The Opel GT was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2006 as the successor to the Opel Speedster, where it was voted Convertible of the Year 2007 by an independent jury of experts. The roadster was launched on the European market in spring 2007. It was advertised with the slogans “The legend is back” and “GT’aime,” a reference to the French “je t’aime” (German: “I love you”).

The GT was based on the Kappa platform (engine in the front, drive in the rear) of the GM Group, to which Opel belonged at the time, on which the almost identical Saturn Sky, Pontiac Solstice and Daewoo G2X were also based. These vehicles and the Opel GT were built in Wilmington in the US state of Delaware. Franz von Holzhausen, then Design Director for General Motors, was responsible for the design of the Kappa platform.

As with the Opel GT from the 1970s, various design borrowings from the Chevrolet Corvette (in this case C6 Cabrio) were evident in the Opel GT Roadster. Examples are the side air outlets (on the Opel GT only decorative without actual opening), the front-hinged hood, the basic shape of the front headlights or the often cited “Coke bottle design”.

The model had a 9.2:1 compression ratio 2.0-liter turbo Ecotec four-cylinder engine (Z20NHH, LNF) rated at 194 kW (264 hp) at 5300 rpm, gasoline direct injection, dual variable camshaft timing, and dual-flow turbocharger with intercooling. The engine was derived from the 2.2-liter engine already known from the Astra, Vectra and Signum. Later, the modified engine with the engine codes A20NHT and A20NFT was also used in the Opel Insignia with an output of 162 to 184 kW (350 and 400 Nm) and in the Astra J OPC with 206 kW and 400 Nm. However, the engine used in the GT tended to drift downwards in terms of power, meaning that the factory-specified power was often not quite achieved. Numerous tuners, however, offered software solutions with which the specified series performance was often amply exceeded.

The maximum torque of 353 Nm was available at 2000 rpm, according to factory specifications the GT accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, the top speed was 229 km/h with an average consumption of 9.2 l/100 km. The figure of 5.7 seconds to 100 km/h was extrapolated on the basis of the American value (0-60 mph); however, 60 mph corresponds to only 96 km/h, not 100 km/h. According to measurements by Autobild Sportscars, the Opel GT accelerated to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds.

The Opel GT was 4100 mm long, 1813 mm wide, 1274 mm high and had a 2415 mm wheelbase. The unladen weight, on the other hand, was up to 1406 kg, well above that of the Speedster Turbo (930 kg unladen weight). Standard equipment included a manual soft top, manual air conditioning, a 5-speed manual transmission, and a limited-slip differential with up to 70% locking.

The wheels were suspended on double aluminum wishbones on both axles. The front-rear weight distribution was almost optimally balanced at 51 : 49.

Another feature of the chassis was a torsion support between the transmission and the rear axle, which absorbed load change reactions during acceleration and braking.

The soft top could only be operated manually. After electrically unlocking the fins and the soft top, the roof could be manually unlocked and raised. To stow it, the driver had to leave the vehicle, manually open the unlocked soft top, lower the roof into the roof compartment and close the soft top again. When closing, two additional fins had to be folded down manually and locked into openings in the soft top.

There was no trunk to speak of, as the fuel tank was placed above the rear axle, i.e. more or less in the trunk, due to the weight distribution. The vehicle was designed solely for driving pleasure and in no way for everyday use. This was also reflected in unconventional details, such as the clamshell engine hood, which had a very sporty appearance but, due to its unfavorable design, ran the risk of damaging any open doors and the hood itself when it was closed. The only countermeasure was an inconspicuous warning sticker on the fenders, labeled in English and French, as well as the corresponding note in the owner’s manual. Lifting the car by means of a platform or a maneuvering jack also carried the risk of damaging the fenders in the sill area, which were made of GRP material.

The Opel GT was available in the colors onyx black, night blue, solar yellow, metal gray, damask silver, granite gray, Eifel blue and Victoria red.