Though we never had the chance to enjoy the Opel Speedster in the U.S., we can think of it as the Lotus Elise’s slightly uglier sibling. Despite its homely appearance, it had all the same athletic prowess we associate its brother with. It shares the same aluminum monocoque with the Lotus, and with a plastic body, it tips the scales around one ton. That svelte figure, combined with the optional turbocharged motor, made the Speedster a very enjoyable car among discerning drivers. There were only 7,000 produced, so it’s become something of a cult-car in recent years.

Poised and predictable, the Speedster can be placed accurately and trusted in both fast and slow corners.

Hermann Bollhalder is one of those picky racers who, in the search for more performance, trimmed more weight from his Speedster and doubled its power output. Now powered by a 2.2-liter Ecotec fed by a sizable turbocharger, his hillclimbing creation outputs 420 horsepower — more than enough to propel the 1,750-pound Speedster.

While the peak power is impressive, it needs to be harnessed in a specific way to benefit a hillclimbing car constrained by narrow mountain passes. To do this, Eggenberger Motorsport ensured the powerband is quite broad — providing more than 330 lb-ft between 3,500 and 6,500 rpm. The sequential gearbox, fitted with closely stacked gears, keeps the motor constantly howling in the meat of the powerband. Paddles allow Bollhalder to keep both hands on the wheel, which is a serious asset for anyone trying to control such a snappy machine.

While it’s capable of spinning the rear wheels, the powerplant’s torque curve is quite flat, which makes the car predictable. Coupled with gobs of grip and a very flat platform, it gives him the gusto to place the car precisely and lean on it mid-corner. His style is clearly measured and economical, and he doesn’t indulge in brazen slides. This smooth, accurate driving might not be the most spectacular, but it is certainly quick — and it only gets better the faster the corner. That massive diffuser and rear wing plants the Opel’s rear and gives it the stability a real racing car needs.