Opel | GM Authority

Opel Prices All-New Meriva MPV At 15,900 Euros
by Manoli Katakis
Posted March 10th, 2010 at 2:05 pm

For those of you on the east side of the Atlantic, start saving up for what could be the only car you’ll ever need. According to Opel’s media site, the Gamma II-based Meriva MPV will be priced just under 16,000 Euros – a little more than its smaller relative, the Opel Corsa.

Opel unveiled the next-gen MPV to the world at the Geneva Motor Show last week and – in case you missed it – we have a fairly detailed write-up outlining the car’s features right here. In a nutshell, the Meriva is a very unique vehicle: it overlaps the categories of a compact hatch, a small CUV, and a minivan all thanks to a thoughtful setup. The Meriva features higher ground clearance than the typical econo-hatch as well as suicide doors so that “parents and children can enter and exit the car together,” all in the package of a subcompact vehicle. Hopefully the Chevrolet Orlando will allow North American consumers to catch the MPV craze and bring more of these utilitarian and fuel-efficient vehicles to market.

The all-new Meriva offers three trim packages – the Cosmo, Enjoy, and Essentia – along with engine options ranging from 75bhp to 140bhp. Click past the break to see what the Meriva’s three trim levels have to offer as well as for our high-res gallery! (more…)

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Opel Refreshes Corsa Sub-Compact
by Wilson Nunnari
Posted February 22nd, 2010 at 2:20 pm

Although the Opel Astra did not get the chance to warm American hearts as a Saturn, it is one of the best selling vehicles in Europe along. And so is the smaller Gamma II-based Corsa. For those not in tune with The General’s European offerings, the Corsa is to Opel as the Aveo is to Chevrolet in the United States. It’s available in a three and five-door variants. Unfortunately for the US, the Corsa received a refresh before Americans even get a chance to buy the new Aveo.

A redesign sometimes calls for a “less is more” attitude. Now and again, more power often brings a smaller package in order to slightly increase the fuel economy numbers. Not so with the Corsa refresh, as Opel engineers managed to improve fuel economy (by up to 13 percent) and emissions, all while increasing power of the engine.

While the US is mainly concerned with miles per gallon (and the subsequent CAFE effects), the Europeans are highly focused on CO2 emissions. The Corsa is available with a set of diesel powertrains that produce as little as 98 grams per kilometer. For those of us that are not able to buy a new Corsa, that’s approximately .35 pounds per mile.

The powertrain line-up includes two gasoline engines, a 1-liter 3 cylinder (48 kW/65 hp ) entry level version and the turbo charged 1.6-liter on the Corsa OPC (141 kW/192 hp). When it comes to diesels, different versions of the 1.3 and 1.7 CDTI motors offer outputs ranging from 55 kW/75 hp to 96 kW/130 hp.

For the enthusiast on an econobox budget, Opel also worked magic on the steering and suspension. Anti-roll bars, dampers, springs, and steering gear have been updated to provide a more direct experience for the driver.

Opel will also release three Color Line variants that will include unique body work and 17-inch wheels. There will also be a 111 Limited Edition celebrating the 111th anniversary of the first car produced by Opel.

Check out the press release after the jump and enjoy the gallery below!

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A Step Back From The Opel Flextreme
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 pm

As details about the Opel Flextreme, the VOLTEC-powered concept, which Opel will unveil at the 80^th Geneva International Auto Show, begin to leak out, GM Authority pauses for a moment to note some larger trends.

First, this car is a perfect example of Opel/Vauxhall leveraging the advantages membership in a global automotive family confers, as Nick Reilly told employees the other day. Opel emphasizes that, “size and comfort do not have to be sacrificed for a vehicle to be environmentally efficient” explaining how the Flextreme will be positioned relative to the upcoming Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera twins. But by using the same powertrain in those clones, the Cadillac Converj, and the Flextreme, The General is utilizing its global reach by spreading VOLTEC development costs over as many models as possible.

Second, despite Manoli’s excitement with the concept’s “expressive design, environmental innovation and alternative propulsion systems,” GM Vice Chairperson Bob Lutz believes that history will ultimately forget this vehicle. While not a hybrid in the traditional sense, it does possess both a gas engine and an electric motor, making it what GM Authority has deemed an “interim solution.” So when declaring that the Flextreme will define the “company’s vision of future mobility,” Opel is [hopefully] committing to full electric-only vehicles when the technology becomes available. But before that vision is realized, the Flextreme is a crucial stopgap in the goal of “boost[ing] the company’s credentials as a leader in environmental vehicles.”

Finally, the launch details are not accidental. The Flextreme concept will likely be unveiled on March 4, 2010, the first day of this year’s Geneva show. Opel’s all-new (and flexible) Meriva will also don at Geneva before the show concludes on March 14. The Opel Ampera debuted at Geneva last year, but the Flextreme’s release location is more than sentimental. One of the historic advantages of the Geneva Auto Show is that it is held on neutral territory, i.e., the Swiss do not manufacture automobiles. Given the animosity breeding in Europe’s automotive sector due to massive capacity reductions and suspicions of Opel/Vauxhall soliciting bribes from European states, it appears that The General is fully exploiting Swiss neutrality.

[Sources: Automobile Magazine, Inside Line]

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Opinion Desk: GM As A Hostage Taker?
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 22nd, 2010 at 11:03 am

While playing the American President in the movie Air Force One, Harrison Ford delivers a speech declaring that America will not negotiate with terrorists. When Russian terrorists high jack the supposedly impregnable aircraft, threatening the safety of his family, he retreats from his previous position. The terrorists want the President to release their destabilizing leader, the deposed former military leader of Russia. The President agrees, but when he asks that the terrorists release his family, they refuse, saying, “We have many more uses for you now that we know that you are willing to negotiate.” According to Forbes International Affairs writer Jens Laurson, and 1996 Presidential-hopeful Bob Dole’s former economic advisor George Pieler, this movie moment explains perfectly what The General is attempting to do to European governments, particularly Germany. (more…)

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Opel Flextreme: Because The Ampera Isn’t Big Enough
by Manoli Katakis
Posted February 19th, 2010 at 3:20 pm

Though it’s still a concept, Opel has taken the EREV drivetrain of the Opel Ampera (aka Chevy Volt), married it with a longer wheelbase, and sculpted it with all-new (and rather tantalizing) sheetmetal for this years’ Geneva Auto Show.

Branded as the Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept, the midsize five door hatchback features all of the same capabilities of the standard Chevy Volt/Opel Ampera and then some… because it’s bigger. And bigger usually means more toys.

From what we know so far, new features include 350mm-long sliding vertical panels (spoilers) that extend out of slots behind the rear wheels at speeds above 31 mph to help maintain aerodynamics and “guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.” And that’s beside the fact that they’re sweeeeet.

Opel also implemented carbon fiber panels on certain parts of the body and an all-aluminum frame for weight conservation. The panels and sculpted design allow the Flextreme to achieve a drag coefficient of .22, which is less than the third-gen Prius (0.25) and Chevy Volt (0.26), and several species of birds.

The concept will be uncloacked next week at the Geneva Motor Show and we can only hope for a Chevy variation to make it over to this side of the pond. More as it happens right here at GM Authority!

View the full presser after the break!

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Vauxhall Nameplate Stays; GM European Strategy Undergoes Shift
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 16th, 2010 at 12:00 am

In an internal e-mail, GM Europe President Nick Reilly indicated that The General would continue to use the Vauxhall brand in the UK. That announcement should not have come as too much of a surprise, as the former Vauxhall General Operations Manager has close ties to the company. What were refreshingly different were the changes he outlined in The General’s European strategy. Full text of the five page document, which was received by tens of thousands of employees, can be found here.

First and foremost, Mr. Reilly rejected hiring an outside consultant to devise a mission statement, instead submitting an internally developed working vision statement:

To be a leading European Manufacturer of high quality, desirable automotive products, based on German Engineering, driven by a united team of professionals and respected around the world.

In identifying specific steps to achieve that vision, he first distinguished Vauxhalls and Opels, allotting the former for Brits and the latter for everyone else. In a departure from previous goals, ‘everyone else’ encompasses more than merely Europeans. If Opel products are to be “respected around the world,” the the impetus is on the company to “look for opportunities to sell Opel products outside Europe.”

Mr. Reilly, who also served as President of GM International Operations, has a unique perspective on the expansion. Acknowledging non-European sales as a historical weak point and noting that a strong Euro makes such exports even harder, he suggested that desirable products and a positive image will be the keys to growing exports. The products and image motif ran throughout the memo. While he emphasized superior products as more important, he conceded that GM’s image in Europe requires more work. It is from this theme that what will inevitably be the most quoted line from this directive emerges: (more…)

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Belgian Unions Protest GM Decision To Close Antwerp Plant
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 am

In the midst of an attempt to restructure its European operations, General Motors remains unpopular and is losing friends at a rapid pace, especially among European labor unions. GM recently announced the closure of its Antwerp, Belgium plant, at a loss of 2,606 jobs. GM ultimately hopes to cut 8,300 jobs from its 48,000-member European workforce in its turnaround effort, a plan which weakens relations between The General and its European workers.

Earlier this week, a Belgian union accused GM of violating an agreement to build small sport utility vehicles at the Antwerp plant. GM ultimately decided to produce the vehicle exclusively in South Korea. The union argued such a move was a contract violation and has consequently filed a lawsuit against the American auto maker, with union officials adding:

The relocation of the agreed small SUV models is the only reason for the intended closure of Antwerp. There is a pending lawsuit on this matter filed by the unions of Antwerp.

According to Reuters, Nick Reilly, head of GM Europe, speaking at Opel’s headquarters near Frankfurt, characterized the agreement as a “plan,” not a “commitment.” He made no comment on the lawsuit. The Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Reilly hoped that unions would approve the restructuring plan in two to three weeks. GM had hoped to present the plan in December, but with this latest lawsuit, labor unions have pushed that target into February at the earliest. Mr. Reilly’s time estimates have historically proven low: during his tenure as head of GM Asia-Pacific, he substantially underestimated the length it’d take to bring a hybrid Holden Commodore to market. The press conference further revealed that GM is seeking up to 2.7 billion Euros in state aid from European governments in which it has plants. According to the union, GM will need 500 million Euros in loan guarantees for the Antwerp factory to remain open. The union had the following to say about the matter:

We strongly oppose any plant closure and we will not agree to any sacrifices. We expect that Opel/Vauxhall management will do everything to utilize the existing installed capacity before any decision on job reductions will be taken.

The AFP has reported that the Opel union is threatening widespread strike action. In an act of European solidarity, other European plants have agreed not to fill in for Antwerp production during any cessation. Seeing as GM is already fighting excess capacity in its European operations, voluntary stoppage may not be much of a threat at all.

[Sources: Financial Times, WSJ, Reuters, AFP ]

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Opel Meriva Proves Ever Flexible
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 1st, 2010 at 9:55 am

Built on GM’s Gamma 2 platform, the Opel Meriva is the king of flexibility. And it has the monikers to match. Opel lists among its advertised features FlexDoors, FlexSpace, FlexRail, and FlexFix.

The most striking difference between this car and its competitors is its rear-hinged rear suicide doors. In response to accessibility questions of yesteryear, Opel emphasizes that the Meriva’s doors open nearly 90 degrees. The design also facilitates helping young children fasten seat belts as parents can stand where a traditional door would be hinged. Finally, the doors allow parents and children to get out together, without a door separating them: “children are kept under control.” (Either German children are particularly unruly, or German people are more comfortable discussing disobedient children; researching which is the case has been deemed a low priority by GMA management).

But the real flexibility is inside the Meriva. (more…)

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Should GM Bring The Opel Combo Stateside To Go Against Ford’s Transit Connect?
by Alex Luft
Posted January 30th, 2010 at 1:42 pm

While this may not be as sexy a topic as a Zeta-based four-door sedan for the U.S., the North American market is heating up for non-pick-up work vehicles. Ford is leading the charge with its Transit Connect commercial van, having sold just over 8,000 units since bringing the compact vehicle Stateside in mid 2009. While GM has its Chevy Express/GMC Savanna full-size vans (that may soon be replaced) to go against Ford’s Econoline, The General has nothing to offer the compact utility van buyer.

But General Motors can become a serious competitor in this market very quickly and with minor investment by bringing its Opel Combo utility van to the US. While the Combo may need some (much-needed) styling updates inside and out since its 2001 debut, the Gamma-based white van is the perfect utility vehicle for those looking for an alternative to a small truck, with sliding doors and highly configurable storage capacity.

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GM to Close Antwerp Opel Plant by Third Quarter 2010
by Conor Cameron
Posted January 25th, 2010 at 7:00 am

General Motors recently announced that it will close its Opel manufacturing plant in Antwerp, Belgium. The New York Times reports that the plant employs 2,606 workers and produced 89,000 Opel Astras in 2009. The Opel Astra, built on GM’s Delta 2 platform, is marketed elsewhere as Vauxhall Astra (UK), the Buick Excelle (China), the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra (Latin America), and – not so long ago – as the Saturn Astra (US). It is built in various places all over the world, including the plant in Belgium.

In a press release, GM, while expressing sympathy to the workers and their families, indicated that the closure was necessary to revamp its European production, which is the center of its small car strategy. Demand in 2010 is expected to fall 1.5 million units short of those sold in 2009, a total of 4 million units below peak production in 2007. The plant is scheduled to be closed as early as the end of the second quarter. GM is set to eliminate 8,300 jobs in Europe, including 4,000 in Germany. All plants will be affected, but there are no plans to close other plants, suggesting all current facilities will share the burden in this restructuring. GM plans to cut total European capacity by 20 percent, 9 of which will be accomplished with the Antwerp plant closing. Experts estimate the total European automobile production capacity at 28 million units, 40 percent of which sat idle in 2009. The Antwerp closing is comparatively inconsequential. GM further argues that closing this plant is key to reducing redundancy in other plants where the Opel Astra is produced, including those in Poland, England and Germany. The automaker reportedly spared plant closings in Germany because it relied on funds from the German government (which it has now fully paid back) during the financial crisis. Saab’s potential demise is not included in GM’s capacity reduction targets.

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