At the 1996 Geneva Motor Show, Bertone presented the Opel Slalom. Like the Enduro, presented the same year at the Turin Motor Show, the Slalom challenges the traditional ideas of functional car and coupé.
Constructed on Opel mechanics, the Slalom is a sporty, high-performance, extremely versatile saloon. With a four-wheel-drive developed by the German manufacturer, it is an original interpretation of the idea of the sports car, in line with the changing times and tastes of the public.
The Slalom fits in between the modern coupé, the station wagon, and the people-carrier. The exterior design presents a bold use of proportions, intersecting beltline, rear lights, greenhouse, and glazed surfaces, creating a slalom effect between panels and glazing. The design is accentuated by elements that emphasize the lines, like a brushstroke. On the frontal view, the intersections rework the traditional Opel radiator grille and create the large headlamps which run along with the bonnet and provide lateral illumination.
The interiors take up the design ideas of the exterior and are comfortable and welcoming: in grey leather with lively orange inserts. But the most original feature is the organization of the space: thanks to the system for moving and fixing the back seats, the baggage compartment has a superb extension, breaking away from the set layout of the 2+2 coupé. The engine is a four-cylinder 2000 cc. with four valves per cylinder.
Source: www.bertone.it
Images: Carrozzeria Bertone s.p.a.; www.lov2xlr8.no; leroux.andre.free.fr
