General Motors' Pontiac division had considered importing the Tigra to the United States, but in the end it was determined that the car was too small for American consumers.

[2] Television advertisements in the United Kingdom for the (Vauxhall) Tigra featured the tune "Fiesta" by The Pogues.

Due to the coupé styling and compact dimensions of the car, rear seat space was limited.

[3] The design incorporated a lightning theme as per the Opel logo; this can be seen in the way the roof and waistlines meet the reverse rake of the B-pillar, while lightning-shaped reflection appears in the metal ahead of the rear wheelwell in certain lighting conditions.

[4] The Tigra was available with two petrol engines options, both from the Ecotec family, an entry-level 1.4 L with 90 PS (66 kW), and a larger sportier version, powered by the 1.6 L engine with 106 PS (78 kW), sourced from the Corsa GSi and later Corsa Sports.

However, the car carried extra weight, with 150 kg (331 lb) over the equivalent engined Corsa models.

[6][7] The Tigra TwinTop, as it was called in markets of Opel, was a two-seater coupé convertible with a retractable hardtop, in the fashion of the Peugeot 206 CC.