Opel Manta 400: Group B Rally Homologation Legend | Carfection 4K

Henry Catchpole drives the Opel Manta 400, an iconic Group B homologation car from the era of McRae, Brookes and Vatanen.
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[@Corvolet5]

Wow, I didn't expect this video from a non-German channel. As an Opel fan I appreciate it.

[@nnoddy8161]

Group A and Group B produced the best road going racers and some of the best racing/rallying we have seen. Lot to be said for homologation specials.

[@nessuno5403]

At least the spirit lives on, with flared arches on things like the BMW M2 or the Audi RS.

[@nnoddy8161]

@@nessuno5403 not really.

[@erraldstyler]

i wish Opel would still be this awesome brand they were back then

[@rockzs74r]

They still are Astra VXR are amazing

[@Tivoliterror]

Couldnt agree more....

[@gaycha6589]

rockzs74r - not compared to similar offerings from VW, Ford, MB, Audi. Crap by comparison

[@rockzs74r]

@@gaycha6589 well the Astra is Euro car of the year 2016.

[@bikerman6907]

@@gaycha6589 am an owner of both a 2014 Opel Astra J OPC and a Ford Focus RS500, and wouldnt call the Astra J OPC crap. It has a beautiful design being a 3 door coupe, awesome bucket seats, adaptive Boge/Sachs suspension, forged 20 inch wheels, Brembo brakes, Drexler mechanical diff, really enjoy driving it 👍

[@janiscubbage3224]

I was a race horse jockey in my early 20s driving like a race car driver from track to track to beat the clock to get into the Jock's room in time to be able to be legal to ride my mounts. iIdid a lot of ZOOOOOMING down the interstates in my Manta. I owned two of them...first was silver...the second maroon. Great memories!

[@deaks25]

It's so unapologetically and gloriously 80's, love it.

[@vMaxHeadroom]

What a truly beautiful car...My first car was a used beaten up blue 1979 Opel Manta 1.9 Litre and then finally I managed to get the Opel Manta GTE in white...oh what days they were...

[@hyweljthomas]

As a youth I owned a white GTE and absolutely loved it. At 54,000 miles I sold it to my brother, but the crap i had to drive in meantime - Astras, Cortinas etc - meant that I bought it back 30,000 miles later. What a great car.

[@michaelsummerell8618]

Forget that Drivetribe gubbins... this is the channel for those who love cars. Many thanks as always to those involved.

[@armoris66]

I've owned a few cars in my 30+ yrs driving and I can honestly say that the one that brings back the feeling of cool is my old opel manta. Had a mk1 which didn't have the flared arches, spoilers and twil lights but had a far cleaner and pure shape to my eyes. Mechanically it was a very simple car but with that coupe shape, frameless doors and 5 spoke factory alloys was so sexy back then and always reminded me of the unobtainable Ferrari Daytona in Miami Vice.

[@buretehudesi]

My first car in 1998 when I was teenanger in Poland. Still have it and one B1 as well. Love them.

[@TheAslakVind]

Henry P! You have found a niche, full of sexy classical cars with a biig following. This car was from my youth, I know the very brave guys who rallied them in Denmark and Europe. This version is so beautiful, raunchy exhaust note and beautiful to look at. Bravo!

[@diaspo]

We love you Hairy Snatchpole!!!

[@ajorsomething4935]

The opel manta: the car I've only observed from a distance and already love.

[@Pmjs]

Always loved the Opel Manta.

[@iainf6]

Brilliant Henry brilliant! More required please..... 👍👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@martinprosen8059]

Memories, beautiful memories.....

[@EleanorPeterson]

The Manta just looks so... right. I still love it.🙂

[@bunkaaa8726]

The background music keeps making me think theres someone jingling keys outside my door ...

[@philipminns3933]

I WISH they'd stop using music underneath speech segments. So distracting when you've got decent headphones/speakers, and particularly if you decide to use a track which uses 'real world' sounds as percussion - obviously that's going to sound like something happening on screen or in the room.

[@simonlloyd7557]

Its absolutely infuriating. I call it the curse of youtube..relentless, pointless, annoying, distracting and incessant, infantile, puerile music..usually some stupid tippity tappety hip hop dross.

[@jep1912]

The dad of a school friend had one of these and it was my first taste of rallying... in the raw. I revelled in the chance of a passenger ride. Happy, heady days. Thanks Henry!

[@Francoberry]

My dad had an Opel Manta - he loved it

[@skodbolle]

I know the feeling, I love my Ascona B :D

[@FenderUsa]

LOVE videos on unique cars like this, thank you

[@channel3597]

That is one cool car! Don’t you just love the 80s? I certainly do.

[@DrDreq]

Henry is always smiling when driving it is expressing more than words!

[@kukko83]

As a Manta enthusiast, I thank you for this video. You don't see a lot of decent content for them in KZbin, or anywhere else for that matter.

[@ScramTek]

A lesser known icon. With the same shutlines as all other 80’s GM products.

[@pdtech4524]

I remember my 1984 Opel Manta 2.0 GTE Coupe with great fondness and wish I'd kept it. I just remember it handling so well, cornered like it was on rails and went like a rocket. It was a real head turner, as when I owned it there weren't many still left around.

[@kenxiong6830]

Henry catchpole deserves a spot on Top Gear

[@althejazzman]

why is Top Gear always the benchmark? KZbin is better.

[@SnakeyUk08]

Unexpected video but more than welcome I used to always fancy a manta back in the day never got round to it though , so its nice to see a perfect example driven by Henry :)

[@adamgreen7291]

My favourite car of all time. My Dad had a Silver i240 (D600 DFK), and a white i200 (C888 VWD). My brother had B600 OEA the white i240 press car for the UK 👌

[@neilcrayston3609]

What about Ari Vatanen in a Manta on the Manx rally scaring his co-driver !! Amazing!

[@dln.sweeney]

I was sure he was going to mention that "dear god" moment.

[@Pique147]

Didn't he have a flat/soft tyre at that moment that made the gap that much scarier?

[@dln.sweeney]

Pique yeah he picked up a puncture right before

[@vokstar]

This isn't that vid, but well worth a look see. He did say in the Vatanen touch two that you couldn't be so much of an artist in the Mantra compared to the Escort, but he is being a bit of a Picasso in this vid kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJmkqGtsiqmbfq8&t=

[@Naefukabootio]

@@vokstar Great video! Thanks for sharing the link.

[@Chris2010H]

I'm so lucky to have lived in the same area as a Manta owner, got to see one every time I popped to the Shops, it too had the Widebody Kit and looked spectacular!

[@to250582]

It is awesome Henry! I love classic cars and this video exposes a great example! Regards from Portugal!

[@robertrishel3685]

One of my absolute all time favorite cars of the day😍😍😍😍😍

[@randombloke8802]

My boyhood dream car....I went to see Jimmy McCrae in the Andrews heat for hire Manta 400 a few times in the 80's...fabulous !

[@CameronM47]

I miss my Manta.

[@sammygirlie345]

Stunning car cant get out of my head the presenter reminds me of big cook little cook

[@aftastosk6016]

Henry this was a very nice presentation, thank you. I was curious to watch a review of the stock car. There were around many "standard" Mantas converted to "something like a 400" back in the '80s, some of these with the engine stroked at 2.7 lt.

[@monsterp1970]

I very much miss my Opel Manta GT/E, booted, not hatchback, and white of course! I think it was a 1984, which I owned from around 1991-1994. Loved the long doors, especially with the widows down :-)

[@mtbelly1972]

Use to have one of these when I was 18. Brilliant car.

[@axemanracing6222]

There was a Manta 200, too Great looking car!

[@pedrocoelho8977]

More of this pls such a joy to see!

[@goclunker]

Just beautiful. Nothing more needs to be said

[@Roadwarrior92]

I seen one a driveway once in black. What a unique car! Beautiful

[@purm0ndis]

yes! please consider a series of Henry driving all the GrB cars (hmgl specials and stage prep'd).

[@HawkMillFarm]

Woooo! I has an Opel Manta, then an Ascona, both 2lt. Flimsy plastic indeed, those penny flap vents were legendary.

[@Marauder252]

My first car was a black -86 Manta GSI. It´s the car I wish I never sold. Had great fun driving it specially in the winter time.

[@johndrake2729]

Lovely classic.

[@nickrichardson7556]

Thank you Henry for this video excellent

[@billbadger8654]

Nice one. I wish I still had my (bog standard) 1979 Berlinetta fastback. A great car.

[@WestfieldFreshAir]

I had the Cavalier Sportshatch version of the Manta back in my late teens. Not a patch on a Manta 400, but loved seeing those little things in the video that reminded me of the car - the dash, vents, door locks, the 'roll bar' in the roof. Thanks. It's also lovely to see how Henry drives these cars with care and respect whilst still pushing them hard enough to get a feel for them.

[@stevenagy88]

Wonderful video. Thank you!

[@Navidain]

I'v always had a soft spot for the later generation of the Matas. I was in my teens when they came out and they just seemed so sporty and cool at the time. I remember as time as pasted, they gained a reputation for being very prone to rust. Seemed kind of ironic considering how plasticky they looked. Nice to see one being reviewed in a positive light for a change. Have to say, Henry Catchpole has become one of my favourite auto-journalist. He has a very honest, but not abrasive way of describing the subject matter and a very unclutered way of conveying what he is getting from the car. He seems to genuinley be enjoying the different characters offered by different cars.

[@oisinhibbitt3731]

Irish legends McHale and Fisher drove these animals in the circuit of Ireland

[@ctf1537]

My favourite was Austin McHale's black xtravision livery Manta 400 was unforgettable to watch on dry tarmac

[@amphilbey]

Great video Henry. Still remember the Andrews heat for hire from watching as a child

[@avonzv5]

I had a GT/E back in the early 90’s with a few minor tweaks here n there. It took on some of the hot hatches like the Astra GT/E but I wanted some thing a bit more nippy so went for a MK1 Golf GTI. But I always loved my Manta GT/E and still miss her to this day & would have loved a 400.

[@Whiteplane]

This Car hit different

[@Scamdemic]

You lucky git! THE BEST LOOKING CAR EVER BUILT...for me, bar none. My dream car man, especially with those twin FIFTY webers. PS: They were knocking out nearer 300bhp towards the end when they really started pushing them. The last 'Heat for hire' car was also accidentally left in an acid bath too long which meant it was referred to as 'The bendy bus'.

[@donmantita503]

A lot thanks!! Big video for MantaMania!

[@idin1976]

Magnificent video. How lovely!

[@v88dicky32]

An early memory of one of my best mates (before I knew him), was seeing him drift his Manta Coupe 2.0i round a wet roundabout a couple of times trying to impress a girl. He still reminisces about that car, resplendent in its 400 regalia. Sold it to a bloke who wrote it off 😢

[@deannelson1388]

Always wanted one of these when i were a lad ... good vid.

[@jakethegsd]

Great stuff. Miss my many Mantas!

[@tommihommi1]

Manta Manta!

[@simonlloyd7557]

you sound like Li Long from Soul Blade

[@gt_grandtouring]

I never knew about this car until this video. It is a cool car. They don't make em like this anymore.

[@cone16v]

It was fucking time for someone to make a video about this legend ffs

[@cooperwilliams4686]

I have so much love for this car. Definitely needs throttle body's though.

[@boerharms2209]

Awesome! someday my own Manta will be as nice as this one

[@Pmjs]

My OH used to have the Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 coupe mk1 in red.

[@lite4919]

Cars I want from the 80's, The Manta 400, Peugeot 205 GTi, Ferrari 288 GTO, BMW M3, Sierra Cosworth RS 500, to name just a few...

[@taneg903]

Please do a ferrari special series evolution,360 challenge stradale to 488 pista

[@gregj3515]

pretty awesome, as for the box arches the SAAB 900 Enduro (Australia Dealer Special) would run it close... think Billy Coleman ran a 400 as did Bertie Fisher...

[@nessuno5403]

Didn't know such a SAAB existed :)

[@marcnobel3938]

Every year at the Nürburgring 24h Race you can still see one racing. Over 1900 VLN-Race rounds with a distance of about 50.000 Kilometers in way over 100 VLN Races. Done more than 24 times the 24 hours races at the ring. Last year the engine broke but seems they come back this year again.

[@xinonamiiumx]

Best rally car hands down

[@randy438]

I miss box flares

[@79Mmh]

Rear wheel drive Opels are cool cars, and Manta is maybe coolest. A model is really beautiful car.

[@Vedant-km2cg]

I hope you make more videos like this :)

[@ruthun]

Great vid, Henry. LOL @ the 'Nankang' chirp

[@1Goobertron]

Great review, but the clicking of the background music drove me nuts lol

[@mumia76]

I was actually looking around to find what the hell is making that noise, a bird flew in the window or what?

[@melvyncox3361]

Beautiful!Nice to see a Manta 400 preserved as standard.Build quality was a bit ropey the on the standard Mantas though,but still a great car!

[@RobertCbrfsprintsti]

My Opel manta GTE hatch with alleycat wheels was superb, the interior colours were indifferent. White GTE with black interior 😍😍😍😍😍 I miss that car, the build quality meant you could work on your own car. Silver car green interior, silver car burnt orange interior on the GT,J

[@TheJoesmoe1987]

Great stuff to see 👍🏻

[@TuttixD]

Henry n Chill

[@boilerhousegarage]

"Flimsy plastics" What? Those vents are thick, solid and clicky; standing the test of time very well.

[@nn4151]

nankangs actually make some very grippy tires these days, you'll see a lot of nankang Ar-1's on trackdays

[@ПавелМедведский-п6д]

Шикарный автомобиль мне очень понравился

[@brixtonsaint]

This and an AC Delco side by side at RADwood UK Goodwood would be immense. Somebody please make it happen

[@photosmithy]

Old school 👍🏼 review the Uk Honda Integra type r ( DC2) Please please you know you should, its another past master, simple, pure. Go on , do it :)

[@RobInAus]

Loved my old Manta. Wasn't a 400, of course. NNG 52V. Remember it well.

[@aculeus1971]

Soft spot for Opel Mantas.... my grandad had 2,, a 2 litre silver and a 1.8l gold one ... the first car I ever drove . I wonder how many are still running ?

[@SuperGinkgo]

www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=opel+manta&commit=Search

[@reggielavoie5260]

Remind me alot of a chevy monza.

[@buretehudesi]

My first car and the last one.

[@kentbeitel9966]

Man do I miss box flares lol 😂

[@brianlloyd4796]

Always wanted GTE!

[@honestbob45]

oh yes please!, any chance of getting a lotus sunbeam on ?

[@mrstanhope1516]

Henry driving cars around my local area, what's not to like?

[@layesse1]

Made an all black one in forza was my favorite car

[@ryanm3797]

*still waiting on Henry to drive and do a video on an 04-05 s2000 with cable throttle and hoping he doesn’t crush my dreams*

[@b_mb4948]

Brilliant.

[@BlueHopi144]

One of the best Rally car back in the B Group period in the 80's . I still drive an Opel , solid & reliable cars .

[@Dragoneer]

I love how raspy that N/A engine sounds, even if it’s rather underpowered from stock

[@Naefukabootio]

It has a fantastic Irmscher exhaust system on it, helps to give it that great raspy sound.