Vauxhall’s sister brand Opel has brought back the iconic Manta as a one-off all-electric special to celebrate the coupé’s fiftieth anniversary.
The four-cylinder engine under the black bonnet has been replaced by an electric motor with 108kW (147PS) and 225Nm of torque. With a 31kWh lithium-ion battery, the Manta GSe has a range of around 124 miles, and like the current Vauxhall electric range, features regenerative braking to improve range. Charging takes place through a 9kW on-board charger with a full charge taking just under four hours to complete.
The Manta GSe comes with a Pixel-Vizor front end that stretches across the entire width of the front, with the Pixel technology allowing it to issue messages, such as “I am on a zero e-mission”, followed by the silhouette of a manta ray gliding over the Pixel-Vizor.
The new Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD reflects the growing trend of transforming classic cars like the Manta into so-called “RestoMods” with modern components and powertrains. In fact, the interior features the latest Vauxhall digital technology. The classic round instruments have been replaced by the Vauxhall Pure Panel, with two driver oriented digital displays, one 12-inch and one 10-inch.
The sports seats come with a yellow centre line and offer improved comfort and support over the originals. The steering wheel is a Petri three-spoke wheel reworked by Opel and features a yellow marker in the 12 o’clock position for an added sporty touch.
Both Vauxhall and Opel have pledged to offer an electrified variant across their entire model line-up by 2024.
As WhichEV reported, Vauxhall has an impressive line-up of electric vehicles, the Corsa-e, the Mokka, the Combo-e and the Vivaro-e.