Born: 1970 Died: 1988
If selling more than a million of a non-mainstream model over an 18-year period doesn't make a car special, nothing will. The Opel Manta was Europe's first affordable "muscle" car. It quickly gained street cred among what we today call the "racer" brigade.
Developed at a time when Ford's Capri had established a European style copying America's sporty "pony" cars, the Manta A immediately hit the button with those who found the Ford's name a little on the hairdressing side. Its fastback styling seems to have been significantly influenced from US designs, giving it a more macho edge than the Capri's rather sweet curves.
The Manta had a 1.6-litre engine that came in 68bhp and 80bhp power output - and eventually a 90bhp 1.9-litre. A 4-speed transmission was standard. In Europe, the car went from success to success. You could order it with a 2.8-litre six lifted from the big Commodore saloon tuned to push 142bhp - or, in some markets, you could have a Manta with a 1.2-litre engine from the Kadett. For those who wanted a bit of visual pizzaz, the SR Rallye came with black matt bonnet and "rally" stripes and some extra instruments.
Towards the end of 1972, the Berlinetta version added a trendy vinyl roof, a driver's door mirror and a rev counter. A GT/E Manta that never made it to Ireland had then-rare fuel injection. In late 1974, a limited number of RHD Turbo Mantas were produced. A rally version of the TE2800 produced by Transeurop Engineering had a whopping 230bhp under its bonnet's bulge. In all, some 480,000 Manta As were built.
A whole new Manta appeared in 1975. The B's shape was directly derived from the 1970 Chevy Monza in the US. Initial engines were a 1.6-litre with 75bhp, and the optional 1.9-litre 90bhp. In three specifications - Deluxe, SR and Berlinetta - the last had a vinyl roof and full carpeting. In 1976, a GT/E variant was available in LHD European markets.
In 1977, the SR and Berllinetta specs were merged and the 1.9 engine became standard. A special chassis kit could be ordered to beef up suspension and tighten steering. Soon afterwards Opel dropped the 1.6 engine, and in 1978 a new 100bhp 2-litre engine replaced the 1.9. The hatchback CC (combi coupé) was added.
With chrome becoming unfashionable in the late 1970s, 1980 saw the bumpers covered in black plastic (full plastic bumpers had not yet evolved). If you wanted to stand out further, you could have a front spoiler. The limited edition GT/J Coupé added more matt black paint and sport stripes, as well as an all-black interior.
In 1983, a 1.8-litre version was badged the Manta GT, and Opel built the Manta 400 specifically for rallying with a 275bhp 2.4-litre engine. Despite initial problems of excessive power to the back axle, it developed quite successfully until Group B rallying was stopped in 1986 for safety reasons. For the road market a small number of 125bhp and 136bhp Mantas were produced, the i200 and i240 respectively - and 1984 saw a 110 2-litre GTE.
Production of the Manta B ceased in 1981 after some 550,000 cars. The last car, a GSi, is in Opel's museum.
The Manta gave a credible sports image to a brand which up to then had been regarded only as a producer of reliable but dull road cars. When it killed the Manta, Opel pretty well lost its sporty reputation too.