SPY PICS: 2014 Opel Calibra rendering

Master spy photographers Carparazzi have concocted this rendering of what they believe the rife-rumoured 2014 Calibra will look like.

Showing more than a little Insignia DNA, the next-generation Opel sports coupe could revive a nameplate not seen since 1997, when the last Wayne Cherry-designed example rolled off the assembly line in Uusikaupunki, Finland. The first -- and only -- generation Calibra enjoyed a nine year reign as Opel's premiere sports coupe until, after a four-year hiatus, the three-door Astra VX200 was launched in 2001. 

Calibra was sold under a range of different brands across the GM globe including Opel, Vauxhall, Chevrolet and even Holden (the slick two-door German marque sold locally in both two- and all-wheel drive guises with a choice of four- and six-cylinder engines), and at the time, enjoyed a moderately successful stoush against similarly priced Japanese and American rivals, particularly Ford's short-lived but stylish Probe coupe.

In all probability, a new Calibra would enjoy free range of engine selection at Opel, with all of Insignia's current petrol and diesel line-up presumably ripe for the similarly sized sibling's picking; the high-series turbocharged Insignia VXR a tantalising two-door prospect.

If indeed a new Calibra is in the pipeline, there's also more than enough evidence to suggest the model could be based on the GTC concept Opel revealed in 2007, which makes us believe the illustration shown is more likely an Insignia coupe. Either way, a sporty two-door offering from Opel could be a great way for the brand to claw its way out of its current financial mire.

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