Opel has introduced new Astra K hatchback and Astra Sports Tourer to the world during the 2015 Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany. As a bonus, so was the debut of an awesome Opel Vivaro Surf Concept van, and an appearance by GM CEO Mary Barra.
Though the Opel Astra K debut was newsworthy in its own right – which we covered here extensively – GM’s German branch also tipped its hand regarding some its future product, tech and sales goals.
Now, we’ve learned both the Astra hatchback and wagon are part of an aggressive new Opel product offensive that will see the company introduce a flurry of new models in the coming years.
“From 2016 to 2020, we will launch 29 new vehicles including an electric vehicle and a second flagship alongside the Insignia,” said GM CEO Mary Barra in an official release. “This all-new SUV will be produced in Rüsselsheim by the end of decade and will give the brand a further technological boost.”
We’re not sure what “new” constitutes as in this context. Whether it’s the combination of just new models, or a combination of new vehicles and/or significant updates of existing ones.
Opel just last year secured a foothold as the third-place automaker in the European Union, but it’s already clearly defined its next objective; to become the second largest automaker in the European market by 2022.
The company says another aspect of its future success also lies in the development of autonomous driving technology– a technology GM and Opel are aggressively working to develop. Does that mean the Opel products of the future will be fitted with Super Cruise or a similar technology? It surely wouldn’t surprise us once it becomes cheaper to produce and develop autonomous tech.
“We’ll see more changes in the auto industry in the next five to ten years than we saw in the past 50 years,” said Barra, who pointed out that zero crashes is another one of the company’s goals. “The new Astra with all its active safety systems is an important step into that direction,” Barra added.
Ramping up the model offensive with an eye on sales conquest and another on autonomous driving tech is surely an ambitious goal, but if Opel’s flock of new vehicles are anything near as good as the 2016 Astra appears on paper, we have a feeling that Opel’s quantum leap will resonate well with European buyers and buoy it back in the green.
Comment
Opel is the future of GM as a global company. At this point, US and Chinese Chevrolet offerings are just re-skinned Opel’s, and Opel vehicles and design now dominate Buick and Holden.
Now that GM will be partnering with Shanghai Auto on platforms for the developing world, expert Chevrolet as we know it top shrink even further into a two line up brand: Re-skinned Opel’s in two markets and Baujuns everywhere else.