Produced by Lotus at their Hethel, Norfolk factory, the Speedster carried the Lotus internal model identification Lotus 116 and the code name Skipton for the 2.2N/A version and Tornado for the 2.0 L Turbo. The chassis utilizes an aluminum chassis tub that weighs only 150 lb (68 kg). The car also features bodywork that is made entirely of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). The entire vehicle weighs in at only 2,050 lb (930 kg), much lighter than most small sports cars.
The normally aspirated version used an Opel Astra all-aluminum alloy 2.2 L Z22SE engine giving 108 kW (147 PS; 145 bhp) in a car weighing 870 kg (1,918 lb) — initially designed for Opel by Lotus, it arguably gives the Speedster more mechanical Lotus content than the Elise. The Turbo model, introduced in 2003, used an Opel-designed cast-iron block 2.0 L Z20LET engine, producing 147 kW (200 PS; 197 bhp) but weighing 930 kg (2,050 lb).
Lotus designed the Elise S2 to have 16-inch front wheels and 17-inch rear wheels. Opel decided to fit 17-inch wheels front and rear to the Speedster for aesthetic reasons, which reduced the car's handling performance.
A removable hard-top can be fitted as a factory or aftermarket option.
Source: Wikipedia; https://oldconceptcars.com/1930-2004/opel-speedster-concept-1999/
