The General Motors plant in Figueruelas, Spain celebrated a milestone this week: its 12-millionth vehicle, a fifth-generation Opel Corsa Color Edition, just rolled off the production line. The magma red five-door features the 115hp 1.0L three-cylinder engine and will soon hit a showroom somewhere in Germany.
While the men and women at the plant deserve a pat on the back the Corsa, Opel’s perennial bestseller, is the real hero here.
Though the 33-year-old plant has also produced the Kadett, Astra, Tigra, Combo, Meriva and Mokka at one time or another, the small hatchback has been its steak and potatoes: it’s produced 10-million Corsas to date.
Though we don’t hear much about it, mainly due to the fact all the vehicles it produces are bound for Europe, the Figueruelas plant is vital to the economy of the Aragon community.
GM España directly employs more than 5,000 people, while a further 28,000 people are employed by the almost 300 suppliers located in the region. The plant will also bring aboard 1,800 new recruits over the next three years.
It’s a potent Opel manufacturing hub and its viewed as a core tenant of the company’s plan to return to profitability and of its new product and powertrain offensive that will see 27 new models and 17 new engines introduced by 2018.
Comments
You’re quite right Drew
I live in the Basque country, close to 197 miles from the Zaragoza plant, and this plant is economically important to the region of Aragon.
Congratulations to my friends in Zaragoza and that will work well for over 30 years
Hey Jonathan, that’s pretty neat. You must know more than a few folks who work there. You’re right, congratulations is definitely in order. Congrats Zaragoza!!
No, not all “all the vehicles it produces are bound for Europe”.
The Corsa and Meriva are also being sold e.g. in South Africa, Chile, and other places.
For Chile look here:
http://www.opel.cl/vehicles/autos-opel/vehiculos-de-pasajeros-opel/corsa-gama/corsa.html