The history of the Opel Manta 400 as a rally car started with the Corsica Rally in 1983. The homologation number of this type was B237. This car was built in October 1986, is the last of a total of 3 lightweight cars, has the internal number RM 10.86 and was sold directly from the works in Rüsselsheim to the Opel Dealer Team Holland ODTH for 3.000.000 Belgian Francs (75.000 EUR). It was designated by team manager Ger Oosterman for the Dutch Rally Championship 1987 with Belgian driver Guy Colsoul and Dutch co-driver Ruud Oosterbaan.
The series consisted of 9 events in Holland (5), Germany (3) and Belgium (1). First events of the car were the Amsterdam BP Rally and the AMAC Tulpenrallye, where the team finished both times 2nd overall. 3rd round was the Hellendoorn Rally. Colsoul did not start as he had sponsor obligations to his Dakar sponsor Bastos, so he participated in a Belgian 4×4 event.
Next was ELE Rally, where the Opel Dealer Team Holland withdrew the Opel Manta entry as team manager did not agree with the organizers. He had a dispute because there were some doubts about the performance of the Audi quattro of John Bosch. Oosterman: “We do not want to be just the show master, but we also want to win.” For the next 2 rounds in Germany (Hessen Rallye and Deutschland Rallye) the team was not entered.
At Limburgia Rally they achieved their third 2nd place in a row. But next event, the homeland rally of Guy Colsoul in Belgium, the Rally van Looi saw the team as overall winner. The last round was the Rally Köln-Ahrweiler where the team settled 6th overall. Due to the opaque scoring the Belgian did not had a chance of winning the title. Eventually he finished 8th in the Dutch Rally Championship 1987.
In 2009 the car was reregistered with license plate YYT-329. Guy Colsoul drove with his son Tom the Legend Boucles de Spa in Belgium. In 2010 Pili de la Fontaine were placed 10th overall at Rally du Maroc Historique. Same event, same driver was in 2012 with P6 and 2013 with retirement after an accident.
Last event of the car was the Eifel Rallye Festival 2015 with Guy Colsoul driving.
In September 2019 it was sold to Germany, where it was built 33 years ago.
Technical data:
Body shell: by Matter as a lightweight shell
Bonnet, wings, wing enlargements, trunk lid made from Kevlar
doors, rear-, side- and door panels made from polyester
Output: 275 PS (202 kW) at 7,250 rpm
Torque: 294 Nm at 5,500 rpm
Displacement: 2.420 cm³
Bore/stroke: 95,2 x 85 mm
Carburetors: Weber 50 DCOE dual carburetors
Oil supply: dry sump lubrication
Tank capacity: 80 liters in the boot
Gear box: Getrag 5-speed-racing gear box, 2.33 – 1.00 ratios
Drive line: rear wheel drive, limited slip differential
Brakes: 4 discs with AP Lockheed calipers with 4 pistons
Tires: Michelin
Rims: on the front max 8J x 15, on the rear max 10,5J x 16
Weight: 903 kg without drivers and fuel
Dimensions: length 4,463 mm, width 1,770 mm
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