Waiting for the hot Astra-e
In a not so distant past, Opel had a peppered OPC variant of almost every model in the showroom. That was einmal… or was it not? Opel design boss Mark Adams hinted in an interview about the arrival of a sporty version of the Astra-e, the upcoming fully electric version of the Astra. Before the time comes, you have quite a choice of used sporty OPC models in the used car range. We have listed a few for you.
Opel Zafira OPC – €5,450
An MPV sporty? If it’s up to Opel, yes. The first Zafira was also available as OPC, recognizable by the large air inlet in the front bumper, extended fenders and large exhaust under the rear bumper. The Zafira B OPC even had two exhausts there. You can’t really call this 192 hp Zafira OPC with its sporty accents and bright color a ‘sleeper’, but nevertheless few people will expect you to accelerate to a speed of 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds. The cake is only finished at 220 km/h. You will not easily find a nicer car for a holiday with a large family!
Opel Meriva OPC – €4,299
Whoever thought that the Zafira OPC ended when it comes to sporty MPVs, is wrong. The smaller Meriva – a car that was especially popular among older people – was also available as OPC. The OPC treatment for the Meriva had roughly the same ingredients as the Zafira: a front bumper with a large air intake, flared fenders and a rear bumper with a trapezoidal tailpipe trim. As a bonus, the Meriva OPC also received a roof spoiler. With a power of 180 hp, it was slightly less generous than the Zafira, but it can still accelerate to a speed of 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The top speed is slightly higher at 222 km/h. Opel never delivered the Meriva OPC originally in the Netherlands, so all copies that you find here are gray imported. In any case, it remains a very rare appearance!
Opel Corsa OPC – €9.900
We switch from the MPVs to a car where you would expect a sporty version. OPC first started working with the Corsa in 2007 and immediately turned it into something beautiful. The Corsa got a 1.6 four-cylinder turbo engine with 192 hp under the hood. That power source ensured that the compact hatchback was nice and fast. The Corsa OPC also had an extra 12 hp compared to its main competitor: the Polo GTI. Compared to the regular Corsas, the OPC is unmissable. The sporty version has a decent spoiler lip under the front bumper and at the rear the triangular centrally placed exhaust is immediately noticeable. This example is from 2011, has a mere 150,000 kilometers on the clock and can last for just under 10 grand.
Opel Astra OPC – €16,400
The big brother of the Corsa OPC is of course the Astra OPC. In 1999, the Astra G was one of the first Opels to tackle the Opel Performance Center after the Vectra. In the years that followed, the Astra was a permanent fixture in the OPC range, with the Astra J as the last model. ‘Heftig’ is the right term to describe the thick 280 hp Astra OPC. The 2.0 four-cylinder turbo under the hood releases all that power to the front wheels. While that makes the Astra OPC somewhat difficult to tame, it is capable of decent performance. For example, it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6 seconds and the stretch is only removed at 250 km/h. This imported example is finished in the color blue that is characteristic of OPC, a color that is also reflected in the bucket seats in the interior. You can take it with you for €16,400.
Opel Insignia OPC – €24,990
We conclude appropriately with the most powerful production car OPC has produced to date: the Insignia OPC. The Insignia is the only car in this list to have more than four cylinders: the 2.8 V6 delivers 325 hp. Despite that extra power and the four-wheel drive, the Insignia OPC is not as fast on paper as the Astra OPC: this Insignia OPC with automatic transmission takes 6.6 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h and also tops at 250 km/h . The manual version was just as fast as the Astra. Opel supplied the Insignia OPC as a sedan and as the ‘Sports Tourer’ shown. This example has less than a ton on the clock and can go for just under 25 grand.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl