These sketches are the first glimpses of the dramatic new Vauxhall Flextreme GT/E concept, which is due to be unveiled at the Geneva show in March - but don't let the letters 'G', 'T' and 'E' fool you - this is no performance car.
Instead, the idea behind the swoopy Flextreme GT/E is to show that Vauxhall/Opel's E-REV 'range-extender' hybrid vehicle technology - the green stuff that will underpin the Astra-sized Ampera - is more than a one-trick pony and can be adapted to large vehicles as well as small.
Vauxhall describes the Flextreme GT/E, rather confusingly, as a 'five-door coupé, four-seat upper mid-size concept vehicle', but think of it as an ultra-slick green take on a Mondeo or Insiginia and you'll be pretty much on the money.
Underneath the aerodynamic body the running gear is essentially the same as the Ampera, which means a 160bhp, 273lb ft electric motor backed up by a 71bhp 1.4-litre petrol motor to help push the car's range to more than 300 miles with an estimated average fuel consumption of 175mpg.
Thanks mostly to an astonishingly low drag coefficient of 0.22, performance is reasonable, however, with 0-62mph dealt with in around nine seconds and a top speed of 125mph.
Trouble is, the Flextreme GT/E, with those last three letters, is bringing back a rather legendary moniker. So while we applaud the effort in making an environmentally sensitive car that provides at least a passing nod to interesting looks and performance, is it right to attach the same letters found on the rump of such affordable performance icons as the
Astra (as honoured in PH Heroes)
and Opel Manta GTEs? We think perhaps not...
 A 'proper' GTE and... |
 ..not a GTE, but a legendary car nonetheless |
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