For years, the most extreme Opel models received the OPC-badge.
That's not going to change, but Opel has presented a new sporty subdivision:
GSi, sportiness below the OPC-models.
Alfa Romeo also has such a subdivision, only with a better name.
Veloce.
Even though GSi doesn't sound as sexy as Veloce, it's still an abbreviation with a very rich history.
If you know the history of Opel, you might know that GSi was back in the day what OPC is now.
It was on Manta's, on Kadett's, but that's not what it is anymore.
It's now the second-in-command really, but it's not like this is a half-baked attempt at making a sporty car.
They've put too much time in developing this car, for it to be called half-baked.
The chassis in particular and mostly the four-wheel drive system,
which is rather special. It's a little bit like the Ford Focus RS.
It's basically front-wheel drive, but power can be sent to the back...
and in the rear differential, you've got a twin-clutch which distribute torque...
over the left and right rear wheels independently.
The advantage in that is that if you corner, a lot of power can be sent to the outer wheel...
which means the system starts pushing the car around the corner. That also means that this car,
which is rather big and basically a front-wheel drive car, with all of the mechanical components in the front...
which means it has a sub-optimal weight distribution, almost doesn't understeer anymore.
At first, you'll think you should be careful because it's rather big, but you don't have to.
You've got so much control and because of the four-wheel drive you've got so much neutrality.
You can really push this car to the limit, without it feeling out of control.
Of course, the adaptive dampers do their job.
You can put them in Tour, which makes it more comfortable...
and even though it starts heaving a bit more, it's very nice when you're going fast in a straight line.
When you put them in Sport though, they tighten up and you get more control over the car.
The power steering starts becoming less active, which means there's more counterpressure,
and you'll get a car which feels incredibly solid. You've got lots of control.
It's not extremely nimble or anything. I mean for such a big car, it corners pretty well,
but it will always be a big car, but it'll go further than you'd think considering its size.
The same goes for the brakes. They're Brembo's, and you'll smell them if you start using them,
but you can always trust them. With that, you've got an incredibly capable car,
which never tires. And that's exactly what Opel promises you.
It's not a hyper extreme sports car, but it's a car which is performs above average.
The problem with this car then, is the drivetrain.
Not the first time an Opel gets abandoned by its drivetrain, but it has never hurt more than this.
It's a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which is the old EcoTec-block from GM,
which isn't great to begin with. On paper, it's supposed to produce 260 horsepower,
but if you told me it only produced 200 horsepower, I would've believed immediately.
It's just not quick. It's two full seconds slower from 0-100 than the Alfa.
That's a lot, but even worse than that,
the drivetrain just doesn't want to go. If you put it into Sport,
the throttle response is too slow and if you start controlling the 8-speed automatic gearbox manually,
it just doesn't want to go. If you change gear,
you can feel the gear change, but the rev counter remains near the 3.000 RPM,
as if it's a CVT and because of that,
you lose too much power. It doesn't react quick enough to the flappy paddles,
it's just so... It doesn't want to go...
and that's too bad because the chassis is incredible. The enthusiasm however, the experience, that's not present.
You won't get annoyed by this car, but it won't excite you either.
This Giulia is actually the complete opposite. It's an incredibly exciting car,
but it's one you're going to have to learn to live with. Not because it's an annoying car,
but because it's so incredibly direct. Just like in the Opel,
you've got three modes. A normal mode, a more assertive one...
and a more reluctant mode. It doesn't matter which mode you put it in though,
it's so incredibly... I'd almost call it nervous, but it fits the Veloce's personality perfectly.
The steering is almost like in a Ferrari, if you touch it in a certain direction...
and it moves immediately. If you even look at the brakes,
the Alfa Romeo-logo will be stanced in your head. It's so much experience.
In normal Alfa Giulia's, with diesels or something,
it feels like it's a little bit too much, but in this Veloce,
it all adds up. It's almost like they first developed this car...
and then thought about the fact they needed normal diesel...
and less powerful petrol versions, which they started work on after the Veloce.
Like this, the car is so incredibly sharp.
You'll notice the base suits a sporty model better.
It's four-wheel drive, but the power is sent to the rear wheels until...
it's necessary to power the front wheels. So it's exactly the opposite of the Opel.
That way, you don't have to use all kinds of tricks.
It feels neutral for longer, because there's more mass between the axles,
it's lighter, it's willing, it's tighter in corners...
and the hyper direct steering... It's just a sensational feeling for a sports sedan.
The way it moves it's backside... I mean, the Opel remains neutral for very long,
but this really wants the back to break out. It's so cool, it's so much fun...
I don't even mind that I can't turn off the ESP. It allows you to do so much already.
You can play with it and it will be agressive, willing and emotional.
It's a real Alfa Romeo and that's fully appreciated in this Veloce.
It's so much cooler, not necessarily better, but cooler than the Opel.
However, the drivetrain really is where the Alfa absolutely crushes the Opel.
This is what you want. If you put it in Sport and manual gears...
and you shift back a few gears, the gear changes happens immediately.
Stuff happens and you'll feel that. The response of the engine as a whole,
especially in Sport-mode, is so much more direct.
You can feel it's got a lot of power and like I already mentioned,
it's a lot quicker. So is it flawless?
Nope, because the reactions on the gearbox could be even sharper,
but in this comparison, this is the sports saloon you want.
So, is it a crushing win on every aspect for the Veloce? Nope, because it has some drawbacks.
However, they're more because of the Giulia as a model, instead of the Veloce as a trim level.
Think of the fact that the finishing is a little below par, for a car in this segment.
It doesn't have a lot of legroom, it still has a lot of ground to cover when it comes to safety.
Very rational points and the Opel scores there.
On the other hand, if you spend €70.000 on a car which will have little residual value,
I'm inclined to say it's not about the ratio. So if I had to choose with my heart,
I think the Alfa is the better choice at this moment. There might be good news however,
because Opel's 2.0-litre engine is old enough, so it won't be developed anymore by new owner Peugeot.
So if there's going to be another GSi-petrol engine, which I think there will be,
otherwise it would be waste of development-money. But it's probably going to be a 280 horsepower Peugeot-engine.
If it actually gets that engine, it could be a very different outcome.
At least, it'll give us another opportunity to drive this Alfa Romeo again.