Monday 8th July 2013

Opel Monza is back!

A classic nameplate resurrected for a very modern coupe concept

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We've had the Volkswagen Scirocco return with plenty of success, so how about another 80s coupe retro revival? Say hello to the Opel Monza concept. Well, say hello first to the old one, which quite a few in the PH office carry a flame for.

Karl-Thomas Neumann, Opel-Vauxhall's CEO

But to the new one. Technically, it's a joint Vauxhall/Opel project but, with a choice between Monza and Royale, the Opel option probably faced little competition. Yes, they were ostensibly the same car, but which nameplate would you rather own?

Officially, it's a concept previewing future Vauxhall design themes and pushing onboard connectivity. This means plenty in the press blurb about 'lithe athleticism' and 'sculptural artistry' plus the promise of 'a quantum leap in the development of infotainment systems'. However, all cynicism aside, the Vauxhall range is currently a sharply-styled one at and the Adam is certainly forging ahead with connectivity options. Vauxhall has proved it can deliver on these fronts for a while now.

Where Vauxhall hasn't been quite so successful is in creating driver's cars. The Astra VXR is a great car but it's failed to take victory in a single hot hatch group test yet. When equipped with the Nurburgring package, the Corsa VXR became an absolute riot but also a £22K car. Moreover, whilst the Insignia VXR remains good value and a decent steer, it's competing in a tiny market with an undesirable badge.

VXR looks good and goes well but lacks x-factor

Now although Vauxhall does mention 'excitement' and 'great driving fun', it also makes patently clear its priorities are efficiency and connectivity, which is a little concerning. Indeed, Vauxhall says its future cars will be inspired by the Monza and 'address the needs of a more closely connected and communications-savvy society'. And whilst no powertrain is yet confirmed, a drive for efficiency would imply the old days of multi-cylindered Vauxhall coupes may be over. Still, Vauxhall seems keen to promote the VXR brand and a faster production Monza could presumably go head-to-head with Volkswagen Scirocco R and Peugeot RCZ R.

The styling is said to hark back to the classic coupes with 'large glazed areas' and a 'low belt line' but these are fairly tenuous links. From these early shots, it seems sleek, aggressive and contemprary, whilst also discernibly different from the three-door hatch-coupe Astra GTC. Another well-designed Vauxhall? You better believe it.

A Monza you can buy now in the PH classifieds

The Monza concept will be fully unveiled at the Frankfurt show in September, an event which should also provide more information on its production viability. Until then, hopefully this 1982 3.0 GSE can sate (or indeed heighten) any lingering desire for a Monza coupe.

[pSyCoSiS]

I saw a nice Monza over the weekend. They do have some presence about them, and I can imagine how 'flash' they would have been back in their day.

Will be interesting to see what they actually come up with...

[Monty Python]

There are suggestions that if it makes production it could cost upwards of £50,000. I for one wouldn't spend that much on a Vauxhall.

[myhandle]

If this car is built, it will be for two reasons.

1)To be sold as (probably) a Buick in other markets EG USA and China.
2)To act as a halo model, IE to make people think more favourably about buying an Insignia / Astra as there is a semi-upmarket model in the same range, producing some element of reflected glory.

Also the Astra VXR did indeed win at least one test, not in a magazine, but on the Top Gear TV show. Hardly EVO, but with a somewhat wider audience so a victory nonetheless.

[renrut]

Not a car that interests me if its most important aspects are the infotainment and styling. I'm not in the market for a new car anyway but even in 10yrs time when I would consider one I can't see it appealing.

[rejn]

That white one looks nice. But Auto and LSD seems like an unusual pairing?

[edwheels]

In it's a day, a Monza GSE, was a car to aspire too - they just looked (and still look) so good. Never got to drive one.

[edwheels]

... but the white one in the classifieds just has too many after-market black stripes stuck on it - something people used to do too much of in 1908s, so at least it is period I suppose. IMHO the best colour for a Monza was dark grey too.

[scarble]

myhandle said:

If this car is built, it will be for two reasons.
2)To act as a halo model, IE to make people think more favourably about buying an Insignia / Astra as there is a semi-upmarket model in the same range, producing some element of reflected glory.

Monaro/VXR8??
Whatever, they need to make it and it needs to be RWD. Perhaps a baby Monaro with less ostentatious styling?

[J4CKO]

Monty Python said:

There are suggestions that if it makes production it could cost upwards of £50,000. I for one wouldn't spend that much on a Vauxhall.

Surely it is down to how good the car is, I am not the worlds biggest Vauxhall fan but I would read reviews. perhaps drive one and then make a decision, would you buy it if it had an Audi/BMW. Mercedes badge ?

[PascalBuyens]

"the old days of multi-cylindered Vauxhall coupes may be over"

Hmm... So it'll carry a one cylinder? Interesting

[simonrockman]

J4CKO said:

Monty Python said:

There are suggestions that if it makes production it could cost upwards of £50,000. I for one wouldn't spend that much on a Vauxhall.

Surely it is down to how good the car is, I am not the worlds biggest Vauxhall fan but I would read reviews. perhaps drive one and then make a decision, would you buy it if it had an Audi/BMW. Mercedes badge ?

Unfortunately you are in a minority. Compare the price of second-hand Elises with VX220s and you'll see there is a significant premium for the less powerful car with the better badge.

[993RSGT3]

if they are going to be making a coupe, this is what it should be modeled on:

[Monty Python]

J4CKO said:

Surely it is down to how good the car is, I am not the worlds biggest Vauxhall fan but I would read reviews. perhaps drive one and then make a decision, would you buy it if it had an Audi/BMW. Mercedes badge ?

It's not the badge that bothers me - it's whether the thing is built well enough to justify the price. Also, I'm guessing it'll struggle to hold it's value (might make a great S/H purchase).

[LuS1fer]

Stick it in a Bond film as the Vauxhall Casino Royale and take a gamble.
Vauxhall Monza just doesn't sound right.

[80quattro]

The headline picture is of a Vauxhall Royale, the pov version of the Opel Monza.

[Frimley111R]

The Royale was a saloon IIRC.

[rutthenut]

Manta 400, yummy

Monza, nice rwd coupe

Article here says the replacement may be rwd too
http://www.carscoops.com/2013/07/opel-reportedly-b...

[sad61t]

So it'll be a three-door Ampera then.

[nelly_h]

Frimley111R said:

The Royale was a saloon IIRC.

Royale came as a 4 door saloon or coupe (which was the Monza equivalent). I met a chap who has one of the coupes a little while back, but I imagine there aren't many around.

[98elise]

pSyCoSiS said:

I saw a nice Monza over the weekend. They do have some presence about them, and I can imagine how 'flash' they would have been back in their day.

Will be interesting to see what they actually come up with...

When I was still at school (early 80's) someone was collected each evening in a silver monza, with alloys and tinted windows. It looked fantastic.