[Allan Gibbs]

What are the differences between these cars? Is the Opel and Vauxhall the same car?

Also, is Opel and Vauxhall owned by GM? There was an article in Car & Driver that said a Saturn Roadster may be modeled after the Vauxhall. So, I imagine the Pontiac Solistic is also a Vauxhall derivative?

If so, then we'd have several car based on the same principle design:

Lotus Elise;
Vauxhall VX220;
Opel Speedster;
Pontiac Solist; and
Saturn Roadster.

Saturn’s Stable Filling Up

By Tony Quiroga
July 2004

Over the next 30 months, Saturn plans to double its portfolio with an onslaught of new product. By 2006, the GM division should have six choices in the stable, one of which will be a roadster based on GM’s Kappa architecture. The Saturn two-seat roadster will essentially be the Vauxhall VX Lightning seen at the Frankfurt show last fall. Saturn gets the sharp-angled Vauxhall design to avoid European pedestrian laws that mandate a bunch of clearance between the hood and the top of the engine. Since Pontiac’s Solstice will be ready before the new regulations take effect, it can be sold unchanged in 2006. Thus, Opel will get a version of the Solstice, and Vauxhall gets a right-hand-drive version a year later. By launching the Opel version of the Solstice in 2005, Vauxhall will be able to avoid the new law because the right-hand-drive Vauxhall will be considered an evolution of the “Opel Solstice.”

The as-yet-unnamed Saturn roadster will be mechanically identical to the Solstice but will sport interior and exterior styling extremely close to that of the VX Lightning concept. Expect two other products from Saturn in 2006, an Epsilon-based mid-size sedan and a larger-than-Vue SUV based on a new and as-yet-unnamed platform.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=29&article_id=8223&page_number=1

 

[Vantage]

I don't think the Pontiac Solstic is made from the same platform as the Elise. So it would follow that the Saturn car isn't either.

 

[BrianK]

The VX Lightning is NOT the same as the VX220 - not even close.

The VX Lightning and the Soltice will be pretty much the same (front engined) car.

 

[andykeck]

Opel and Vauxhall are both GM brands. The Speedster and the 220 are either identical or differ only in minor ways. The Saturn, the Lightning and the Solstice are all based off of a new GM platform called Kappa that will be the basis for a whole shitload of cars soon.

 

[Barney Jr]

Opel Speedster and Vauxhall VX220 are one and the same car just a different name It's called the VX220 in the UK and the Speedster in the rest of europe.

If there's ever going to be a Pontiac based on an Elise I'm going to be sick for over a month.

 

[Miguel]

Lotus Elise;
Vauxhall VX220;
Opel Speedster;

They all use this chasis, the rest don't

 

[TimMullen]

Lotus Elise;
Vauxhall VX220;
Opel Speedster;

They all use this chassis, the rest don't

I don't believe that it's exactly the same chassis, but similar. Vauxhall is the brand name in the UK, and Opel is the brand name most everywhere else. They aren't even as far apart as say Pontiac and Chevy (i.e. Firebird and Camero) - The Vauxhall and the Opel are the same car, just with a different name/badge for different countries. The Elise, although based on the same chassis (actually the other way around - the Elise was first), is more the pure sports car of the group...

 

[Barney Jr]

Tim's right, the chassis differ but only minimal. Much in the same way that the S2 and S1 elises chassis are also a bit different, for instance to make getting in and out easier.....you poofs

 

[Ridgemanron]

That new Kappa platform is already
scheduled to be used by the Pontiac
Solstice convertible, a 2-dr-Saturn coupe,
and a Chevy 2-door Nomad that could be
considered a small stationwagon. Our
Lotus 'Chaperone' Division would never
let our sweet little Elise lay on top of
that 'Kappa' platform......never! What
kind of a girl do you think she is?

 

[Lumn8r]

Opel and Vauxhall are both GM brands. The Speedster and the 220 are either identical or differ only in minor ways.

Like steering wheel placement?:huh:

 

[Arno]

Like steering wheel placement?:huh:

Not even in all cases.. In Ireland the Opel brand is in use and not Vauxhall (used in the UK), so there are RHD Opel Speedsters too although I do not know of any offical LHD Vauxhall VX220's

But basically the VX220 and the Speedster are identical if you forget about the LHD vs. RHD issue. Just different GM 'brand' badges.

For the UK marker they did produce several 'special' types of the VX220 and VX-turbo like the VX-Sprint and recently the VXR. Usually built in very small number though like 50 cars or so.

Bye, Arno.

 

[Miguel]

I don't believe that it's exactly the same chassis

Picky picky

I know they did modify them but they are all pretty much the same (except the sill height, now lower), the point I was trying to make is that they are all Lotus chasis

 

[Lumn8r]

Arno,

Good point, although I was partly being facetious. I also wondered about the Daewoo Speedster some one posted the picture of from Seoul, and what brand name they were sold under in Japan.

 

[Arno]

I also wondered about the Daewoo Speedster some one posted the picture of from Seoul, and what brand name they were sold under in Japan.

AFAIK the VX220 and Speedster are not officially sold anywhere outside Europe and the UK. (don't know about private imports)

The Daewoo badged version was just a 'showcase model' for display on the airport, but it was never on sale in Korea either.

Guess it's just GM trying to make the most of it's models and brands.

Anyway GM are dropping the Daewoo brand here in Europe now and re-branding it as Chevrolet.

Bye, Arno.