Is the Opel GT the Most Underrated Classic Coupe?

A Lot of Car for the Money

The Opel GT has spent most of its life in the shadow of the cars it resembles. Built from 1968 to 1973, it borrowed running gear from the humble Kadett and wrapped it in a body that still turns heads decades later. For builders, that combination - simple mechanicals under striking bodywork - is close to ideal.

Why It Was Overlooked

For years the GT was dismissed as a styling exercise on economy-car underpinnings. But that is exactly what makes it such a good platform today: the parts are cheap, the engineering is honest, and the car is light enough that modest power feels lively. The same things that kept prices low are the things that make it rewarding to own.

The Case for the GT

1. The shape has aged better than its rivals.

Low, curved and unmistakable, the GT looks expensive in a way its price never reflected. It still photographs like something far more exotic.

2. It is genuinely light.

Low weight means the modest CIH engine does not have to work hard to make the car feel quick, and it pays off everywhere - braking, cornering and fuel use.

3. The mechanicals are shared and simple.

Built on familiar Opel running gear, it draws on the same parts pool and tuning knowledge as the rest of the rear-wheel-drive range.

4. There is real upgrade headroom.

Injection conversions, brake upgrades and suspension tuning all transform the car without fighting its character.

5. It is still attainable.

Compared with the coupes it is often mistaken for, a project GT remains within reach - for now.

What to Love About It

• Pop-up headlights: hand-operated and full of charm, a defining feature of the car.
• Low kerb weight: the secret to why a small engine feels willing.
• Shared running gear: cheap, available and well understood.
• Tuning potential: responds happily to injection, brakes and suspension work.
• Head-turning looks: presence that belies the modest price.

Going in With Eyes Open

• Rust is the enemy: check floors, sills and the front valance carefully.
• Parts take patience: some trim is GT-specific and getting harder to find.
• Pop-up mechanism: the manual headlight linkage needs to work smoothly.
• Brakes deserve attention: a worthwhile early upgrade on any GT build.

The Verdict

The Opel GT delivers exotic looks, honest engineering and real tuning potential at a fraction of the cost of the cars it is compared to. If underrated means more car than the market gives it credit for, the GT makes a strong claim to the title.

Buy a good one before everyone else works it out.

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