Opel Manta CC (1979) – In the Wild

When you think of the Opel Manta, if you are a little younger you probably immediately think of the car of the gentlemen from New Kids. Otherwise your thoughts probably go to the more graceful Opel Manta A. There was one more though; the first Opel Manta B. You probably come across this less often than the aforementioned A and B2. Yet it happened to AutoWeek forum member Afentoe. He spotted this ‘early’ Manta B, which was hard to miss just because of its color.

Look at this, doesn’t this breathe the 70s? You can imagine that the Manta B was quite a transition from the much more classic-lined A and in fact the latter has proven to be a bit more timeless. The nose of the second Manta in particular, despite its contemporary appearance, did not stand the test of time very well. It was still fine for the 1980s, as the B2 built until 1988 (!) proved, especially in its first years.

The thoroughly refreshed version that took over in 1982 looked a bit sportier than this Manta and yet in both cases a 2.0 four-cylinder was the largest engine you could get. This copy, a Manta CC (Combi Coupé) with the so-called ‘third door’, has the 2.0 in its nose and therefore entered the upper regions of Manta country. However, it is one with a carburetor and therefore 100 hp. You also had it with injection at the time (with the E for Einspritzung) and then it was 110 hp. It’s not such a party here, although 100 hp on a barrel was nice and sporty at the time. In this case, according to the license plate data, the four-cylinder engine also uses LPG, which shaves off some of the remaining horsepower.

After about ten years with one owner, this Opel Manta CC has now been with its current owner for just a few months. It is a nice asset, although we hope that with this soaking wet weather it is not always as at the mercy of the elements as in these photos. They can rust and it seems that except for a few spots, this one isn’t too bad. Keep it like that!