The other Manta A 'special' was the TE2800 produced by Transeurop Engineering
The TE2800 was a totally different project that Opel refused to endorse. A Belgian company called Transeurop Engineering also wanted to increase the engine power of the Manta A. Opel had previously tried a six-cylinder engine layout in 1971 and 1972, but with no success. The cars were deemed too expensive to build, and the market was overwhelmed at the time with big engine cars. But Transeurop Engineering did not agree, and a 2.8-litre CIH-type engine was essentially taken from the Opel Commodore 2.8GS model and fitted into the engine bay of the Manta 1.9SR. The radiator, the bonnet, the entire front end of the car, the rear axle, and the transmission all needed to be changed. To solve this quickly, Transeurop Engineering tried to get Opel to join the project using Opel's earlier experiences with the transformation, but with no success. Even worse for Transeurop, Opel did not even want the Opel brand on the cars if the project ever got off the ground. Transeurop Engineering therefore turned to Opel's best tuner of the time, Steinmetz. They supplied a new fibreglass bonnet with a large bulge on it to make room for the engine, a set of widened arches, and a special front bumper integrated with the lower front spoiler, all to make room for the dramatic changes that needed to be made to the car's front end construction. Much of the front was cut out and replaced with other parts being mounted further to the ground in order to give room for the radiator. A closed radiator system was installed so that the radiator had a water tank in the engine bay (like modern cars). The engine was still the 2.8-litre unit from the Commodore GS and this was originally fitted with two Zenith carburettors. The output was 142 bhp (106 kW), and with the Commodore four-speed manual gearbox and a 3.18:1 rear axle the car went from 0–60 mph in 7.5 seconds. A total of 79 cars were made and sold through Steinmetz in Germany, branded not as Opels but as TE2800s. All Opel badging was removed from the cars and replaced by the "TE" logo.
Steinmetz offered a tune-up for rally and motorsport use. The tuning consisted of porting and flowing the head, a higher compression ratio, a race spec camshaft, and triple carburettors, giving the car up to 230 bhp (172 kW).
Although the TE2800 is the fastest Manta A ever made, it is not officially an Opel. It could outrun cars like the 911 Carrera of 1973 and the BMW2002 turbo from 1973, even though those cars had more engine power. The low weight of the Manta bodyshell and the combination of the right gear ratios was what gave the car its success. However, the cars were very expensive, almost twice the price of a 105 bhp (78 kW) GT/E in 1975. Very few of these cars exist today, as most were used in rally and motorsport events.
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