SPLIT OPINION

With muscle-bound pony cars stealing the limelight in the US market, it was inevitable their mix of stylish bodywork and simple mechanical underpinnings would arrive in Europe. Ford got there first, releasing the Capri in 1969, but it didn’t take GM long to release an Opel-badged rival. If the Capri was Ford’s mini-Mustang, then the Opel Manta was GM’s mini-Camaro.

Both took their oily bits from humble mid-range saloons and repackaged them in a package that brought sports car style within reach of more modest wallets. Both also enjoyed production runs that would see them reach their late teens, and there were plenty of parallels on the way.

For starters, they were both heavily rejigged for a second generation in the mid-1970s, and given a milder facelift later in life. Both were later offered with three doors, and both enjoyed motorsport success –