However, no official documents were made available from Opel Motorsport (as it is expected of most prototypes) to confirm the actual number of prototypes built.īill Munro, author of the book “ Traction For Sale“ (FFD’s history), explains in detail the workings of the company’s flagship 4WD system: A second Manta was reportedly converted to 4WD and updated to the rally “wide” specifications for comparison purposes. For this, FFD raided their conversion parts bin and rigged up a system that is said to having used Triumph 1300 uprights and driveshafts for the front axle. It is said that it took the Ferguson team approximately six months to produce a driveable prototype.

Homologation Modelįor this very special study project, Opel provided a basic, all white, “narrow body” road car which was reportedly driven straight from Rüsselsheim, Germany, to FFD in Coventry, England. The British company was already offering 4WD conversions on customer cars and were providing them for Opel Monza and Senator models and had engineered full-time 4WD systems for production for the AMC Eagle and aftermarket upgrades on Triumph 2000s and Stags and for the Range Rover. Tony Fall contacted FF Developments (FFD) for them to design a suitable 4WD system specifically for the Manta. Opel team manager Tony Fall was thus eager to commission a 4WD prototype of the Manta B 400. In 1982, the rear-wheel drive Manta was already set to replace the Ascona for Group B rally competition later on in 1983, but by then the four-wheel drive (4WD) Audi quattro had started to run circles around the competition at slippery World Rally Championship (WRC) events. Notice: Any form of duplication methods (including but not limited to copy/paste of text and screen capture) of the website's content is strictly forbidden.

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