A barely-camouflaged Opel Meriva MPV was recently spotted undergoing testing in China. The Gamma-based MPV will cradle GM’s 1.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ecotec engine making 138 horsepower, and will be joined by the Zafira Tourer MPV, the Insignia Sports Tourer, and the Astra GTC — all of which are part of a larger product offensive for Opel in China.
However, due to the presence and widespread popularity of the Buick brand in China — which is (or will become) the analogue of Opel–Vauxhall in North America and China, General Motors will import Opels into the country, rather than building them locally — resulting in a higher price of the vehicles due to hefty import tariffs; GM’s Cadillac brand faced the same competitive disadvantage before GM began building the luxury vehicles for the Chinese market in China. As such, the Meriva is expected to carry a starting price of roughly 200,000 yuan, or $32,000 USD.
The subcompact MPV is expected to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November, and launch in China before the end of 2013.
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Comments
I wish GM would support Opel to expand in China with cars that would not cannibalize Buick or Chevy! So Meriva, Zafira, Astra GTC and Corsa could eventually sell very well if Opel had more dealers and an improved marketing! And why not produce the Corsa, Adam and Astra GTC locally if Cadillac is produced locally? These small and midsize cars have great potential in China. If Chevys are sold side by side with Opel in Europe why this can’t work for China? There is no logical reason for that!
Honestly, there’s no logical reason for Opel-Vauxhall-Buick. Ten years ago, it was Opel-Vauxhall-Saturn, and Chevy wasn’t even in the picture in Europe.
Now, that’s not to suggest that the brands should be wiped off the face of the earth… but the strategy behind the global alignment seems forced, unnatural, and rather convoluted.
It will be a though challenge for GM to merge the Opel and Buick brand to a “global-hybrid-brand”. Opel has a completely different image and history than Buick. Opels position in Europe is equal to Chevrolet in the USA and that leads to conflicts of interest. Opel wants to be mainstream with family MPVs, wagons, commercial vehicles and small cars, which does not really fit to Buick. GM wants to position Buick as a premuim brand like Lexus. However, unlike to the United Kingdom where Opel cars are sold as Vauxhalls, the North America and Chinese market differ a lot from the the European market and therefore customer needs will be very different, e.g. engines, design, body styles,… . Most Chinese customers prefer a softer and simple design language like the Buick LaCrosse, while most Europeans like aggressive looks. GM must be carefully and to do the strategy step by step!
@The German
I would like to see Opel returning back to India as the competitor of Volkswagen! Astra sedan vs Jetta, Corsa 5-door vs Polo 5-door, Insignia vs Passat, Antara vs Tiguan. Volkswagen cars in India are higher priced than Chevys, but GM needs to built Opel cars in India again.
@Alex
GM sold Opel cars as Chevrolets in Brasil and South America for many decades and GM has stopped using this strategy only for a few years. Chevrolet has now its own cars instead of rebadged Opel cars for the South American market and even well established model names such as Astra or Corsa were abandoned. I would have never expected that 10 years ago. I am sure that GM will stop the strategy to merge Opel/Vauxhall with Buick, if the alignment fails for certain reasons, e.g. Opel does not manage the turn around in Europe and therefore needs to be killed or sold or the cars engineerd by Opel in Ruesselsheim does not fit to the claims of Buick costumers and GM is forced to develop extra cars for Buick. With around 800,000 units every year Buick is not longer a small brand within GM and the same applies for Opel with around 1,000,000 units every year.
I know we discussed this a lot of times but why is there no logical raeson for Opel-Buick in the same market if the lineup isn’t the same! No one has ever explained that! So small cars and MPVs and surely some other cars we don’t know yet will not be shared with Buick! Especially small cars like the Corsa and the Adam (which I think fits much more to a brand like Opel like to Buick) ans the Astra GTC would have a great potential! Selling these cars would make a lot of more sense than selling Chevys in Europe side by side with Opel.
Same for India! Why has GM killed Opel India and replaced Opel with Chevy? Why is GM killing Opel South Africa and replacing Opel with Chevrolet? Some years ago Opel sold more than 30k units in SA!
I can’t see that “GM [is] killing Opel South Africa and replacing Opel with Chevrolet”.
When you look at the GM media site for South Africa, you see right in the top line two announcements concerning Opel.
July 1st, 2013: “Opel Corsa OPC Nürburgring Edition on its way to SA”
QUOTE “General Motors South Africa (GMSA) today announced that the Opel Corsa OPC Nürburgring Edition will be making its South African debut this October. Available in limited numbers, the Nürburgring Edition will not only be a rare sight on local roads but as part of an international limited edition production run, the Opel Corsa OPC Nürburgring Edition is one of the most exclusive Opels ever built.” /QUOTE etc etc
July 17, 2013: “Opel Fan Wins Trip to German Autobahn!
QUOTE “The ‘Wir Leben Autobahn’ competition opened up with 3704 Opel fans racing for a top leaderboard spot in the virtual Opel Astra OPC game on Opel’s Facebook Page. The top twenty fastest competitors in the game made it through to the final round which was held at the Gerotek vehicle test facility in Pretoria on Saturday 13 July. All the participants were given first-hand experience of the Opel Astra OPC’s dynamic handling, power and agility as they faced the final, and real world, test of their driving ability.” /QUOTE etc etc
These promotional activities do not look like “killing the brand” to me.
BTW, you might also claim that GM is killing Opel in SA by replacing it with Isuzu cars… Isuzu being one of the three brands offered by GM South Africa.
BTW 2, among the 5’111 units sold by GM this June in the Republic of South Africa, 1’672 or 32.7% represent the small pickup “Chevrolet Utility”, which — I think — is a South Africa unique vehicle. Their “Ute” according to the Australia coined term. Length: 4,514 mm. The other two thirds of the SA sales volume are shared by Isuzu and Opel vehicles as well as the other Chevrolets.
Concerning SA, this pickup is exactly what I mean! Some years ago Opel also offered a Corsa based pickup and sold more than 30k per year! Opel was 4th in market for more than ten years… Now there is no successor for this car for Opel but for Chevrolet! Result: Last year, Opel sold 3000 units, this year it will be perhaps 2000. Astra OPC NE also will not stop this decline!
Where was this Corsa Ute produced?
In South Africa or in an Opel/Vauxhall factory and shipped via sea to its only market?
“With average sales of just under 1 800 units a month over the period the Corsa Utility is not just the clear class leader, but the second most popular light commercial vehicle in the market since introduction.
Locally produced at the GMSA facility in Port Elizabeth, the Corsa bakkie has also won the industry benchmark for quality.”
http://www.google.de/imgres?safe=off&sa=X&biw=1276&bih=806&tbm=isch&tbnid=oRgKwAlQf3_c9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Industry_News/100-000th-Corsa-bakkie-sold-20090706&docid=5BxGmEktj_dlXM&imgurl=http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/192/155cec80823a4dfc9e2254a8f0095c29.jpg&w=468&h=330&ei=kDrpUa7IMsKPO5fegDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=633&vpy=183&dur=2196&hovh=188&hovw=267&tx=187&ty=80&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=191&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:0,i:151
@The German:
Could it be that you prefer the old times with world-wide badge engineering between Open and Chevrolet instead of the current times where Opel engineering is feeding the Buick product lines both for China and for North America?
Whereas Chevrolet and Cadillac have their own products, without badge engineering, and are offered worldwide (OK, Chevrolet as Holden in Australia).
@Observer7:
No, abolutely not! Where are you reading that? I’m glad that these times are over! I like the idea of the Buick-Opel cooperation very much because it could allow Opel (and also Buick) to offer more cars and especially semi-premium niche models!
But just the end of rebadging Opels as Chevys and otherwise makes possible that Opel could offer its cars worldwide beside Chevy because the cars are no longer the same! So I don’t understand why Opel is cut off in favour of Chevrolet outside of Europe (and this is a fact!) while GM tries desperately to push Chevy in Western Europe! Im my opinion there is only one reason for that: Chevy (or the brand “Chevy”) is American and a GM core brand and Opel is not!
Or are there any other reasons for this strategy? I don’t think that the Chevy lineup is better in terms of quality or design?
Concerning Opel-Buick: As I said so many times before, not all cars will be shared! So Opel could offer these cars in China side by side with Buick. These cars could be positioned higher than Chevy cars (“german engeneered”) and would also not cannibalize Chevy!
A very brief summary of GM marques in South Africa:
– 1950’s and 60’s – Canadian sourced Chevrolet and Pontiac, Opel, Vauxhall, Holden, & Bedford trucks.
– 1970’s – No more Canadian sourced models. All vehicles now badged Chevrolet, albeit being sourced from Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Isuzu.
– early 1980’s > – All vehicles now sourced from Opel and Isuzu, but still badged as Chevrolet. GM at #3 in the SA market.
– 1986 – GM exits South Africa due to Apartheid. Delta Corp takes over, re-badging all vehicles as Opel and Isuzu. Delta retains market position
– 1994 – Following Mandela release and South African transition to global acceptance, in 1996 GM buys-out Delta retaining Opel and Isuzu as its local brands. GM still #3 behind Toyota and VW.
– early 2000’s > – Chevrolet reintroduced to the market with Lumina (Aus sourced Commodore) as halo over a number of re-badged Daewoos. Opel model line-up reduced to Astra and Corsa. Isuzu KB pick-up retained.
– 2010 to present – Opel reduced to a few niche Astra and Corsa models. Chevrolet now features full current global range (Aveo, Spark, Cruze, Epica. Malibu, Orlando, Captiva, + Lumina). Isuzu KB pick-up retained.
– Now a few words about the Opel Corsa and Isuzu utes. The Mk1 Corsa was never sold in South Africa. The Mk2 was introduced in the early 1990’s as a hatch-back. saloon and pick-up. The latter, as a model in its own-right, became GMSA’s best selling vehicle and regularly featured in the top 5 monthly sales charts. Bakkies (utes) are extremely popular in South Africa. The Toyota Hi-Lux has always lead the ute market, and for pretty much the last 20 years, the Corsa and Isuzu KB have followed in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. In the early 2000’s, the Mk3 Opel Corsa was introduced, again as hatch, saloon and pick-up. The pick-up styling was now more differentiated from the saloon and hatch. This Series 2 pick-up further built on the success of the first model, remaining GMSA’s best selling vehicle.
At the end of 2010 the Series 2 Opel Corsa ute was re-badged as a Chevrolet Corsa, for its run-out period and in readiness for the launch of the Series 3 in mid 2012. This latest generation is called the Chevrolet Utility, to avoid any confusion with the Opel Corsa Mk 4 hatch-back.
Note that all 3 series of these pick-ups were actually designed, engineered and developed in Brazil, where they are marketed as the Chevrolet Montana. They have only ever been built in Brazil and South Africa. The Chevrolet Utility retains its #2 position behind the Hi-Lux.
Finally, it is very evident that GMSA could not accept a situation where its best selling model, an Opel, out-numbered the nearest Chevrolet by a ratio of 4:1. The Isuzu KB remains GMSA’s 2nd best-selling model and as GM no longer has a controlling interest in Isuzu (and coupled to the strength of the brand in South Africa and neighbouring countries to which GMSA exports), I very much doubt the bow-tie will ever replace the Isuzu logo.
Just my opinion!
Thanks for that enlightening info on GM’s brand history in South Africa!
Two additions:
According to the GM SA web, Opel was active in the country since 1930.
South Africa having been a British colony, Vauxhall was there, too, of course. According to the en-Wikipedia-article on Vauxhall, Vauxhall was reduced to the actual UKoGBaNI, and replaced in all other markets, including the former British Empire, by Opel. This included Cyprus, Malta, and also South Africa.
BTW, GM South Africa is responsible for all of the RHD-countries on the South-Eastern edge of Africa, from Namibia to Tanzania. This includes Moçambique, to my astonishment. Despite Moçambique having been a Portuguese colony, the drive on the wrong, er, on the left side of the road in that country. Just adapting to the surroundings. Angola on the Atlantic coast, OTOH, drives on the right side.
GM supports Opel by exporting more niche cars from Europe to China, while those Opel cars with high sales potential will be badged as Buicks and built locally in China, which makes sense because of high taxes of 40% on import cars. In my opinion it would have made more sense to sell even the import Opel cars as Buicks in China which would allow Opel to have a much better access to the distribution network of Buick and therefore higher sales. However, China would have been big enough for both Opel and Buick, although they compete in the same segment. The Insignia is sportier, small wheel base and German, while the LaCrosse is LWB, more comfort and luxuary. The Insignia sold as an Opel in China would not cannibalize Buick LaCrosse sales, but I doubt the Insignia would sell much better under the Opel brand in China since the Buick brand is really popular there.
The Insignia is alread in the Chinese market under the name of Buick Regal, from there also in North America.
The Insignia combi will now come to China under its own name and as imported vehicle.
made OPC version like first generation.
This look like a wagon version of the Korean Spark. Are they design related? A stretched Spark would sell well in the U.S., together with the EV version.
Well, bot the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva and the Chevrolet Spark have four wheels and a combustion engine mounted in front and driving the front wheels.
But beyond that?
This car is based on the Gamma and is more a stretched Chevy Sonic than anything else. Slap on some Opel badges and suspension tuning and you have a new longer Opel.
Are you shure that the Meriva is based on GM Gamma II? Not on the “Small Common Components System” (SCCS), developed in common by GM and FIAT?
Anyway, the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva is a typical Opel and he who wants to see design communalities with a Chevrolet anything must be blind.
With the Buick/Opel future a few markets will see both but not many. In China they are so car hungry they will buy anything that is not Chinese.
I think they are just using Opel as add on sales there and if they prove popular enough they may find a way to build them there too.
We all have to understand that the new Buick and Opels will be pretty much the same cars with only local market tuning and badge changes. Opel will benefit with the addition of higher level of options and trim while Buicks will be more sporting and fun to drive vs. the old floating boat rides they have been.
It would have been easy to just badge them all the same but the names in each market hold a lot of equity with the people in that market. Same for Holden as it would be real easy to make it all Chevy but the Holden name holds a lot of equity with the people down under. in other words they will be more likely to snap up a Holden Cruze vs. a Chevy Cruze even though they are pretty much the same car with local needs met.
This is all GM is doing with Opel and Buick they are pretty much one division with two names.
As for China anything can happen there as GM can sell nearly all they can import and build there. It is the fastest growing and largest automotive market in the world so if China wants it they will get it.
Right now large SUV’s are popular. I wonder if the new coming Tahoe will make the trip over.
As I said in another thread, Buick and Opel will be nearly the same for some cars, that is true! But all small cars , MPVs and LCVs will not be shared with Buick (perhaps with one exception: the Adam)! By numbers these cars make currently more than 50% of all global Opel sales! All these cars wouldn’t make any trouble to Buick if Opel could sell them in China! If Opel could only sell 100k units per year in China this would be a growth of 10%. So I think there is enough space in China for 100k Opels.
Another positive effect by doing this: This would be a message to customers in Europe. They would have more trust in Opel because they would see that Opel is present in a growing market which is crucial for the survival of any car brand.
Herr German is correct. There are a huge number of Opel/Vauxhall models that will never be badged Buick (or Chevy for that matter). Excluding the Adam and Cascada which probably will cross the pond at some point, models that will remain rooted firmly for the most part in Europe (incorporating the UK), include:
– Agila city car
– Astra hatch-back, coupe’, station-wagon, commercial van
– Corsa 3 & 5 door hatch-backs, commercial van
– Insignia hatch-back, station-wagon
– Meriva small MPV
– Zafira Tourer medium MPV
– Combo utility MPV / commercial van
– Vivaro medium minibus / commercial van / pick-up
– Movano large minibus / commercial van / light truck
– Vauxhall VXR8 GTS sedan, station-wagon, pick-up (aka Holden Commodore HSV)
Note that the Aussie built VXR8 GTS is only available in the UK and is not marketed as an Opel. It sports a super-charged LS3 pushing out 577 horses. Even this version won’t ever make it across as a top-line Chevy SS because its performance is too close to the Corvette and it would also embarrass most of the Camaro range.
And on the subject of commercial vehicles, GM in the US and Canada had better wake-up quick to what’s happening at Ford & Chrysler as they Europeanize with the Connect, Transit and Ducato. Also note the relative success of the Mercedes Sprinter in the NA market.
C’mon guys, there’s a well-proven and very extensive range of utility vehicles waiting for a bow-tie or GMC badge.