General Motors and PSA Group collectively shocked the industry, media and even Opel senior management when both automakers confirmed a possible acquisition of the Opel/Vauxhall brands by PSA was in play.
However, Opel CEO, Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, has been planning a monumental shift at the blitz brand for some time. A new report by Automotive News states Neumann has been hard at work developing a plan to turn Opel into a completely electrified automaker in Europe.
The strategy has reportedly been in development for months to ensure Opel’s survival in the marketplace. The plans were likely coming to a tipping point, too, with GM’s board scheduled to vote on the matter in May of 2017. Opel would utilize the architecture underpinning the Chevrolet Bolt EV to presumably develop a slew of battery electric vehicles.
Gasoline powered vehicles would be phased out by 2030 and the division would be split into an “old” and “new” Opel until then.
However, top Opel management was shocked to learn of the brand’s potential sale to PSA Group, and the report states only Neumann himself may have known about the discussions prior to the French and U.S. automakers confirming the discussions.
Amid the news, the potential merger and sales talk asks many more questions than it answers. Though, it could open a door once again for Chevrolet to finally become GM’s global brand.
Comments
Horrible idea; old vs new Opel is confusing especially in a marketplace where the ICE is to be phased out by 2030.
Maybe this EV tech is why PSA wants Opel? GM is stupid.
This story is getting more bizarre by the hour. I’m starting to question my perception of reality.
Yet another stupid idea. GM needs to get a grip – preferably around Mary Barra’s neck. Mind you Opel management isn’t far behind, KTN is inept at his best.
PSA is co-owned by a Chinese company. By acquiring Opel they get the Ampera-E’s technology and wouldn’t that consern GM?
gm has full control over there engineering, design, e technology, even if they had a merger with PSA or sold opel/vaxhuall off.
How about let let them show what the plans fully are before we go off the deep end here. None of you have a full clue of what the plans are so just let them give us more detail before you in a tizzy.
As it is Opel is bleeding to death and changes much happen in some form. Let see what they have planned and then you may not look as foolish when the plans are not as bad as you feared.
Hell GM stock is already up based on the speculation of the sale. That did more than any new model has.
The story does indeed get more bizarre by the hour and I doubt we’ve heard it all. But…
KTN’s plan perhaps just recognises the obvious, insofar as just about every other mainstream supplier of cars in the UK and EU will be heavily electrified by 2030 – so where’s the competitive advantage?
Also, wasn’t it on KTN’s watch that Opel Group made the decision to cull the first generation Ampera (Volt) from Opel Group’s biggest European market without any kind of replacement, noting the Ampera E isn’t engineered for RHD? To make things even more ironic, to demonstrate the range of the Ampera E, a car was driven from London – where it won’t even be available – to the Paris Motor Show. You couldn’t make it up!
And GM’s electric car technology is GM and LG’s electric car technology and not Opel Group’s, since that technology was jointly developed in Detroit and Incheon. Heck, the Ampera E will even be trundling off the tracks at the Orion Assembly Plant and not Russelheim, Eisenach, Zaragosa, Ellesmere Port, Luton or Gilwice.