2005 Opel Antara GTC Concept

The 2005 Opel Antara GTC Concept was Opel’s bold take on blending the style of a coupe with the utility of an SUV. Measuring 4,530 mm long, 1,970 mm wide, and 1,640 mm high, the Antara GTC stood out with its sleek, sloping roofline and aggressive stance—much like the Renault Egeus, which had a similar coupe-SUV design. But Opel took things a step further with a unique body layout: just two side doors and a third rear door that opened upward using a pantograph mechanism, providing easy access to the cargo area.

Inside, practicality met innovation. The rear seats could be folded flat automatically at the push of a button, expanding the cargo space to a massive 2,400 liters without passengers having to lift a finger. The front seats were also on rails that slid forward when the doors opened, giving passengers easier access to the back seats—another example of the Antara GTC’s futuristic design focus.

While it was a concept, the Antara GTC gave a preview of the mechanical systems planned for Opel’s upcoming production SUV, which would be built at the Daewoo plant in South Korea. Under the hood was an advanced 1.9-liter diesel engine producing 212 horsepower, made possible by using two turbochargers—one for low pressure, one for high. That engine, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, would have given the car strong performance: 0 to 100 km/h in around 8 seconds and a top speed of about 210 km/h.

The Antara GTC wasn’t just a design exercise—it was Opel’s vision for what a stylish, high-tech SUV could look like in the near future. Its mix of bold design, clever engineering, and practical features made it a standout concept of its time.