Although Vauxhall’s first Capri rival, the Firenza was popular enough as a sporting car, it lacked the all-round appeal to go head-to-head with Uncle Henry’s finest. The Cavalier Coupé and Sportshatch did, and picked up a useful market share, even though sales were split with its Opel Manta counterpart. The two-door car looked good, but the three-door added practicality into the deal – 1.6-litre cars were economical and brisk, while the 2-litre cars were impressive all-rounders. Unlike the Manta, they died in 1981, replaced by the next-generation FWD car.
info from Octane