At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the European arm of General Motors will unveil one of the most remarkable cars in its history. It is the Opel Monza Concept, or Vauxhall Monza to UK residents, and it is important as it feature a number of firsts for the company.

Harking back to its 1977 namesake, the new Opel Monza Concept features a sculptural design that is an evolution of Opel’s current design language, started with the Insignia. Measuring 4.69 metre-long, the Monza has a sporty yet elegant profile, and a roof line with semi-circular form like a classic coupé. The doors meanwhile swing up like wings, and since there is no B pillars, the view is spectacular, and getting in and out of the car is easy.

But design is hardly the best thing about the Monza. That’d be the technology built into it. The technology that we will soon be seeing in Opel’s production models. The car features the first application of LED projection technology for its highly advanced connectivity and driver information system. A total of 18 LED projectors create a continuous, adaptable multi-functional display. Both the area displaying information and the background can be individually configured, and operation is via voice control and steering wheel controls.

Opel Monza Concept will also showcases the firm’s achievements in the field of autonomous driving. The high-tech sensors and connectivity features in this car make it interconnected to the road and other vehicles on it, and gives a preview of the advancements in “Car-to-Car” and “Car-to-X” systems – prerequisites for future autonomous driving.

As for the powetrain, the Monza uses an evolution of the electric system in the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera. It is more flexible though, at the range extender in this car can be a CNG motor, or Opel’s new-generation three-cylinder 1.0 SIDI turbo, further reducing the car’s carbon footprint.