New Opel Tigra TwinTop - In Detail

Press Release

Interior and equipment: Three model lines offer individuality

The Opel Tigra TwinTop’s dynamic design line sweeps into the interior with sport seats, a center console in contrasting color and décor strips in the doors in metallic anthracite or matt chrome, depending on the equipment version. Matt chrome-ringed instruments with black dials play up the sporty character and high-class look of the two-seater’s interior.

Driver and passenger benefit from superb ergonomics as well as a comfortable and spacious interior. The operating instruments are easy to read and within easy reach, facilitating their intuitive operation. The interior door trim on the driver’s side holds the central controls for power windows, central locking, heated power mirrors and the electro-hydraulics for the roof and trunk lid. Especially practical features for extra comfort are the lockable glove compartment with integrated cup holders and the 70-liter compartment with a luggage net behind the seats, ideal for bags or jackets.

The standard “Follow-me-home�-light function is another useful feature – after parking the car, its head lights stay on for 30 seconds, illuminating e.g. the path from the car to one’s home.

Customers can choose between three different equipment lines, numerous options and a range of custom-made accessories for the Tigra TwinTop. The Enjoy model is the entry into the “Tigra World� and primarily appeals to a trend-oriented, price-conscious clientele, while the Sport and Cosmo models differentiate themselves by additional optical elements.

The Tigra TwinTop Enjoy already comes with comprehensive standard equipment: height-adjustable sport seats, height-adjustable steering wheel, power windows with one-touch function for driver and passenger, heated power exterior mirrors, remote-controlled central locking, fog lights, ESP and four airbags (driver, passenger and side airbags). The rear window is heated and made of scratch-resistant glass. Customers can choose two-tone upholstery fabric (anthracite/blue, anthracite/red) instead of the anthracite-colored standard seat cover free of charge.

Details such as the two-tone combination anthracite/steel-grey for the Tigra’s sport seats, silver-colored seat belts, the leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, aluminum pedals, matt chrome applications on the gearshift knob and hand-brake lever are characteristic for Tigra TwinTop Sport.16-inch alloy wheels in 10-spoke sport design with 205/50 R16 tires enhance the sporty look. The so called “boomerangs“ – available only in the Sport and Cosmo versions – are two matt chrome colored bars that optically connect the center console with the transmission tunnel.

The Tigra TwinTop Cosmo is equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels in 11-spoke design and 205/50 R16 tires. Optionally the rear part of the roof is available in matt Star Silver or matt Moonland, as with the Sport version. The sport seats feature side bolsters covered with anthracite-colored leather, while the cushion is covered with steel-grey fabric. A steering wheel trimmed with perforated leather and chrome-ringed gearshift knob give the cockpit an elegant touch. With Easytronic transmission as well as in the Sport version the gearshift gate comes in matt chrome design.

In addition customers can choose from numerous extras. These include air-conditioning, leather seats with seat heating, an on-board computer, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a wind deflector. Three modern infotainment systems are available for the Tigra: the Radio CD30 MP3 with CD-player, MP3 function, four loudspeakers and Triple Info Display, the Radio CDC40 Opera with enhanced output, 6 x CD-changer, Graphic Info Display, four loudspeakers and remote controls on the steering wheel, and the CD-Radio CD70 Navi with integrated GPS.

A special range of accessories offers customers even more possibilities to individually equip their Tigra TwinTop according to their taste. This includes a high-quality five-piece luggage and bag set perfectly fitted to the trunk and a leather bag exactly fitted to the 70 liter interior compartment, making traveling with the two-seater even more comfortable and convenient. Fans of a more pronounced sporty look can order a body kit consisting of five add-on parts – front and rear aprons, side sills and a rear spoiler – which together with 17- inch OPC-line aluminum rims give the Tigra TwinTop an even more dynamic appearance.

Powertrain: Two four-cylinder gasoline engines with 90 and 125 hp

The Tigra TwinTop is available with two four-cylinder ECOTEC gasoline engines. The 1.4 liter entry-level engine produces 66 kW/90 hp and is equipped with TWINPORT fuel-saving technology. The powerhouse is a 92 kW/125 hp 1.8 liter gasoline engine. Both engines already comply with Euro 4 emission standards which are mandatory from 01.01.2006 and boast refined performance and low fuel consumption.

This especially applies to the 1.4 TWINPORT-ECOTEC engine that requires only 6.1 liters of gasoline (Easytronic: 6.0 liters) per 100 kilometers. The TWINPORT technology for four-valve gasoline engines with displacements of up to 1.6 liters employs variable inlet control and uses high rates of exhaust gas recirculation to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent under real everyday driving conditions. At partial load up to 25 percent of the cylinder charge is made up of already burnt exhaust gas which is delivered through an additional line, while performance and fuel efficiency remain unchanged and can even be improved at full load. The Tigra TwinTop 1.4 reaches a top speed of 180 km/h (Easytronic: 178 km/h) and accelerates from 0-100 km/h within 12.4 seconds (Easytronic: 13.4 seconds).

The 1.8 ECOTEC engine with 92 kW/125 hp has a variable intake manifold that enables a balanced torque curve over a wide speed range and ensures a brisk drive. The Tigra TwinTop 1.8 needs only 9.4 seconds to accelerate from 0-100 km/h and reaches a maximum speed of up to 204 km/h while fuel consumption is 7.7 liters per 100 kilometers.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard in all Tigra models. Easytronic automated manual transmission, in which electronically operated control motors replace the clutch pedal, is available as an option with the 1.4 liter TWINPORT engine. Easytronic combines the operating comfort of an automatic transmission with the sportiness and economy of a manual transmission. In addition drivers have the option of choosing between manual and automatic shifting modes at any time.

Chassis and safety: Agility combined with high safety reserves

The Tigra TwinTop chassis combines agile handling, driving comfort and a high degree of active safety. The DSA-chassis (Dynamic Safety), familiar from the Opel Corsa GSi, was further enhanced for the Tigra and fine-tuned in terms of driving dynamics. The engineers lowered the body at the front suspension by 5 millimeters and 20 millimeters at the rear and widened the track by 28 millimeters at each end. These measures contribute to the dynamic driving characteristics of the front-wheel drive (wheelbase: 2491 millimeters) two-seater, as do the sporty dampers and the extremely torsionally rigid body for a vehicle in this category (8859 Nm/degree). Specially reinforced steel pipes in the side sills and doors as well as sturdy cross members in the underbody behind the seats ensure high rigidity even when the roof is open.

A latest generation ABS system, ESP as well as disk brakes all around provide a high degree of active driving safety. In addition, a two stage brake booster with brake-assist function that disproportionately reinforces brake pressure in the event of emergency braking helps reduce braking distance.

As of spring 2005, a special sport chassis will be available. It enables even more precise handling, improved road grip and a more immediate steering responsiveness than the already sporty standard chassis. This is achieved by reinforced stabilizers on the front suspension that further reduce the rolling tendencies of the body and modified torsional profiles on the rear suspension.

Passive safety in the Tigra is bolstered by the extremely stable passenger compartment. The passenger cell features deformation zones on the front, sides and rear which transform impact energy through their controlled deformation in the event of a collision. The a-pillars are reinforced with pipes made of high-strength steel, and the wave-shaped bar made of hydro-formed aluminum is anchored to a stable transverse beam located in front of the luggage compartment.

The comprehensive package for passive safety includes four airbags (driver, passenger and side airbags), lap-and-shoulder seat belts with pyrotechnical seat-belt tensioners and belt-force limiters, the patented Pedal Release System (PRS) and height-adjustable head restraints. On request the Tigra TwinTop can be equipped with seat occupancy detection for the passenger seat. This prevents the deployment of the front and side airbags on the passenger side when the seat is not occupied. Furthermore a receiver in the seat cushion recognizes when an Opel child’s seat fitted with a transponder is in the passenger seat. In this case the system deactivates the front and side airbags for the seat.

Economy and Costs: Numerous measures save Tigra owners money

The new Opel Tigra TwinTop’s economic ECOTEC engines are fundamental for its low maintenance costs, as they offer low fuel consumption and comply with Euro 4 emission standards, thus ensuring their owners considerable tax advantages. This is underscored by long maintenance intervals of 30.000 kilometers or two years.

Factors decisive for the total cost of ownership are fuel costs, taxes, low purchase price, insurance rating, maintenance and repair costs and the expected resale value, as they ultimately make up the actual total costs for the customer. This is why Opel set high value on maximum quality as well as service and repair-friendly design during the development of the new Tigra TwinTop.

As a consequence, the Tigra TwinTop has bolted instead of welded joints in many places on the body, which enables fast and low-cost repairs in the event of an accident, as do easily accessible components and optimized fastening elements. The cooling system, headlights or heater controls, for example, are components that can effortlessly be dismantled and thus minimize cost-intensive downtimes. The front bumper cross member consists of a square, four-chamber aluminum element, which is bolted to the body on pivoting mounts through so-called “crash boxes�. In offset head-on collisions these trapezoidal components reduce the risk of frame damage to both sides. If necessary, these “crash boxes� can be replaced quickly and inexpensively. Even broken headlight bases – typical damage after a minor collision – are bolted-on repair parts. This saves the Tigra owner the expense of having to replace an otherwise intact headlight unit.

On the rear of the new Tigra, high-strength steel frame side rails with a bolted-on bumper cross member made of extruded aluminum perform the task of crash energy management. Special attention was paid to the position of the trunk lid, which is connected to the roof and tailgate with its intricate electro-hydraulics. The trunk lid and tail lights were carefully positioned so that they are outside the rear impact zone, thus keeping repair costs as low as possible.

All these measures contribute to favorable insurance ratings for Tigra TwinTop owners.

An absolute novelty in the automotive industry: Within 14 days Opel will provide an entirely new, lacquered bodyshell in the event the Tigra TwinTop has suffered massive, cost-intensive body damage. All undamaged vehicle components, such as drive train, chassis or the interior are taken over from the crashed into the new body. And since the new body shell is not painted over, but newly lacquered, customers can decide to keep the original color or choose a different one for their “new car�.

Independent of this, Opel grants a 12-year anti perforation warranty on the Tigra’s body, as well as a two-year manufacturer’s guarantee on the entire vehicle. While many other brands refer solely to dealers’ warranty for defects, Opel is the only German car manufacturer to offer its customers a two-year new car manufacturer’s warranty in addition to this legally-required guarantee.

This guarantee obliges the seller to answer only for defects the vehicle had right from the start. The customer must prove after six months that the vehicle already had the faults when purchased. The voluntary new car warranty from Opel, however, allows claims for free-of-charge repairs of any defects falling in the manufacturer’s area of responsibility – regardless of when the problem occurs within the two-year warranty period.