Opel Adam going rallying

Opel is adding a bit of rally credibility to the new Adam by taking it rallying with an Adam R2 rally car for a one-make cup.

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The new Opel Adam (and Vauxhall Adam, for that matter) is a car we love the look of – even if it does seem to be a mish-mash of styling cues from other successful ‘Style’ cars like the Fiat 500. MINI and DS3 – although what’s lurking under the skin does seem to be a bit wanting.

But perhaps GM Europe are hoping to inject a bit of performance credibility in to the uninspiring mechanical offerings the Adam currently offers with the revelation that they’re making a rally Adam prepared to basic R2 spec, which means a tweak or three from the standard production car.

That means upgrades to the engine, suspension, brakes and gearbox to produce an Adam rally car that’s an affordable entry point for young drivers and Opel are aiming to compete in the ADAC Opel Rally cup with the Adam R2.

The appeal of the competition is that the most successful drivers can earn cash prizes for their efforts, mitigating the cost of entry, and there’s a special ‘Junior Rally’ points system for drivers under 27, the overall winner getting special coaching the following year.

The more talented drivers can also graduate from the ADAC Opel Rally cup to international rallying through four stages, the latter two of which will be in a rally version of the next Corsa.

GM Europe obviously hopes that the sight of Adams going sideways on the dirt will do wonders for the brand perception.