VM Test Drive Report Opel Manta Restomod GSE: Awesome stuff, man!
Officially, the "GS" appeared at Opel for the first time with the Commodore in 1968 - and stood for "Grand Sport". With fuel injection, it then became GS/E, before switching to GT/E with the Kadett C and D, and later translating it into English as GSi (for injection) with the E-Kadett. Fun fact: the Kadett E was already called Astra at Vauxhall, but it remained a GTE! When the Monza was facelifted in 1982, GSE returned, now as a model designation – otherwise, it stayed as GSi.
Until an old lady gifted a relatively well-preserved Manta A with a black vinyl roof - which someone could convert into an...electromod? Initially, Anthony Balley, a Brit who has been with Opel for over twenty years, didn't agree! "You can't just 'butcher' the car" – until the team convinced him that the conversion would breathe new life into the Manta. Said and done: after about half a year, the grandma Manta had transformed into the bright yellow GSE – and truly became 'awesome stuff'! The classic combination of front engine-rear drive and a four-speed transmission remained – rugged and long-shifting, just as known from the Manta.
Sporty driving behavior - in old-school style
So, how does it drive? GSe, of course: Awesome sporty, hey! Anthony invites us for an extended drive near Malaga – with plenty of roundabouts and tight turns, so we're constantly winding and shifting... and enjoying the great visibility offered by the large windows. Sure, the rest of the car feels rather slim and fragile, and for tall drivers the front has sufficient but not plentiful space.
Over time, we dare to drive faster, slip into smaller gaps, and take the corners more quickly. With 108 kW (147 PS), the electromod is noticeably stronger than the original 105-PS GTE, but the extra power feels subtler than it would with such a stronger gasoline engine.
80 km/h feels like 180 in many modern cars
On the other hand, it naturally doesn't feel as solid and tight as an Astra and Co., but 80 km/h already feels speedy, giving a different perspective on speed. Admittedly, long distances of 250 kilometers or more could become tiring, especially since the electromod's 31-kWh battery only has a range of about 200 kilometers, and it can only be charged with AC behind the old fuel cap. While sitting as the passenger, Anthony reflects:
"Hey, back then we were eight kids and sometimes traveled hundreds of miles on vacation in such cars, and somehow that worked too…”
Apart from the sound (which wasn’t that impressive in the smaller Manta engine variants either – more nasal like a sewing machine), we’re not missing anything, especially since the GSe electric mod drives remarkably similar to the original. The tank is replaced by the battery pack under the rear window, leaving some trunk space behind. And even though it has more weight on the rear axle and the axle load distribution is better than the original due to the light electric motor in the front and the battery box in the back, Anthony says it can still oversteer quite well – as soon as it gets a little wet or slippery. Not everything, but surprisingly much remains the same – and we have to admit: The Manta is awesome!
Apparently, many people share this view: Anthony has thousands of improvement ideas to finally "finish" restoring the car. But there is no time for that, as the electric mod has been in constant use for the past two years!
"We never thought we would receive such approval – even the marketing managers are repeatedly surprised by the continued strong response."
GSe? It could also stand for "Very Strong Impression" that the electric mod can leave!
What does that mean?
Well, in terms of safety, such an electric mod would be a disaster and still it makes you think: How safe and thus heavy and large do conventional cars need to become – especially since we are increasingly losing the relationship to speed? And how perfect could body shapes be?
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