Classified ad of the week: Opel Monza

Are we the only ones that think the Monza's a bit of an odd candidate for a concept reboot? OK, so it name-checks one of the most prestigious F1 circuits in the world. But it also name-checks the, er, original Opel Monza - a velour-lined six-pot two-door from the seventies.

It's not a particularly bad car, mind. Introduced in 1978, the coupe (called Royale in Britain) was built for Europe, so got the full gamut of suspension tech, like a semi-trailing arm rear end and MacPherson struts up front. The engine was whopper, too - a lazy 3.0-litre straight six. A cheap, big, half-dependable coupe, then. So like Ford building a Granada Coupe concept.

What GM should have done is doffed its cap to the Monza GSE. Because the original was actually, y'know, good...

In 1983, the last incarnation of the Monza landed. And it set the agenda for sporty Vauxhalls to follow - anthracite wheels, Recaro seats, and a massive great big spoiler. It was a proper sportster, too. You got a 40 per cent limited-slip differential, and a 3.0-litre, 180bhp six-pot with performance to trouble the BMW 635CSi and Mercedes 280CE - 60mph arrived in 9.0seconds and it'd hit 133mph.

And this looks like a pretty compelling example. The seller tells us it's done 51000 miles and has the history file to prove it. There's also an electric tilt/ slide roof, electric windows, and power steering.

The reckoning for all this eighties wondrousness? £5750. That's less than a Dacia Sandero...

Click here to see the ad

Any TopGear.commers interested in a proper slice of Vauxhall's history?