Günther Irmscher took over the company from his father, with whom he shares a name, and has been running Irmscher Automobilbau GmbH & Co. KG since 1996.
Mr. Irmscher, over the past 50 years your shop has given the world souped-up versions of classic Opel vehicles, such as the Manta, Calibra, Astra, and Corsa. The fact that you’ve chosen the Vivaro for your 50th birthday has left us a little surprised …
That was exactly the idea – to surprise you. We intentionally chose a different vehicle category because we wanted to showcase the range of vehicles that our company is capable of handling. After all, our brand doesn’t only stand for sporty rides. Our real priority is individuality. The Vivaro gave us – quite literally – a lot of space to stretch our creative muscles. The Liner 68 not only looks phenomenal, it also offers a range of new features thanks to the recently developed Multifunctional i-Box.
You’re only planning to release 68 of these special edition vehicles as an homage to the year the company was founded. Are you reconsidering that number at all?
We are going to stick with the 68. Most of them have already been claimed and I’m not worried about the rest, as exclusive and expressive as the Vivaro Liner 68 is. And many of the features and accessories that we offer in the Vivaro Liner 68 are available in other models as well.
The grill says it all: The Vivaro Liner 68 is a true Opel à la Irmscher.
The company logo takes center stage: The 20-inch wheels with the exclusive ‘heli-star’ design.
»The recently developed ‚Multifunctional i-Box‘
offers a range of new features.«
So that means that the Multifunctional i-Box, complete with bed system, sink, and cooker, can be installed in a ‘normal’ Vivaro, too?
It’s not limited to the Vivaro, either. It can be installed in any leisure activity vehicle and any light utility vehicle. The box can be installed and rigged up in ten minutes flat, guaranteed. That’s what we mean when we say extra features. During the week, you can use the van as a utility vehicle for your business, and on the weekend, you can transform it into a camper in less than ten minutes.
Very limited edition: There will be exactly 68 units made of the Vivaro Liner 68.
But most vans aren’t lowriders like the Vivaro Liner 68 …
That’s right. We lowered the chassis by about 35 millimeters. Together with our 20-inch wheels featuring the exclusive ‘heli-star’ design, which is also available for the Grandland X, the special edition Vivaro offers a very special, dynamic riding experience. It’s as if you were gliding along rails. The visual details such as the deep front spoiler, the integrated side skirts, and the color design make the vehicle a real eyecatcher – and a true Opel à la Irmscher.
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us.
July 2018