Vanquish Coupe

Segment
Coupe

What good would a European hatchback be if there weren't a hot hatch version as well? That's the question which British magazine Evo is asking. While driving the new Vauxhall Adam city car (also sold as an Opel in other markets), Evo spoke to a company insider who indicated that the GM subsidiary has more performance-oriented versions in mind. The new Adam is available with a range of powertrain options that top out at a 98-horsepower 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. That won't be the extent of it, however, if Evo's sources are correct.

First Opel/Vauxhall will introduce a turbocharged 1-liter three-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission. However a VXR version (potentially to be called the Opel Adam OPC in other markets)could also be in the works with as much as 180 horsepower from a 1.4-liter turbo four. The chassis would need to be beefed up as well, but the result would go after the likes of the Abarth 500 and Mini Cooper S. We're still waiting to see if General Motors brings the Adam across the Atlantic to its home market, but a pocket rocket could be just what the proverbial doctor ordered to help Buick revitalize its image and give GM an answer to Chrysler's Fiat 500.