NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Opel Calibra

The Opel Calibra (badged as a Vauxhall in the UK, Holden in Australia and New Zealand and Chevrolet in most South American countries, except Chile) is a sports car produced by German automaker Opel between 1989 and 1997. Introduced to counter the Japanese sports coupes of the late '80s/early '90s, it was based around the running gear of the first-generation Opel Vectra, which had been launched in 1988. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1220x521, 135 KB) Opel Calibra, eigenes Bild, File links The following pages link to this file: General Motors Calibra ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, an American multinational corporation, is the worlds largest auto company by production volume for the first 9 months of 2007, and by sales volume for 76 consecutive years. ... The Opel Manta was a rear-wheel-drive sports coupÃ© motor vehicle built by Opel, a subsidiary of General Motors, from 1970 to 1988. ... See also Vauxhall Astra, Holden Astra, and Saturn Astra for the usage of the nameplate by other General Motors subsidiaries. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was based upon European sports cars A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... The Peugeot 406 CoupÃ©, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupÃ©, noted for its large, angular design 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupÃ© Rover P5 Coupe, a traditional four-door coupÃ© Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupÃ© Gala-CoupÃ© of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coup... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of or on the front axle. ... Front-wheel drive is the most common form of engine/transmission layout used in modern passenger cars, where the engine drives the front wheels. ... This article is about the class of vehicles. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... General Motors introduced the midsize front wheel drive GM2900 platform in 1988 with the introductions of the Opel Vectra A and the Vauxhall Cavalier Mk. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... Air foil bearing-supported turbocharger cutaway made by Mohawk Innovative Technology Inc. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... â€œGearboxâ€ redirects here. ... GETRAG is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. ... ZF Friedrichshafen AG (meaning Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen Aktiengesellschaft which was until 1992 the name of the company) is a leading supplier of automobile transmissions. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... Saab 900 Talladega The second generation Saab 900 (called the NG900 among enthusiasts) was a compact car replacing the classic Saab 900 in 1994. ... 2000 Saab 9-5 sedan 2006 Saab 9-5 station wagon The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Saab. ... Image File history File links Opel Calibra sul Circuito di Monza File links The following pages link to this file: General Motors Calibra ... Image File history File links Opel Calibra sul Circuito di Monza File links The following pages link to this file: General Motors Calibra ... The Lambro River runs through Monza. ... For information about the football team see Vauxhall Motors F.C. Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. ... Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin) (colloquially Chevy) is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was based upon European sports cars A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... This article is about the European car manufacturer. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ...

Design

The Calibra, styled by the American head of GM design Europe, Wayne Cherry (retired), is a front-wheel drive coupé considered by some the most stylish Vauxhall/Opel ever^{[citation needed]}, but being based on the Vectra chassis its ride and handling were not significantly better than that of the large family car from which it grew. Wayne K Cherry Wayne K Cherry (b. ... The Peugeot 406 CoupÃ©, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupÃ©, noted for its large, angular design 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupÃ© Rover P5 Coupe, a traditional four-door coupÃ© Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupÃ© Gala-CoupÃ© of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coup...

The 8 valve model was, however, the most aerodynamically efficient Opel ever^{[citation needed]}, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26 ^[1]. It remained the most aerodynamic mass production car for the next 10 years, until the Honda Insight was launched in 1999 with a Cd of 0.25.^{[citation needed]} All later 16V, V6, 4x4, turbo models had a worse Cd of 0.29 due to changes in cooling system, underbody, use of spoked wheels and glass detail. ^[2] The drag coefficient (Cd, Cx or Cw, depending on the country) is a dimensionless quantity that describes a characteristic amount of aerodynamic drag caused by fluid flow, used in the drag equation. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Production

Calibra production was based in two Opel factories, Rüsselsheim in Germany and Uusikaupunki in Finland. Determining which plant any specific Calibra was produced at is possible by checking the VIN. On the Calibra the VIN is as follows: ^[3] Depending on the capitalization, Vin can refer to any of the following: Vin = input voltage (an alternative form for Vin) Old European Script A diminutive of the name Vincent, as in: Vin Diesel Vin Scully The name of a character from the video games Jak II and Jak 3: Vin...

Engines

Power was initially from 2.0 L 8-valve (85 kW/115 bhp C20NE) and 16-valve fuel-injected (110 kW/150 bhp C20XE) four-cylinder petrol engines. In 1992 a turbocharged 2.0 L engine (150 kW/204 bhp)(a C20LET, the turbocharged version of the C20XE) was added to the range. With four-wheel drive, a six-speed Getrag manual transmission (F28/6) and a claimed top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph), this flagship model finally gave the Calibra the dynamics to match its looks. The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ... The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ... The F28/6 manual transmission was built by Getrag and fitted to the C20LET 2. ...

In 1994 a 125 kW/167 hp 2.5 L V6 (C25XE) was introduced, thus creating what many considered to be the finest Calibra to date^{[citation needed]}. Available with both manual and automatic transmissions, the V6 wasn't as fast as the Turbo, but was rather more civilised, and proved to be more reliable than the complex four-wheel drive model with its notorious transfer box issues^{[citation needed]}. 1995 saw the introduction of the X20XEV Ecotec engine, a cheaper less reliable derivative of the classic C20XE 16-valve or "red top" engine. This marked a reduction in power from 150 bhp (112 kW) to 136 bhp (101 kW) for the 16-valve version, although the Turbo continued with the C20LET. The X20XEV is a General Motors engine. ... The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ...

The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ... The X20XEV is a General Motors engine. ... The X25XE is a General Motors engine. ...

Commercial life

During its lifetime, the Calibra was much more popular in Europe than its nearest rival, the Ford Probe, which was considered to be underpowered and too American for most European drivers. However in the UK, it failed to outsell the Rover 200 Coupe which offered comparable performance at a lower cost and at the time Rover had a better image.^{[citation needed]} The Ford Probe was a coupe produced by Ford, introduced in 1989 to replace the Ford EXP as the companys sport compact car. ... The Rover 200 Coupe was a car produced by the Rover Group, based on the Rover 200 Mark II. On 6 October 1992, a striking new dimension was added to the Rover range with the launch at the Paris Motor Show of the Rover 200 Coupe. ... // Rover was a British automobile manufacturer and later a marque based at the former Austin Longbridge plant in Birmingham. ...

In 1995, the Vectra A was replaced, but Calibra production proceeded until it was discontinued at the end of 1997. Although a smaller coupe (the Tigra) was available, the marque was left without a mid-sized coupé until the Astra Coupé was launched in 2000, and with the introduction of the Opel Speedster in 2001, four years after the Calibra was discontinued, Opel finally offered a sports car again. Categories: Automobile stubs | Opel vehicles ... Opel Astra The Astra is a small family car of the General Motors Corporation, badged as an Opel in India, continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland; a Vauxhall in the United Kingdom, a Holden in Australasia, and a Chevrolet in Latin America. ...

Transmissions

In addition to a four-speed automatic transmissions that was available on all models except the C20LET (although some countries such as Australia did not sell the C20XE with the four-speed auto), there were five-speed manual gearboxes for the Calibra. Image File history File linksMetadata Homebush1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Homebush1. ... The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ...

The X20XEV is a General Motors engine. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The C20XE is a General Motors engine. ... The F25 manual transmission was fitted to many vehicles in the European General Motors production line up including the Opel Calibra. ... The X25XE is a General Motors engine. ... The Getrag F28/6 manual transmission was built by Getrag and fitted to the C20LET 2. ...

Racing

The Opel Calibra has featured in many racing series/events around the world, the highest level however would most probably be the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. The Calibra was fitted with an all wheel drive naturally-aspirated V6 engine. The current DTM logo DTM was the initials for the former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (German Touringcar Championship), held from 1984 to 1996, a motorsport series based in Germany, with additional rounds elsewhere in Europe. ... A naturally-aspirated engine or normally-aspirated engine (NA - aspiration meaning breathing) refers to an internal combustion engine (normally petrol or diesel powered) that is neither turbocharged nor supercharged. ...

Manuel Reuter won the 1996 DTM championship in the Joest Racing Calibra. Klaus Ludwig finished 3rd in the 1994 DTM season in the Team Rosberg Calibra. Manuel Reuter is a German race car driver. ... The current DTM logo DTM was the initials for the former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (German Touringcar Championship), held from 1984 to 1996, a motorsport series based in Germany, with additional rounds elsewhere in Europe. ... Established in 1978. ... Klaus Ludwig (born May 5, 1949 in Bonn, Germany) was probably Germanys best race driver that did not enter Formula One. ... The current DTM logo DTM was the initials for the former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (German Touringcar Championship), held from 1984 to 1996, a motorsport series based in Germany, with additional rounds elsewhere in Europe. ... Team Rosberg is a race team that assigned itself with A1 Team Austria during the 2005-2006 season. ...

The Calibra in popular culture

Gran Turismo 2 (commonly abbreviated to GT2) is a racing game for the Sony PlayStation. ... Gran Turismo (GT) is a racing video game series developed by Polyphony Digital for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable gaming systems. ... For the main series, see Gran Turismo (series) Gran Turismo 4 (also known as GT4) is a racing video game for Sony Playstation 2 which is published by Polyphony Digital. ... Veronica Guerin is a 2003 film directed by Joel Schumacher. ... Catherine Ã‰lise Blanchett (born May 14, 1969), better known as Cate Blanchett, is an Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning Australian actress. ... 7 Seconds is a 2005 crime-thriller starring Wesley Snipes. ... Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, martial artist and film producer. ...

Trivia

As of 2006, the world's fastest accelerating street-legal car has been determined to be a heavily modified 1993 Vauxhall Calibra, owned by Steve Pateman, boasting a 1.25 second 0 to 60 mile per hour time, and an 8.14 second quarter-mile time. The car has been extensively altered, including a new big-block Chevrolet V8 engine and a steel tube chassis.^[4] Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin) (colloquially Chevy) is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration, although modern automotive versions use a 90 degree block angle. ...

Unfortunately this is no longer correct. The fastest street legal car is now a Vauxhall Victor, known as Red Victor One (RV1) with records to back up the claim: 0 to 60mph in 1 second, 1/4 mile in 7.68 seconds. Only jet powered cars on the Nevada Salt Flats hold similar records. Red Victor One is a one-of-a-kind Vauxhall Victor or VV. The owner modified it in several stages beginning with the stock 4 cylinder, moving on to a 3.5 litre Rover V8, and arriving at a twin turbo (TT) Chevrolet 9.3L V8. As the narrator in the video clip says, "once stickers were added, things got serious" A 9.3 litre V8 with 2200bhp is where RV1 stands now.

On its launch in 1989, the Calibra was the most aerodynamic production car in the world. This was glorified in an advert on British television during 1990. Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Generally speaking, advertising is the paid promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas by an identified sponsor. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ...

References

For other uses, see MSN (disambiguation). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since October 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | Opel vehicles | Front wheel drive vehicles | Front wheel drive sports cars | All wheel drive vehicles | Mid-size cars | Coupes | 1980s automobiles | 1990s automobiles This article is about the European car manufacturer. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, an American multinational corporation, is the worlds largest auto company by production volume for the first 9 months of 2007, and by sales volume for 76 consecutive years. ... 1996 Volkswagen Polo, a popular modern European supermini A supermini is a European hatchback car category. ... The Opel Corsa is a supermini that has been produced by General Motors European subsidiary Opel since 1982. ... The Opel Corsa is a supermini that has been produced by General Motors European subsidiary Opel since 1982. ... The Opel Corsa is a supermini that has been produced by General Motors European subsidiary Opel since 1982. ... The Opel Corsa is a supermini that has been produced by General Motors European subsidiary Opel since 1982. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1937 and 1940, then from 1962 to 1992. ... The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1937 and 1940, then from 1962 to 1992. ... The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1937 and 1940, then from 1962 to 1992. ... See also Vauxhall Astra, Holden Astra, and Saturn Astra for the usage of the nameplate by other General Motors subsidiaries. ... See also Vauxhall Astra, Holden Astra, and Saturn Astra for the usage of the nameplate by other General Motors subsidiaries. ... See also Vauxhall Astra, Holden Astra, and Saturn Astra for the usage of the nameplate by other General Motors subsidiaries. ... A Ford Mondeo, a large family car. ... The Opel Ascona was a midsized car produced by Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Ascona was a midsized car produced by Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Vectra is a large family car produced by Opel, the main European subsidiary of General Motors. ... The Opel Signum is an upper-midsize class car with a hatchback body, manufactured by General Motors in Germany. ... Executive car is a British term used generally to describe an automobile larger than a large family car, but which is not a high-end or ultra luxury car, a multi-purpose vehicle or a sport utility vehicle. ... The Opel Rekord is an executive car from the German automaker Opel. ... 1970 Opel Rekord CoupÃ© The Opel Commodore was an executive car produced by German automaker Opel. ... There was also an Oldsmobile Omega, an unrelated vehicle in the 1970s/80s The Opel Omega was an executive car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2003. ... There was also an Oldsmobile Omega, an unrelated vehicle in the 1970s/80s The Opel Omega was an executive car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2003. ... A contemporary Lincoln Town Car, an example of the traditional luxury car design. ... The Opel Senator was a large saloon (and derivative coupÃ©) motor vehicle sold in Europe from 1978 until 1994. ... 1978 Opel Monza 3·0S The Opel Senator was a large sedan sold in Europe from 1978 until 1994. ... The Opel Senator was a large saloon (and derivative coupÃ©) motor vehicle sold in Europe from 1978 until 1994. ... 1994 Vauxhall Tigra The Opel Tigra is a sports car produced by Opel (a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation) based on its Corsa supermini. ... 1994 Vauxhall Tigra The Opel Tigra is a sports car produced by Opel (a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation) based on its Corsa supermini. ... The Opel Manta was a rear-wheel-drive sports coupÃ© motor vehicle built by Opel, a subsidiary of General Motors, from 1970 to 1988. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Vauxhall VX220. ... The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car introduced by Opel in 1968. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Minivan. ... The Agila, badged either as Opel in Europe and Vauxhall in the UK, is a small wagon built in Poland, with sales commencing in summer 2000. ... The Agila, badged either as Opel in Europe and Vauxhall in the UK, is a small wagon built in Poland, with sales commencing in summer 2000. ... Chevrolet Meriva The Opel Meriva is a mini MPV based on the platform of the third generation Opel Corsa and sold under that name on all of the European markets with the exception of the UK, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva. ... Chevrolet Meriva The Opel Meriva is a mini MPV based on the platform of the third generation Opel Corsa and sold under that name on all of the European markets with the exception of the UK, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva. ... Renault MÃ©gane ScÃ©nic, the first car to be marketed as a compact MPV Opel Zafira, a seven-seater compact MPV A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars (sometimes also referred to as compact cars), fitting... The Zafira is a car from General Motors, branded as an Opel in Europe, except for the UK, where it is branded as a Vauxhall. ... The Zafira is a car from General Motors, branded as an Opel in Europe, except for the UK, where it is branded as a Vauxhall. ... A modern minivan - 2004 Chrysler Town & Country Typical early minivan (a Dodge Caravan) A minivan, people carrier, multi utility vehicle (MUV),or multi purpose vehicle (MPV) is a type of vehicle which has a body that resembles a van, but which has rear side doors, rear side windows, and interior... The Opel Sintra is a large MPV manufactured by General Motors for the European market (in the United Kingdom under the Vauxhall Sintra nameplate) between 1996 and 1999. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Opel Antara is a mid-size crossover SUV, which is based on the GM Theta platform. ... Between 1983 and 2002, Isuzu Motors Limited of Japan manufactured and exported the Full-size Luxury SUV known variously as the Isuzu Bighorn, Isuzu Trooper, Honda Horizon, Vauxhall/Opel Monterey, & the Holden Jackaroo. ... This article is about the road vehicle. ... The Combo is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle from General Motors, which is branded as Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Chevrolet, depending on the market. ... The Combo is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle from General Motors, which is branded as Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Chevrolet, depending on the market. ... 2002 Renault Trafic Renault Trafic is the name used by Renault for recent generations of its light vans. ... The Opel Vivaro, a van/bus available in several different configurations and wheelbases, was introduced in 2003 and is a rebadged version of the Renault Trafic. ... The Opel/Vauxhall Movano is a mid-sized commercial vehicle sold in Europe from year 2002. ...

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