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| Opel
Antara Concept Car |
Broadcast
dates : 11th December 2005
17th December 2005 |
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With
its four-wheel drive Antara GTC concept vehicle (Gran
Turismo Crossover), Opel demonstrates just how dynamic and
athletic an SUV can actually be.
With the characteristic three-door design, Opel shows a
particularly sporty interpretation of an SUV and its dynamic
design language in this special vehicle format.
With the striking LED headlamps that run well into the
fenders, and the brand's typical crease in the engine hood,
the front of the four-seater accentuates Opel's new design
line. Viewed from the side, attention is captured by the
frameless windows that drop right down and contribute to the
coupe-like silhouette.
With a number of optical and technical details and typical
Opel versatility in the interior, the study also sets out to
satisfy demanding practical requirements.
The tailgate, for example, has a pantographic hinge. Thanks
to this innovative design, when it is opened, it swings
upwards and to the front so that the person loading the
vehicle is not forced to take a step backwards.
This provides more convenient access to the load
compartment.
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The
two rear seats can be folded away completely from the rear
of the vehicle, producing a completely flat loading area.
The front seats are anchored on mono-rails and look as if
they are floating. With the aid of an EasyEntry system, they
slide forward at the press of a button up to the instrument
panel to allow the passengers to climb more easily into the
rear seats.
Beneath the hood, the Antara GTC features a 1.9 CDTI
four-cylinder engine. The transverse installed concept power
plant produces 400 Nm starting at 1400 rpm, and, like all
1.9 CDTI engines in Opel models, is equipped with a
maintenance-free particulate filter (DPF).
In combination with the six-speed automatic transmission,
the performance is outstanding: computer simulations show a
top speed of over 210 km/h and an acceleration from 0-100
km/h in around 8 seconds.
With the Antara GTC, Opel is continuing its series of
exciting studies, each of which accentuates the new dynamic
design language in various vehicle classes and reinterprets
it for the particular segment.
From the self-assured V-shaped radiator grill to the mighty
20-inch wheels of polished aluminum, the Opel Antara GTC
study symbolizes a dynamism that breaks through conventional
boundaries. It brings together the seemingly contradictory
design patterns of a sporty coupe and a powerful SUV, and
breaches both of them at the same time.
Typical details like the crease on the engine hood, the roof
module inspired by the new Zafira and the shape of the
lights also show that the concept vehicle is an unmistakable
member of the Opel family.
On the one hand, the basic design of the body is
characteristic of an off-road vehicle: short overhangs for
large angles of approach and departure, stable flanks,
powerful side shoulders and wheel cutouts, and steeply
inclined windows.
On the other hand, it also has the typical features of a
coupe: two doors and a tailgate, a closed side window design
without a B-pillar, an elegantly sloping roof towards the
back (achieved above all by the ingenious design of the C
pillar), and a dynamically rising sideline.
The styling picks up on Opel's current design language,
which has successfully gone into production with the
Speedster, Astra, Tigra and Zafira. Other versions have been
presented with studies like the GTC, Insignia, Trixx and the
VX Lightning.
The ventilation louvers on the side of the fenders are
fitted into fine aluminum frames, as are their counterparts
on the side of the engine hood and the exhaust openings
behind the doors. The body color 'Everglade Mica' features
high portions of glimmering pigments that are usually used
only for bills. The contrasting dark bumpers and the bottom
body strip on the side are a demonstration of rugged
protection. Even the profile of the tires is the work of the
design team – and the pattern is repeated on the rubber
pads on the pedals.
The front and rear underride protection not only looks as if
it has been cut from solid aluminum, it actually has. The
same applies to the edge protection strip for the luggage
area. The V-shaped radiator grill of brushed aluminium is
repeated in the tailgate, which is tapered downwards.
The front and rear lights are almost works of art. Like all
the light sources in the Antara GTC, they consist of
light-emitting diodes, which have a longer life and shorter
response times than conventional lamps. At the same time,
the designers are given much greater freedom in designing.
At the front, the lamp units are smoothly integrated into
the fenders, and at the rear, they form a brilliant
highlight in the transition from the side shoulder to the
rear.
One familiar feature – although the design is new – is
to be found on the roof of the GTC. Along the length of the
car above the heads of the passengers are two skylights to
allow more light into the interior - a feature that is
available as an option with the new Zafira. The strip
between them is equipped with storage compartments. Outside,
this strip somewhat resembles a Mohican hairdo, which could
well become a recurring cue of Opel's design language.
The fascinating contrast between a luxurious, classy look
and solid, muscular details also abounds in the interior of
the Opel Antara GTC. Warm tones and the generous use of
leather are caught up in a charming interplay with technical
materials like carbon fiber, stainless steel and aluminum.
Colorwise, the interior is quite clearly split in two:
Dark-brown dominates the upper part of the instrument panel
and door liners, while the rest is light beige.
The panoramic roof system has been borrowed from the new
Opel Zafira and has been further developed for this study.
The two large skylights give the occupants a light and very
pleasant atmosphere to travel in. Dark tinted glass provides
protection from excessive sunshine. The roof console, which
runs along the roof center and extends over the whole length
of the car interior, offers additional stowing space.
Another ingenious storage facility for everyday utensils is
the special leather bag that can be moved along a rail
between the front and rear seats. It can also be taken along
on a shopping or sightseeing trip.
One eye-catching detail is the center console, which extends
well into the interior. It accommodates not only the compact
sturdy gear lever of the Easytronic transmission, but also
three large round ventilation nozzles and the controls for
the infotainment system and air-condition. Side handles to
hold on at the bottom of the center console reflect the
off-road character of the concept vehicle. The unusual
material mix in the Antara GTC climaxes in the center
console: The ventilation nozzles literally stand out from
their glossy piano-black finish surrounds, and the gear
lever is ringed by brushed stainless steel. Like the
cockpit, the controls for the infotainment system and the
air-condition are backlit in turquoise.
The instruments are also backlit in turquoise and are
accommodated in an aluminum housing – an impressive
combination of structural strength and optical elegance.
When off-road, displays in the two circular instruments keep
the driver constantly informed of the gradient (up or down)
and of the lateral angle of the Antara GTC.
Even the pedals have a connection with the exterior. They
are covered with non-slip rubber that has the same unusual
profile as the Antara tires. . Instead of a conventional
carpet, the SUV study is fitted with sisal – a convincing
solution that combines a certain stylishness with excellent
wear properties.
With their striking contours, the four seats look as if they
have been made to measure for the passengers. The front
seats are anchored on mono-rails, giving the effect of
floating about in the interior. With the aid of an
easy-entry system, they slide right forward to the
instrument panel at the press of a button to make it easier
for the rear passengers to get on board. A sensor device
ensures that no-one is actually sitting on the seats during
this operation.
The rear seats can be automatically folded away, raising the
luggage volume to a generous 2,400 litres by the VDA
standard. The luggage area is completely flat up to the
front seats thanks to a moving double floor, the upper half
of which is easily pushed to the front like a tray over the
retracted back seats. Here, too, sisal is used as the lining
material.
The Opel SUV study is powered by a 156 kW twin-turbo version
of the successful 1.9 CDTI ECOTEC common-rail diesel engine.
With its hefty torque at low engine speeds (max. 400 Nm from
1400 rpm), the two-stage turbocharged concept diesel unit is
absolutely ideal for this type of vehicle. In combination
with the six-speed automatic transmission, computer
simulations yield statistics that are impressive for the
four-wheel driven Antara GTC concept.
The transversally installed four-cylinder engine features
two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a
variable turbo blade geometry. The fuel supply to the
cylinders is controlled by a common-rail system with a
pressure of up to 1600 bar.
The heart of the innovative twin-turbo technology of the
concept diesel engine is forced aspiration through two
exhaust-driven turbochargers, which unlike 'biturbo' systems
operate in series rather than in parallel. A smaller, highly
responsive turbocharger for the low engine speed range, a
larger turbocharger designed for high output to take over as
the revs build up.
Thanks to its superior efficiency, the twin-turbo system can
achieve an extremely high specific power output, without
disadvantages in fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Like all Opel's 1.9 CDTI production cars, the Antara GTC
concept is equipped with the maintenance-free diesel
particulate filter system (DPF).
The modern chassis of the Antara GTC is also dedicated to
agile handling. McPherson struts are used on the front axle,
and there is a four-link axle at the rear. The
rack-and-pinion power steering guarantees precise handling.
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