Second-Hand Sense: The Opel Tigra is an example of how inventive car designers can be when working with fairly basic concepts.
So, how do you turn a basic little runaround such as the Opel Corsa into a coupé that turns heads and makes a statement previously unmade at this end of the market? You just cut everything back, turn it into a two-seater, add a few trimmings and a low profile - and you have the first Tigra of 1994.
The Tigra still looks quite good, even if cars such as the Peugeot 206 cc can run rings around it and look a million dollars better.
There is a new Tigra, but older ones are showing their age, nowhere more so than in the interior. Coming from the Corsa it really is drab and boring. It's also very cramped - if you're a tall driver with a nippy second-hand coupé in mind, this car is not for you.
The older Tigra also drives like a Corsa. It does everything the Corsa does, pretty much as the Corsa does, but its performance, ride or handling are not going to make your hair stand on end. The original concept, it seems, was to maximise the appeal of the car without spending a fortune on the kind of innovation that would make it feisty and interesting.
However, the Tigra did make a good style statement. Low without looking aggressive and stylish to boot, it has a good profile and is a tribute to the design team.
The deal certainly worked for Opel because the car had a pretty instant appeal on the European market. In general, having a 1.4 engine didn't deter young buyers - in fact many could afford the car because the insurance load normally attached to coupés at the time didn't really come into play.
EuroNCAP crash test results for the car are not available, but it's quite a solid little car, as Opels generally are. There has been one major recall for a concern about seat belt latchings - in 1999 and 2000, about 11,500 cars were recalled.
There are surprisingly few second-hand Tigras around, mainly because it was basically killed off by Opel in 2001 and resurrected only last year. A 2004 model with a 1.4 petrol engine and 5,000 miles on the clock will cost you about €23,950, which is steep. A five-year-old model with the same engine and 55,000 on the clock is a more reasonable €9,500.
FOR: Older ones still have a certain appeal at the right price.
AGAINST: Cramped and lacking space in all departments.