Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD Recharges German Classic

• Opel creates electric restomod based on the mid-1970s Manta coupe, but one that has kept a four-speed manual transmission.

• The Manta GSe ElektroMOD now features a single electric motor producing 145 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque, drawing juice from a 31-kWh battery.

• The original Manta was sold in the U.S. along with a few other Opel models, but GM ceased selling Opels under their own badge after the 1970s.

We've seen our share of electric restomods by now, but Opel's recreation of its 1970s classic offers something few others do: a four-speed manual transmission.

For this project the German automaker, now part of PSA, took its classic 1970s Manta coupe and dropped in a 31-kWh battery and an electric motor positioned up front but driving the rear wheels, giving the coupe a fairly modest 145 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque in the process. But it kept the original's four-speed manual transmission, which was even sold stateside for a few years, as our visits to Carlisle almost every year remind us. Opel says one can either shift gears manually, or go straight into fourth gear and drive the car as an automatic. Needless to say, we'd like to try this in practice.

The Manta's body also received quite a few tweaks in the process, with Opel ditching chrome bumpers in favor of a cleaner, monochrome look, offset by 17-inch Ronal wheels wearing very little rubber—they're 195/40 tires up front and 205/40 in the rear. The four headlights of the original have been swapped out for L-shaped LED headlights, while a new front spoiler has been added to give the car an appropriately modern look.

“The Manta GSe impressively demonstrates the enthusiasm with which we build cars at Opel. It combines our great Opel tradition with today's commitment to emissions-free mobility for a very desirable, sustainable future. Opel is already electric with many models – and now the legendary Manta is too,” said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller.