Opel rolls out Vectra GTS V8.

Opel's motorsport manager, Volker Strycek, shook down the new Opel Vectra GTS V8 at the French test track in yesterday [Monday], completing the first laps with the car that will take the fight to Mercedes and Audi in this year's DTM.

Strycek - the first ever DTM champion in 1984 and overall winner of last year's N?rburgring 24 Hours together with Opel works drivers Manuel Reuter, Timo Scheider and Marcel Tiemann - maintained the tradition of being behind the wheel at the first outing of each of Opel's DTM cars in recent years. In sunny, but cold, conditions, the German completed a total of 55 laps.

"A roll-out of a new race car is always an exciting affair," Strycek commented, "Although the data acquired in such a test are only of limited use, you get at least a feel of the car - which, in this case, is very good."

Strycek praised the driveability of the Opel, as well as the response of the 476bhp V8 engine.

"The development and technical department of the Opel Performance Centre really have done a tremendous job in the past few weeks," he said.

Tiemann, Opel's official test driver, also got behind the wheel during the roll-out at Colmar, but a more extensive test programme will be carried out in the next few weeks.