Return of the Calibra

Lex Luthor

I was a big fan of these in the early 90's...almost bought one...

Nice to see they are bringing it back...looks good aswell

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/vauxhall-calibra-to-come-back-in-2009-ar39356.html

Gary ITR

Lex Luthor wrote: »

I was a big fan of these in the early 90's...almost bought one...

Nice to see they are bringing it back...looks good aswell

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/vauxhall-calibra-to-come-back-in-2009-ar39356.html

Anytime I see one I think of a red one on the Naas Road

mike65

The original had a certain trash/public housing estate appeal.

Tipsy Mac

I like it, can see some of the old looks in it too.

Drummerboy08

I like it. Its more or less an Insignia Coupe from that photo. As long as its priced right, it should sell, especially with the small 1.6 turbo engine, and a decent 2.0 diesel. But price will be the winning factor.

From those photos, i'd buy one. I think it looks great!

Finally Opel get their finger out.

unkel

Looks a lot like a TT, no?

Amzie

Looks well!:D

L-M

unkel wrote: »

Looks a lot like a TT, no?

No, lol:P

Gary ITR

Limerick man wrote: »

No, lol:P

TT sprung to my mind. You need glasses LM

L-M

Onkle wrote: »

TT sprung to my mind. You need glasses LM

Looks more like an Infiniti,



And I know I need glasses :P

Matt Simis

Wait a second... Does no one else actually remember the Calibra!?
None of this speaks "Calibra" to me. The looks, the engines, the pitch..

The 2009 Calibra will be powered by a range of three versions of the 1.6-litre turbo from the Corsa VXR, with a choice of 148bhp, 178bhp or 189bhp. Also there will be the variable-valve-timing 1.8-litre unit and the 2.8-litre V6. The Calibra will also be available with diesel engines, including the new entry-level engine along with a high-performance twin-turbo unit. Vauxhall is also considering an ecoFLEX version.

1.6Litre Corsa engines in a 2009 coupe with a "performance" image and brand heritage? God lord, its like they made it just for paddy-afraid of real engines. I do like the look of this car, but it doesnt look anything like the Calibra. I was expecting a modern interpretation, not a squashed Insignia.

There is no way this car was designed as a Calibra successor, that name no doubt was chosen by the marketing department some time last week in complete isolation to the engineers.

unkel

Limerick man wrote: »

Looks more like an Infiniti

I think needing glasses is the least of your problems

Barr

Not since the original Calibra - a Opel I atually like

bazz26

Well the original Calibra used the Opel Vectra/Vauxhall Cavalier underpinings, they even lifted the same dashboard. The 4x4 turbo was very quick in a straight line but in the corners the Cavalier chassis rared it's ugly head.

pburns

bazz26 wrote: »

Well the original Calibra used the Opel Vectra/Vauxhall Cavalier underpinings, they even lifted the same dashboard. The 4x4 turbo was very quick in a straight line but in the corners the Cavalier chassis rared it's ugly head.

Yeah, can't understand the misty-eyed nostalgia for the Calibra. By all accounts (well those of all the road tests done at the tie) it was a piece of crap, not a patch on the VW Corrado...

If you judge cars on looks alone the Calibra was OK but very ordinary under the skin. I suppose it was forerunner to the original Hyundai Coupe.

niceirishfella

It looks a bit bloated imho.

Mitch Connor

I think it looks a bit like the new Hyundai Coupe.

Matt Simis

pburns wrote: »

Yeah, can't understand the misty-eyed nostalgia for the Calibra. By all accounts (well those of all the road tests done at the tie) it was a piece of crap, not a patch on the VW Corrado...

If you judge cars on looks alone the Calibra was OK but very ordinary under the skin. I suppose it was forerunner to the original Hyundai Coupe.

Ignoring the hopeless 4x4 system on the Calibra Turbo;
Well, the Corrado G60 had a 0-60 of 8.3s, Calibra Turbo was 6.2 (tho some claim 5.8). Which is impressive considering the extra 300kg it weighed. Aerodynamically, call it a dolled up Caviler all you want, it still had a vastly better drag coefficient of .29 vs .32 on the Corrado. That didnt happen accidentally, some solid engineering did that.

The Corrado VR6 was more in line with the performance of the Calibra turbo, though obviously it had nearly a litre larger capacity. Im not "misty eyed"* over the Calibra IMO, I dont want one, but I respect it was the last "performance" effort by Opel. The "OPC" dolled up junk these days is just "cheap" in comparison.


*Though my parents did have one from new, my mother ran it flat out upto 140mph a week after we got it on a closed motorway... statute of limitations narks! :pac:

Saab Ed

Ok I know this you're all gonna think Im nuts after this but the first thing I thought of when I saw in this pictutre



was one of these......



Yeah you're right ..........I am loosin it.

Biro

Always hated the Calibra, nothing going for it. That's only OK looking at best.

alias no.9

Eh, wasn't the Calibra replaced almost immediately after it was discontinued. The Calibra was built up until 1997 and this beauty was launched in 1998.

Seth Brundle

alias no.9 wrote: »

The Calibra was built up until 1997 and this beauty was launched in 1998.

I wouldn't use the term 'beauty'!

ANyhow, regarding the new calibra, meh!

alias no.9

kbannon wrote: »

I wouldn't use the term 'beauty'!

That was more than a little but tongue in cheek, I even picked a pic from the worst angle. Does everything need a smilie or a tag these days .

Seth Brundle

They sold relatively well so some people thought they were beauties!

BlackWizard

Saab Ed wrote: »

Ok I know this you're all gonna think Im nuts after this but the first thing I thought of when I saw in this pictutre
.
.
.
Yeah you're right ..........I am loosin it.

The grill and lights do make it look like the snout of one of them animals.

I lost the plot ages ago. Just means you don't have to pretend to be normal any more.

bonham23

I had one of the original Calibras. It was the 2.0 16 valve. At the time it was a nice looking car but as some of the posters said it was nothing more than a vectra with some fancy body panels. A very heavy car with poor performance IMHO.

Cosmo K

Lets see, if Opel/Vauxhall actually survives long enough (financially), to built a new Calibra. They are nearly bancrupt, and GM's headquarter just suggested, that nationalisation might be a way out of the dilemma.