of the Opel MerivaOpel MerivaThe Opel Meriva is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The car is sold under the Opel brand on all of the European markets with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva, and Latin America, where it carried the Chevrolet badge. It...
mini MPV (out of production now) - since 2007 Opel Corsa D OPC - a version of the Opel CorsaOpel CorsaThe front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
D. - since 2009 Opel Insignia A OPC - a version of the Opel InsigniaOpel InsigniaThe Opel Insignia is a large family car engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement for the Opel Vectra. Opel launched the vehicle at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London as the Vauxhall Insignia, reflecting the...
five-door liftback (GTS), four-door saloon and five-door station wagon (Sports Tourer). - from 2012 Opel Astra I/J OPC - a version of the current Opel AstraOpel AstraThe Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
small family car. - from 2013 Opel Ampera OPC - a version of the Opel Ampera electric-powered hatchback.
OPC concept cars
Over the nine years of existence, OPC presented the following concept carConcept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
s:
- 2001 Opel Astra Coupe OPC X-Treme - based on the DTMDeutsche Tourenwagen MastersThe Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
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"
OPC Race Camp
OPC Race Camp is a talent show for racers, where the winners attend the 24 Hours Nürburgring24 Hours Nürburgring
The 24 Hours Nürburgring is a touring car and GT endurance racing event on the Nürburgring Nordschleife . With a lap length of over , it allows the participation of more than 200 cars, and over 700 drivers.-Overview:...
race.
Slogans
OPC's corporate German tagline is "Dynamik. Leistung. Pure Passion", meaning "Dynamic. Performance. Pure Passion".Current OPC models
| Astra OPC Opel Astra The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America... |
Corsa OPC Opel Corsa The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door... |
Insignia OPC Opel Insignia The Opel Insignia is a large family car engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement for the Opel Vectra. Opel launched the vehicle at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London as the Vauxhall Insignia, reflecting the... |
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| Sport compact car | Supermini | Large family car |
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Timeline
- 2011 - Special limited-edition “Nürburgring Edition” Corsa OPC model is launched with 1.6-liter Turbo, 212 hp
- 2010 - OPC at Nürburgring Ring, 24-hour Race. Opel Astra OPC Race Camp cars finish in second and third place in the SP3T class, and 19th and 22rd overall – from a total of 196 cars
- 2009 - Auto BildAuto BildAuto Bild is a leading German automobile magazine. It is published by Axel Springer AG, and first appeared in 1986.AUTO BILD with its worldwide licensed editions, of which more than 7 million copies are sold every month, is published in 36 countries. Foreign editions include France's Auto Plus...
magazine crowns the InsigniaOpel InsigniaThe Opel Insignia is a large family car engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. Production of the Insignia began in 2008 as a replacement for the Opel Vectra. Opel launched the vehicle at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London as the Vauxhall Insignia, reflecting the...
OPC Sports Tourer “Sport Wagon of the Year 2009.” - 2009 - Market launch of Insignia OPC sedans and Sports Tourer model (2.8-liter V6 Turbo, 239 kW/325 hp)
- 2009 - Astra OPC Race Camp Edition hits the market
- 2008 - IDSPlus2 chassis system is added as standard feature for Astra OPC
- 2008 - Special limited-edition “NürburgringNürburgringThe Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
Edition” AstraOpel AstraThe Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America...
OPC model is launched - 2007 - Corsa OPC sets record at the Nordschleife with a time of 8:47:99
- 2007 - Optional six-speed automatic transmission is added for Vectra OPC and Vectra station wagon OPC
- 2007 - Market launch of CorsaOpel CorsaThe front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
OPC (1.6-liter Turbo, 141 kW/192 hp) - 2006 - Zafira OPC sets Nürburgring Nordschleife record as fastest van with a time of 8:54:38
- 2006 - 2.8-liter V6 Turbo, 206 kW/280 hp offered on Vectra OPC and Vectra station wagon OPC
- 2006 - Market launch of MerivaOpel MerivaThe Opel Meriva is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The car is sold under the Opel brand on all of the European markets with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva, and Latin America, where it carried the Chevrolet badge. It...
OPC (1.6-liter Turbo, 132 kW/180 hp) - 2005 - Astra OPC sets a record for compact class with a 8:35:94 time on the Nordschleife
- 2005 - Market launch of Vectra OPC and VectraOpel VectraThe Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
station wagon OPC (2.8-liter V6 Turbo, 188 kW/255 hp) - 2005 - Market launch of second-generation Zafira OPC (2.0-liter Turbo, 177 kW/240 hp)
- 2005 - Market launch of current Astra OPC (2.0-liter Turbo, 177 kW/240 hp)
- 2005 - In just five years, some 20,000 OPC cars have been sold across EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- 2004 - Launch of the OPC Line packages
- 2002 - Market launch of second-generation Astra OPC (2.0-liter Turbo, 147 kW/200 hp) in three-door and station wagon variants
- 2001 - Market launch of ZafiraOpel ZafiraThe Opel Zafira is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The Zafira is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom.- Zafira A :...
OPC (2.0-liter Turbo, 141 kW/192 hp) - 1999 - Market launch of Astra OPC (2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine, 118 kW/160 hp); all 3,000 limited edition units sell out within four months
- 1997 - Opel establishes Opel Performance Center GmbH (OPC)