Opel Performance Center

For other uses, see OPC (disambiguation).
Opel Performance Center
Division[1]
Industry
  • Vehicle engineering
Founded Rüsselsheim, Germany (1997 (1997))[2]
Headquarters Rüsselsheim, Germany
Key people
 Volker Strycek, Managing Director[1]
Products
Owner General Motors
Parent Opel
Website opel-opc.ie

Opel Performance Center (OPC) is a division of the German automobile manufacturer Opel, initially set up as a subsidiary in 1997.[2]

The main focus of OPC is the development of performance derivatives of the Opel range, such as the hot hatch Corsa OPC and Astra OPC. The OPC name is also used in some motorsport activities such as the VLN.[3] In the United Kingdom, where Opel vehicles are sold under the Vauxhall marque, the VXR name is used instead.[4]

Former DTM racer Volker Strycek is managing director of Opel Performance Center.[1]

History

Opel Performance Center GmbH was established in 1997.[2] The first OPC car was an Astra G launched in 1999.

Prior to OPC models, Opel used the Grand Sport Injection (GSi) designation in the mid 80s and the late 90s for its high-performance and hot hatch derivatives. Opel has offered many GSi models, e.g. the Manta B GSi, Kadett E GSi or Astra F GSi. The last vehicle with the GSi moniker was the Corsa C GSi, which was offered in the Opel model range until 2004. After three years, Opel decided to use the GSi moniker for the Corsa D in 2007.

OPC models

The retail versions developed by OPC 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).[5] Their competition in Europe are, e.g. the ST versions of Ford's European range and Volkswagen's GTI and R range. In the United Kingdom, Vauxhall's versions of OPC models are badged as VXR.[6]

Current models

Previous models

OPC has developed the following special versions of Opel vehicles:

Concept cars

Opel Astra G OPC X-Treme Concept
Opel Astra J OPC Extreme

Over the fifteen years of existence, OPC presented the following concept cars:

Motorsport

In November 2012, Opel announced the formation of the "Astra OPC Cup" at the 2013 VLN. In racing configuration, the Astra OPC is equipped with various carbon fiber components and makes 300 horsepower and 400 Nm.[19]

Slogans

OPC's corporate tagline is "OPC. Pure Passion".[18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dan Mihalascu (2013-05-25). "OPC Boss Volker Strycek Drives and Talks About the Astra OPC". Carscoops. Carscoop & Carscoops. Retrieved 2013-08-13. To remind us of all these numbers and provide new interesting information on the Astra OPC, Opel had the boss of its OPC performance division, Volker Strycek, talk us through the most important features of the hot Astra.
  2. 1 2 3 "Opel Performance Center: 10 Anos de Pura Paixão" [Opel Performance Center: 10 Years of Pure Passion] (Press release) (in Portuguese). Adam Opel AG. 2009-09-15. Archived from the original on 2013-08-10. Retrieved 2013-08-10. 1997: início de actividade do Opel Performance Centre GmbH (OPC)
  3. ↑ http://www.vln.de/newsausgabe.gb.php?id=3301
  4. ↑ "Vauxhall Insignia VXR Sports Tourer". Auto Express. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. ↑ http://www.opel.ie/vehicles/opc/highlights1/design.html
  6. ↑ http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/microsite/vxr/
  7. ↑ http://media.gm.com/content/media/intl/en/opel/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2012/opel/06_19_opel_astra_opc.html
  8. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/intl/opel/en/news/pr_old/pressrelease_704.htm
  9. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/intl/opel/en/news/pr_old/pressrelease_183.htm
  10. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/archive/documents/domain_82/docId_11755_pr.html
  11. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/archive/documents/domain_81/docId_17147_pr.html
  12. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/archive/documents/domain_82/docId_20557_pr.html
  13. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/archive/documents/domain_82/docId_31549_pr.html
  14. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/intl/opel/en/news/pr_old/pressrelease_48.htm
  15. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/intl/opel/en/news/pr_old/pressrelease_1435.htm
  16. ↑ http://archives.media.gm.com/intl/opel/en/news/pr_old/pressrelease_1710.htm
  17. ↑ http://www.caradvice.com.au/268083/opel-astra-opc-extreme-fastest-street-legal-astra-headed-for-production/
  18. 1 2 http://media.opel.com/autoshows/Geneva/2014/public/intl/en/opel/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/intl/en/2014/opel/01-30-sports-study-geneva-motor-show-astra-opc-extreme.html
  19. ↑ Opel mit Astra OPC Cup zurück im Motorsport

External links

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