Sylvia Kütenbrink has been driving her tangerine-colored Speedster for seven years. “It’s the look, the incredible performance and the resulting impact” that makes your heart beat faster for this deep athlete. She regularly flies low on the Bilster Berg, a race track near Paderborn. She also takes the purist roadster with flash to special meetings “two or three times a year.” Like here in Haiger in northern Hesse.
In May, lovers of what is probably the most unusual Opel ever to go into series production came together. The organizers Rouven Freischlad, Udo Schifer, Svetlana, Michael and Fabio Obenauff from the Opel Speedster Club brought 68 sports cars and their owners together for three unforgettable days. The Upper Austrian Michael Kramle traveled the furthest, 700 kilometers.
What does an Opel Speedster need? Only the bare essentials: love. That’s what it said in the official sales brochure at the time. And that is exactly what is noticeable in northern Hesse. The addictive factor is high, the owners have a tight-knit fan community. From 2001 to 2005, the mid-engine sports car rolled off the assembly line in cooperation with Lotus in Hethel, UK, more or less by hand.
7,207 copies rolled onto the road. Specifically designed for purists who are willing to sacrifice every comfort for an intense driving experience. Not a product for the masses. The next meeting won’t be long in coming. Another one is planned in Haiger in September.
Model with slats: an extremely popular accessory.
Anglophile touch: a Speedster with a Vauxhall grill.
The most beautiful: The participants choose Andreas Wölk’s vehicle.
Text and photos: Stephan R. Arnold, video: Dirk Molt