Opel Manta (Germany, 1970-1988)

The Manta had its world premiere in September 1970 at the Hotel Maritim in Timmendorfer Strand, near Lübeck at the Baltic Sea in Germany. The smooth coupe featured a manta ray emblem that was based on photos taken by Jacques Costeau, the French marine biologist. The Manta was a vehicle that met a new demand between the conventional coupe and a traditional sedan. It was inspired on the pony cars, a type o vehicle that was very popular in the US at the time.

Since the end of the 1960s more buyers were looking for attractive coupes. In the first half year of sales in 1971, Opel sold 55,399 Manta models.

Together with the Ascona, the Manta shared the floor assembly and the chassis modified for a dynamic drive. Both models featured the new 1.6-liter engines with 68 and 80 hp. For the Manta SR model Opel offered a 1.9-liter S engine that came from the Rekord. It had had 90 hp and was initially reserved for the Manta. Launched in 1972, the entry-le...