Opel Tigra - a stylish and inexpensive coupe on the Corsa chassis

Although Opel cars earned the title of "rotten" in the 90s, the brand's cars have always been distinguished by stylish design. Even universal models managed to reward with some feature. Suffice it to recall the Vectra B and its side mirrors integrated into the body.


From time to time, the German manufacturer produces interesting models, usually pseudo-sports ones. Take, for example, the Opel Calibra, which earned the title of "Ferrari for the poor." This inexpensive car was produced even with a turbocharged two-liter engine with 204 hp. With. and all-wheel drive.

But today we will talk about a compact urban model in the back of a coupe. This is the Opel Tigra, capable of attracting attention and delighting the owner even now. The cost of a car, produced from 1994 to 2001, on the Russian used market is from 180 thousand rubles for copies in good condition.

History of the model

Now it is difficult to say what prompted General Motors to release a compact urban coupe. Most likely, it was developed in defiance of Japanese cars of this class. So that buyers who felt the Calibra was too long had an alternative.


There is a serial Japanese model similar to the Opel Tigra - Mazda MX-3. This coupe debuted in 1991. Given the external similarity with the "Tiger", it is likely that this car inspired Opel engineers to create their own model.

Few people remember, but in 1993 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Opel presented three interesting prototypes. Two of them were Tigra coupe and roadster bodies, the third was a beach car called Scamp. There was a lot of incomprehensibility with the last copy - similar SUVs are popular in the southern states of the USA, but not models on the compact hatchback chassis.

The manufacturer has already announced at the auto show that three concepts are planned to be launched into serial production if the public shows interest. It's clear that I liked the compact Tigra coupe more. For Germany, roadsters, and even more so beach models, were not relevant.

Already in 1994, the Opel Tigra was launched into mass production. At first, the compact car became a real bestseller. It was bought mainly by young people, both women and men.


The popularity of the model forced other manufacturers to develop and launch their similar machines in a series. For example, the Ford Puma, which debuted in 1997 and is still considered the Tiger Cub's main competitor.

Appearance and body problems

For 1994, the Opel Tigra was truly a design breakthrough. The artists managed to create an image that simultaneously combines smooth lines and aggressive appearance. The same Ford Puma did not pass this number - this compact coupe turned out to be too smooth, more feminine.


Although the car is old, it was produced in a rather modest circulation - about 250 thousand copies. Therefore, finding a new bodywork, even Chinese, is almost impossible here. You have to keep track of what you have. So, if there is no desire to digest and repaint the body, it is better to immediately look for a car without rust.


Since this is an old Opel, it is difficult to find such an instance for sane money. For example, what is sold for 180 rubles, as a rule, has single bugs. If there is an opportunity and desire, it is easier to take a car with a rusty body and digest / repaint it completely with disassembly and reinforcement.

Salon

Inside the Opel Tigra does not cause much enthusiasm. The interior design is very different from the exterior of this car. No wonder - here even the front panel is taken from the second generation Opel Corsa.

But ergonomics deserves every praise, but only in front. Riding on the second row for an adult, and even more so for two, is inconvenient.
If you can still be patient in the city, then trips even over 100 km are a real test. Not only that there is nowhere to put your legs, but also the seat is hard.


The trunk also does not shine with volume - only 215 liters. But if you fold the back row, the free space doubles. So you can translate something more or less dimensional. But you need to understand that this is a coupe, all the more compact and not bought for cargo.

Engines and gearboxes

The engines for the Opel Tigra are quite ordinary - these are two gasoline power units taken from large-scale models of this manufacturer. In the base of the "Tiger" received an engine with a displacement of 1,4 liters per 90 liters. With. This is Ecotec, which is not distinguished by its sporty character, accelerating the car to 100 km / h in 12 seconds.

In the "top" configuration, the Opel Tigra received a more powerful engine. But this is again a standard Ecotec with a displacement of 1,6 liters per 106 liters. With. This power unit is able to give a light coupe some features of sportiness - up to 100 km / h the car accelerates in 9,5 seconds.


Of course, you can “swap” some two-liter Opel engine under the hood, such as the C20XE, or better, the turbocharged C20LET. But this is a huge layer of work, sometimes several times financially exceeding the cost of the car itself. But how Opel Tigra rides after installing any two-liter power unit!

As for the gearboxes, they are mostly mechanical five-speed, taken from the same Korsa. Very rarely come across options for automatic transmission, but only with a 1,4-liter engine. Apparently, this modification was developed with an eye on girls who want to have a beautiful car, but without a "stirring stick".

The 1,6-liter engine was decided not to be overloaded with a thoughtful automatic, especially since it is a four-stage one.

Hodovka

But Opel engineers worked on the suspension, thus deciding to recoup for the standard Ecotec engines. Rulitsya Opel Tigra as a sports kart. To put it simply, the suspension is stiff, the steering is sharp, all the holes are felt as a fifth point even in the front row, not to mention the rear.


It is believed that the suspension for the compact coupe was developed by Lotus specialists. It is not known for sure whether this was actually the case, it is possible that this is a common PR move.

But maneuvering in dense city traffic on this compact coupe is a pleasure. The main thing is not to forget that the engines of the Opel Tigra do not pull on sports ones and it is a problem for them to accelerate sharply.

The ground clearance of the car is 130 mm. This is enough to overcome the "sleeping policemen", but you should not conquer the curbs.

The main problems

In addition to questions on corrosion resistance, Opel Tigra requires at least a visual inspection of the engines. Regardless of size, Ecotec motors can suffer from high oil consumption. During a visual inspection, no smudges should be visible, and if the power unit is washed, this is suspicious.

Although, there is nothing complicated in repairing Opel Tigra engines. If necessary, at the disassembly there are enough offers for used units for little money.


Like any old car, the Opel Tigra can periodically “make the brain” of its owner with electrical breakdowns. Therefore, it is important to find an initially well-groomed specimen. It is easier to solve problems immediately after they appear than to correct errors accumulated over the years of ownership by previous owners.

In any case, the repair of the "Tigers" is a budgetary matter, thanks to the use of the Opel Corsa chassis. The main thing is to try not to get into an accident, otherwise there will be problems with the search for body parts.

The first generation Opel Tigra is a mood car. It often brings smiles to passers-by and other drivers. Such a car is suitable for those who like to be the center of attention.