GTP Cool Wall: 1989-1997 Opel/Vauxhall/Chevrolet/Holden Calibra

  • Thread starter Thread starter GranTurismo916
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1989-1997 Opel/Vauxhall/Chevrolet/Holden Calibra

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    112
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TheCracker
Got a real soft spot for the Calibra. Drove one when they first came out and was amazed that it had duller handling than the Cavalier it was based on. Which is saying something.
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Hah. I'm not sure it's quite that bad, but it's certainly not good. I've only ever driven a V6 Calibra and a V6 Cavalier - from memory, the Calibra had a slightly better driving position and slightly stiffer suspension, which made it a little more pleasant to drive. But both were still pretty floppy.

Oh, and uncool. Neat styling and another few years for the numbers to thin out and it'll be a passable modern classic.
 
homeforsummer
Hah. I'm not sure it's quite that bad, but it's certainly not good. I've only ever driven a V6 Calibra and a V6 Cavalier - from memory, the Calibra had a slightly better driving position and slightly stiffer suspension, which made it a little more pleasant to drive. But both were still pretty floppy.

Oh, and uncool. Neat styling and another few years for the numbers to thin out and it'll be a passable modern classic.
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It was the 16v 'red top' that I drove. My dad had one lended to him for a few weeks, with him being the fleet manager for his firm. At the time his company car was a Cavalier GSi, so basically the four-door equiverlant of the Calibra. The Calibra felt a sportier environment. At the time you felt to be sat lower down, but that may have just been the higher window line. Neither car, much like my Audi now, had anything in the way of steering feel beyond, say, 7/10ths of effort. They just didn't communicate much between the steering wheel and the road surface. They were fairly stiffly sprung. The Calibra more so than the Cavalier, so you could push them hard through a turn if required - you just didn't feel you'd want to, knowing that they'd scrub wide at the front as soon as the tyres had had enough.
 
TheCracker
It was the 16v 'red top' that I drove. My dad had one lended to him for a few weeks, with him being the fleet manager for his firm. At the time his company car was a Cavalier GSi, so basically the four-door equiverlant of the Calibra. The Calibra felt a sportier environment. At the time you felt to be sat lower down, but that may have just been the higher window line. Neither car, much like my Audi now, had anything in the way of steering feel beyond, say, 7/10ths of effort. They just didn't communicate much between the steering wheel and the road surface. They were fairly stiffly sprung. The Calibra more so than the Cavalier, so you could push them hard through a turn if required - you just didn't feel you'd want to, knowing that they'd scrub wide at the front as soon as the tyres had had enough.
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That all sounds familiar, and I do think the seats in the Calibra were mounted lower - or at least, less spectacularly high than those in the Cavalier, where the steering wheel is virtually in your lap.

I'd actually say by modern standards the ride in both is positively pillow-like though. That's more of a criticism of modern cars than it is singing praise for the Cav/Calibra...
Dennisch
Another few more years and there will be none of them left. :lol:
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Yeah, I suppose they're relatively rare now, but there are still some crappy ones dotted about and once those are gone, the ones that are left will be easier to appreciate as classics rather than bangers.
 

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