FunkiBluDawg

Calibra - The most stylish Vauxhall/Opel ever.

The most stylish Vauxhall/Opel ever ?

Yes. According to me, most Calibra Owners and Wikipedia
(The Calibra, styled by the American head of GM design Europe, Wayne Cherry (retired), is considered by some the most stylish Vauxhall/Opel ever, but being based on the Vectra chassis its ride and handling were not significantly better than that of the family car from which it grew. It was, however, the most aerodynamically efficient Opel ever, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. It remained the most aerodynamic mass production car for the next 10 years, until the Honda Insight was launched in 1999 with a Cd of 0.25.)




I have owned my Calibra for 4 years now. And even though its a bit old, I havent found a good reason to get a new car. Frankly I dont find anything else in the market which is has the same jaw dropping good looks. The Alfa Romeo 159/GT comes close but I cant affort it. ;-)

Looks wise, the Calibra still turns heads and gives "modern" cars a good run for their money.
Calibras are fast but dont take well to twisting roads due to its tendancy to understeer. Also tends to wander about at low speeds. But in a straight line, they are very good. Motorway miles disappear quickly and steering in the excess of 100mph is needle sharp. Cruising on the motorway is a real pleasure.



Though classed as a sports car, the Calibra is surprisingly roomy, with space for 4 adults and a real big boot. The boot can be extended by dropping the rear seats, like other family cars. I have used mine for putting a big subwoofer but still leaves enough space for the weekly shopping.

Calibras can take lots of punishment and are known to take lots of miles if properly taken care of. Its common to find them on sale with high mileages in excess of 150K.

One can find them on sale for 2-5K in resonably good condition.
Some common faults to watch our for are :

• Anti-roll bar mounting nuts disintegrate every so often (60-90£)
• Minor electrical Faults. Power Window system generally problem prone.
• Headlights are not bright enough. Most Calibra owners always have the fog lights on !!.

With a little care, Calibras last well and provide years of enjoyable driving.

posted by FunkiBluDawg @ 8:32 pm