It's fast, it's sharp, it's hardcore, it's frill-free. It's aimed at purists and it doesn't compromise. And it's from Opel, writes Michael McAleer
You're looking at a future legend. It can put €100,000 super-cars to shame, bring out the eternal child in its drivers and still come in at the price of a premium family saloon. True, it's set to face some stiff competition from the glut of €50,000-plus sports coupés heading our way in the coming months. But they lack its hardcore, snarling, frill-free spirit.
This car is as sharp as the lines on its rump and so close to a road-going race car it looks like you've lost your way from the pit lane to the starting grid. You don't actually have to wear racing overalls when driving it, but you wouldn't look out of place if you did. Give it a couple of years and we reckon it will have acquired cult status in the motoring realms. And we're referring to a car that carries the same badge as your neighbour's Astra.
The Speedster Turbo is aimed at purists and offers little in the way of compromise. Opel broke the bland mould with the original 2.2-litre Speedster. The strategy was to create a full-blooded racer that would give a halo effect over the rest of the fleet.
However, it was somewhat knocked off-kilter by the fact that it's built by Lotus and was considered a cheaper replica of the Lotus Elise. The Speedster was further overshadowed by the fact that while it offered better value, the Elise pipped it in terms of power and performance, and of course street cred.
So, enter the Speedster Turbo - same car, but with more yee-hah for your euro (though it's about the same price as the Elise). Opel has taken its seat-of-the-pants Speedster and added a turbo to throw you into the middle of next week. It has upped the ante by inserting a 2-litre turbocharged unit - taken from the Astra Gsi - which now puts some fresh air between it and the Elise that spawned it.
While the cast-iron engine is heavier than the all-aluminium 2.2-litre unit in the regular Speedster, it comes with enough extra urge to overcome any deficit. Peak power output has risen from 145 bhp at 5,800 rpm to 197 bhp at 5,500 rpm and the torque gain is similarly impressive, up from 203 Newton Metres (Nm) at 4,000 rpm, to 250 Nm that's on call all the way from 1,950 rpm to 5,500 rpm.
But the real fun starts at about 3,000 rpm when, after a momentary lag as it draws breath, the turbo kicks in with a whining vengeance, keeping your head in intimate contact with the headrests for most of the journey. Yet for all the raw power, we would have liked a little more offensive growl from the engine, the type of sound that sends children running in search of their mothers and causes irate pensioners a fit of fist-waving as you drive past at 20 mph.
Another feature of the Turbo model is a change-up light housed in the rev counter, which winks occasionally at the driver to signal that it's time to move up a gear. However, you're only likely to make it glow in first or second gear, for in higher gears it will also signal that your licence is melting in your pocket. As if the power statistics were not enough, all this potency comes with a combined fuel consumption of 33.2 mpg.
Weaving through the five-speed gearbox - also taken from the Astra, but adjusted to give shorter shifts - the 0-60 mph is now down to 4.9 seconds from the 2.2-litre's 6.1 seconds. But it's the mid-range acceleration that really puts this car in the super-car class, with a 50-70 mph of just 5.5 seconds. This is the sort of overtaking punch that could well get you out of a sticky situation. There was some oscillation in the gear stick in our test car, and changes were not as smooth as in some other more luxurious performance models, yet there's something raw and passionate about the metal clink in the Speedster's box. You can nearly feel the cogs in motion.
All that torque also means you can nip around town or cruise down the motorway in fifth, and still have enough punch to pass crawling trucks on the motorway without calling on a lower gear. But this car was not meant for the motorway. Apart from the fact that on long straight journeys obeying the speed limits can bring to the fore its lack of comfort, the true qualities of this car are best appreciated on winding roads.
With virtually zero overhang and similarly negligible ground clearance, the Speedster Turbo flits through corners without a bother, pushing towards slight understeer.
It never really becomes unstuck and the surge out of corners is enough to impress a fighter pilot. Behind the wheel and prams tower before you on the pavements. You find yourself in direct eye-line of the average family pooch. Handling via the tiny sports steering wheel, which seems to be modelled on those in fairground bumper cars, is a joy and you build up an intimate relationship with every inch of tarmac you traverse. Of course, with no power steering it also saves valuable euros on gym membership. One attempt at parallel parking is equivalent to a 30-minute workout on loose weights.
In terms of looks, the turbo version is virtually identical to its normally-aspirated sibling, save for the tiny spoiler on the boot and the big scoops behind each door, allowing the turbo to breathe. Like the original Speedster, the turbo comes without the paraphernalia of air-con, cruise control or electric windows.
A purist's car, it offers the level of cabin fit that makes Land Rover Defenders look positively plush. It's hard to think that this car, with its two rock-hard bucket seats, is from Opel, home of sensible family motoring and flexible seating.
Our test car was fitted with an optional body coloured, removable hard-top, which we would definitely recommend. But there's a trade-off to be made. While it gives the car a more solid look and vastly increased security, it does remove the flexibility of flipping back the roof so you can drop into the car from on high.
With the hard-top on, getting into the Speedster is less the act of a contortionist, and more like trying to break into a house through the letterbox. Also, while this car attracts stares and ogles like a bikini-clad supermodel on Sandymount Strand, entry and exit should be considered a very private affair and, like morning ablutions, best done in private.
The boot, though limited, is actually quite spacious despite the initial impression from the width of the aperture. However it does get quite warm as it's within millimetres of the engine.
Another gripe is that to keep weight down, the fuel tank holds only 8.5 gallons, which means that while relatively fuel-efficient, you will be a regular at the local filling station.
Some may still omit the Opel from their shopping list simply because of the badge. That's foolish. For the money, you're looking at a car that feasts on corners, offers amazing fuel consumption considering its potency and raw, purist motoring fun.
True, it's about as practical an everyday mode of transport as a unicycle, but for performance-inclined drivers on a tight budget, it's a must test-drive.
FACTFILE
ENGINE: 1,998 cc 4-cylinder in-line 15-valve turbocharged unit offering 197bhp at 5,500rpm and 250Nm of torque from 1,950rpm to 5,500rpm.
PERFORMANCE: A top speed of 151 mph with a 0-60 in 4.9 seconds.
SPECIFICATION: Pretty sparse, with only a drivers airbag and ABS as standard. Alo get a cup holder.
FUEL: Urban 23.7 mpg. Extra urban: 43.5 mpg. Combined: 33.2 mpg.
PRICE: €50,963.
THE COMPETITION
Opel Speedster Turbo 16v. 1,998cc; 4.9 (0-60); 151 max speed; 197 bhp; 33.2 mpg combined; €50,963.
Lotus Elise 1.8 (111). 1,796cc; 5.3 (0-60); 132 max speed; 156 bhp; 40.9 mpg combined; €49,967.
Audi TT Quattro 1.8T roadster (225). 1,791cc; 6.9 (0-60); 147 max speed; 225 bhp; 29.7 mpg combined; €59,450.
Honda S2000 2.0 GT. 1,997cc; 6.2 (0-60); 147 max speed; 237 bhp; 28.5 mpg combined; €59,600.
Subaru Impreza 2.0 WRX Sti. 1,994cc; 5.2 (0-60); 151 max speed; 262 bhp; 25.4 mpg combined; €57,250.