Opel Manta 400 Racing Car (Rothmans Logo)
The Manta 400 produced from October 1981 was intended to continue the successes of the Aascona B. According to the FIA requirements for Group B, small numbers of the vehicle also needed to be made for the normal market. Contrary to the original reuirements for 400 examples, Opel requested and received permision from the FIA to build only 245.
In May 1983 the approval was issued for Group B. In the meantime in addition to the all wheel drive Audi Quattro an increading number of pure sports cars were taking part in the World Rally Championship, so that Opel and the private drivers concentrated more on European rallies. Motor racing successed immediately came, including wins in the Paris Dakar Rally.
At the beginning of 1984, after an accident with serious consequences, although they did not themselves take part, Opel decided to withdraw from Group B, so that in susequent years only private drivers raced in the Manta 400.
Due to this decision those vehicles that Opel still had in stock for rally and racing circuit use were slightly modified in order to obtain approval for the car to be marketed as a road vehicle. The model decoration is based on the original car driven by Manfred Förster, the next to last Manta 400 produced in March 1984, which took part in its last race at the Nurburgring 2006.
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