Opel (and Vauxhall) seriously dented the appeal of the Adam city car by launching it with the most uninspiring of engine ranges, squarely aiming it at people who put style above substance and who favor gadgets over going fast. Now, finally, they are stepping things up with the new Adam S, which features a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, as well as several modifications/improvements over lesser versions.
The Ecotec unit found under the bonnet makes 150 PS or 148 hp, as well as plenty of torque: 220 Nm or 162 lb-ft. An integral part of the package are OPC (or VXR) performance brakes (16-inch disks up front and 15-inchers at the back (gone are the drums you find on every other Adam), sport-tuned chassis, various weight-saving measures and a sharper steering rack.
Outside styling differences are limited to the special 18-inch rims that are required to fit the huge brakes in, unique rear wing and grille bar, as well as sporty carbon-look mirror caps and a subtle front lip spoiler. The interior features a leather pack which covers the Recaro sports seats, steering wheel, gear lever and knob, as well as the handbrake, all of which come with contrasting red stitching; unique plastic trim pieces are also fitted.
The manufacturer is keen to point out that while this is a close-to-production model, it is subject to some change before it reaches the showroom.
All I wanted to know was how fast it reached 100 km/h or 62 mph, but they seem to have missed mentioning it – should be in the seven to eight second range; they did specify the top speed, though, and it’s a claimed 220 km/h or 138 mph.
The Adam S will debut at the Geneva motor show, alongside a less powerful turbocharged version and a “crossover.”
By Andrei Nedelea
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