Opel 2013 Mokka
German brand Opel rips the covers from all-new sub-compact SUV ahead of 2012 launch
OPEL has revealed its all-new Mokka ‘sub-compact’ SUV model two months out from its public debut at the Geneva motor show in March – and it may come to Australia next year.
Named after a variety of Arabica coffee bean, the Mokka is about the same size as a Skoda Yeti or Nissan Dualis and will hit European showrooms by the end of this year.
The Opel brand will launch in Australia later this year – with the Corsa light car, Astra small car and Insignia medium car – and, while the Mokka won’t be available in time to be part of its initial model line-up, it is a strong chance to arrive here in 2013.
Michelle Lang, the marketing and public relations manager of the brand’s Australian arm, told GoAuto today that the car was of strong interest, but could not confirm it for the local market.
Should it go on sale here, it would allow the General Motors brand to go head-to-head with the similar Ford EcoSport crossover that was unveiled at the Delhi motor show last week (see separate story linked below).
Mokka will be available in Europe with a choice of three engines – an 85kW 1.6-litre petrol, a 103kW/200Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol (shared with the Holden Cruze and Opel’s own Astra) and a 93kW/300Nm 1.7-litre turbo-diesel.
Left: Opel Mokka. Below: Buick Encore.
The latter two engines are available with either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions, with all manual models equipped with a fuel-saving idle-stop system.
The Mokka range will also offer front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, though the AWD version only engages the rear wheels when the going gets slippery.
Relatively generous ground clearance and wide 1540mm tracks are provided for driving over moderate terrain such as gravel roads.
At 4280mm long, Mokka is about the same size as Dualis and Yeti, and about 150mm shy of smaller members of the compact SUV segment like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage.
The Mokka’s loading area can be folded to accommodate up to 1372 litres of space and the brand promises a number of clever storage solutions including up to 19 cubby holes and a Flex-Fix system that can hold up to three bicycles on a slide-out floor at the rear.
Standard safety features include ESC, hill-start assist and hill-descent control, lane departure warning and a claimed segment-first traffic sign recognition system operated via a camera.
Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke said the car “takes its strengths from traditional, larger SUVs and fits them into a modern compact format”.
“The Mokka extends Opel’s vehicle line and continues the momentum we’ve built up over the last few years with our strong product offensive,” he said.
“It also energises the new SUV B-segment that is predicted to grow considerably over the next years.”
Mokka will also go on-sale in the US from early next year as the Buick Encore, positioned against premium players like the BMW Q1 and Audi A3.
The General Motors subsidiary – positioned between mainstream brand Chevrolet and luxury arm Cadillac – showed the Encore for the first time at the Detroit motor show this week.
Opel 2013 Trixx
Opel shows Astra Coupe’s interior and confirms sub-Corsa city-car on Paris show eve
GENERAL Motors revealed significant new pieces in its future small-car puzzle a week out from the Paris motor show by releasing the first interior images of its next-generation Chevrolet Aveo and Opel Astra Coupe, and announcing plans to produce an all-new Opel micro-car in 2013.
The redesigned Aveo previews the next-generation Barina that Holden will release in Australia in the third quarter of next year.
Both Opel models are a strong chance for release in Australia given that – as we reported exclusively two weeks ago – GM Holden is planning to launch Opel as a premium brand in Australia as early as next year.
Left: Opel GTC Paris concept.
Before then, Holden will launch Chevrolet’s sub-light Spark hatch in Australia as the ‘Barina Spark’ at the Sydney motor show on October 15.
A mildly updated MY2011 Barina is also expected to appear at the Sydney show and will carry Holden’s light-car candle before the all-new Barina arrives later in 2011.
The new interior designs of the Aveo/Barina and also GM/Holden’s facelifted Captiva were revealed in official GM videos last week, along with a range of fresh exterior, interior and action images of Opel’s GTC Paris concept.
As GoAuto has reported, Chevrolet will also show the Holden-designed Cruze hatchback – set to be built in Australia in the second half of 2011 – and another Aussie-influenced and Asia-Pacific-developed car in the Orlando MPV, which is on the radar but not a strong chance for sale here in the near future.
Meanwhile, the GTC concept previews the replacement for Opel’s classy AH Astra-based ‘coupe’, which would be a core model alongside the new Astra hatchback within any potential Opel range Down Under.
The GTC Paris concept is powered by a 213kW 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine that drives the car’s front wheels through a limited-slip differential, while its German-engineered chassis benefits from a “new execution” of Opel’s ‘FlexRide’ adaptive suspension system. Announcing the all-new micro-car for Europe – which could look like the Trixx hatch concept revealed by Opel at the 2004 Geneva motor show – GM Europe CEO Nick Reilly said production of the sub-Corsa Vauxhall/Opel city-car will commence in 2013 at Opel’s Eisenach plant in Germany.
“This is a further milestone in the growth strategy for our business,” said Mr Reilly.
“Our 90 million Euro investment in the Eisenach plant will significantly strengthen its role within our European manufacturing network, and will offer customers a brand new model with innovative technology and exciting design.”
The all-new Opel/Vauxhall is codenamed ‘Made in Eisenach’ and may also be sold under the Opel banner in Australia.
Opel 2012 Zafira
Next Zafira emerges as Opel confirms new Astra convertible, both likely for Oz
OPEL has unveiled its next-generation Zafira and confirmed it will produce a successor for the Astra convertible, both of which are likely to join the German General Motors brand’s model range that goes on sale here next year.
GM Holden has confirmed it will launch Opel as an upmarket rival for Volkswagen in 2012 with at least three core models – the light-sized Corsa, Astra small-car and mid-size Insignia – but the all-new Zafira people-mover and Astra convertible are odds-on to eventually join the Euro GM brand’s initial B, C and D-segment offerings here.
Emerging as the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Concept ahead of its official public debut at the Geneva motor show on March 1, the thinly disguised new-generation Zafira seven-seater features a new ‘Flex7’ seating concept wrapped in a rakish exterior design that Opel says is reminiscent of a high-speed train.
Opel’s newest people-mover is claimed to combine “lounge-on-wheels luxury” with the seven-seat flexibility it has offered in Europe for the past 12 years – and in Australia between 2001 and 2006.
The Zafira Tourer concept is headlined by a panoramic windscreen that melds with a large glass roof which extends to the rear of the car to bathe all three rows of seats in ambient light.
With two rows in place, Opel says the Zafira can be transformed in to a four-seater with limousine levels of interior space a the push of a button, thanks to a new folding mechanism that stows the middle section of the second row, reveals armrests for the two rear outboard occupants and allows those seats to slide backwards and towards each other.
Less likely to reach production is a second pane of high-tech composite material edge-lit by LEDs and tiny metallic particles embedded in the cabin’s upper sections to reflect light and give off a warm glow that can be varied in different shades of yellow.
The Zafira concept also features power-operated three-piece curved and tiltable head restraints can swivel 90 degrees to horizontal, a large touch-screen display in the centre console, a large centre stack compartment, caramel leather seat tream and pivot-mounted tablet PCs on the front seat backs, allowing second-row passengers to surf the internet.On the outside of the Frost Liquid Metal silver-painted Zafira concept wing-shaped LED daytime running lights, bi-Xenon headlights and foglights reside behind a single Plexiglass cover up front, while polished aluminium wing mirrors house turn indicators.
At the rear, dark LED tail-lights around to the side of the vehicle, while parallelogram-shaped dual exhaust outlets are integrated into an aluminium bar in the lower fascia. The concept rides on dark metallic grey 20-inch twin spoke polished high-gloss alloy wheels with diamond-cut aluminium surfaces and 245/40 R20 rubber.
Opel 2010 Meriva
GM's European affiliate reveals its next-gen Meriva, complete with suicide doors
MOST of the talk on the General Motors stand at Geneva was about the ‘suicide doors’ on the Meriva concept – and how GM executives were stating quite clearly that they will make it to production.
Opel/Vauxhall execs said the Meriva’s rear-opening back doors not only improve access to the back seats but also offer safety benefits, even though they can be opened independent of the front doors (unlike the Mazda RX-8 and Mini Clubman).
Unusually, the Meriva Concept has a regular B-pillar to improve crash protection so rear seat passengers can get in and out without the front doors having to be opened first.
The doors can be opened up to 90 degrees, making it easier to get in and out of the back seat, and for getting kids into their child seats, said the company.
The concept car looks almost production-ready and is expected to replace the existing Meriva baby MPV that is built in Brazil and Spain, probably by the end of 2009.
With design elements flagged in the recent GTC Coupe and Flextreme concepts, the Meriva features a distinctive Citroen-style “wave” along the window line that gives the vehicle an upswept look without losing window space for the rear passengers.
Given the demise of the Zafira in Australia, the Meriva is unlikely to come to Australia.
Opel 2011 Ampera
GM Europe reveals detail of its Chev Volt-based Ampera at Geneva
OPEL’S version of General Motors’ long-awaited global plug-in hybrid made its world premiere at the Geneva motor show opening last night (Australian time), accompanied by a full gallery of images and preliminary specifications.
Biggest surprise is that the Opel Ampera’s aggressive new 2007 GTC concept-inspired bumpers and far more upmarket leather and piano-black interior are the only changes from the far more conservative Chevrolet Volt upon which it is based.
Revealed during GM’s 100th birthday celebrations last September, the production Volt was itself a significant departure from the wild sedan concept that first debuted at the 2007 Detroit motor show.
Indeed, while GM calls the front-drive, four-seater Volt a five-door sedan, Opel emphasises the fact it is a hatchback (although it is perhaps even more accurately described as a liftback), which of course is the body style of choice in Europe.
Either way, Australia’s Volt will be based on the less exciting Chevy Volt when it goes on sale here in 2012, with Holden using Friday’s Melbourne motor show opening to reveal images of what its lion-badged Volt will look like.
GM Europe confirmed the Ampera will go into production from late 2011 – a year after the Volt hits the US – and that a right-hand drive iteration will be sold as a Vauxhall in the UK in 2012, bringing to four the number of GM brands that have been confirmed to sell the Volt.
At this stage the Volt is planned for manufacture only at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant in the US, but Vauxhall hopes to also eventually build it at its Ellesmere Port factory, which produces the Astra.
Holden next year also will produce a small-car based on the next-generation Astra’s new Delta II chassis architecture, which will underpin the Volt, putting its Elizabeth factory in line for eventual production of GM’s ground-breaking answer to the Toyota Prius.
Apart from presenting the Ampera’s meaner face and more luxurious cabin, GM Europe also revealed that the car’s unique Voltec plug-in hybrid drive system, which is identical to the Volt’s and is also shared with the Detroit show’s Cadillac Converj concept, is capable of a petrol engine-assisted total range of more than 500km. It also has a claimed top speed of 161km/h. GM Europe stresses that unlike an all-electric or ‘battery-electric vehicle’ (BEV), the Volt/Ampera eliminates “range anxiety” by providing drivers confidence they will not be stranded by a flat battery.
Opel 2013 Calibra
Opel confirms Holden hand in new model set for European launch by 2013
FRESH from designing the five-door Cruze hatchback for international markets, Holden Design is penning one of three new aspirational models to debut under Opel badges in Europe – and probably Australia – by 2013.
The Australian design connection was revealed by Opel vice-president of corporate and product planning Frank Weber at yesterday’s Geneva motor show opening, where he gave Australian motoring journalists a glimpse of new-model plans for the German-based subsidiary of General Motors over the next two years.
General Motors is planning to roll out the Opel range across Australia under its own brand name in 2012, as a premium alternative to the Holden range.
Mr Weber said Opel would launch in Australia with its core models – the Corsa light car, Astra small car and Insignia medium car – before spreading into a broader model range with some of Opel's wide range of niche models.
He said that in Europe, those Opel niche models would be expanded over the next two years with an additional three vehicles coming on stream, including a hot Astra GTC coupe, a small SUV codenamed Junior and an all-new four-seat cabriolet.
Left: Opel vice-president of corporate and product planning Frank Weber. Bottom: 2005 Holden Tigra convertible.
Mr Weber did not rule out a hard-top coupe version of the cabriolet, as a form of latter-day Calibra, saying there was still plenty of desire for such a model in Europe.
“We have not announced (it) officially, but a car like this could make sense,” he said.
Asked if Holden had a hand in the design of any of these up-coming models, Mr Weber said: “As you know, our design operation is global. And I think there is one car (by Holden) that is going to be an Opel in the future.”
Asked if that car was the cabrio/coupe, Mr Weber shrugged and smiled.
General Motors vice-president of design Ed Welburn told GoAuto at Geneva that he had recently visited Holden's design studio at Fishermens Bend in Melbourne to view projects underway there.
He said the Holden design team was extremely busy on a range of projects, including the next-generation Commodore.
But he added that Holden was also working on global projects for GM – an apparent reference to jobs such as the new Opel.
Mr Weber said the cabriolet would replace the Astra convertible, saying: “There is one spot in the portfolio.”
He indicated that simple chop-top convertibles of existing models had seen their day, even though rival Volkswagen has just announced the return of the Golf Cabriolet.
“When you take a base compact car and turn it into a convertible it has all sorts of limitations to it,” he said. “I think you could do it in the past, but not now – they sort of get stuck in between.
“I think it takes a car that is extremely well styled and presents as a whole package – that is something that you want.”
Although Mr Weber refused to compare the new Opel convertible with others such as the VW Eos or Peugeot 308 CC, he said the Opel cabrio would “go beyond what you currently know, Astra Convertible”, indicating it would be bigger than Astra with a unique body style.
“If you do four seats, and you are spending that money for open air, I think the car should be positioned between Astra and mid-sized (models),” he said. “It is not just an Astra or Insignia convertible.”
“So 2013 will become a very interesting and emotional year for us,” he said. “Convertible is coming, Junior is coming, GTC will already be there, so in 2013, all the things are happening to emotionalise and stimulate the brand.”
The Holden-designed Chevrolet Cruze hatch – one of several models from the Australian design studio in recent years – made its formal debut on the Chevrolet stand at Geneva today.
Alongside it were two other vehicles with a strong Australian connection – the Camaro Convertble and Chevrolet Aveo (Barina), which were both being previewed ahead of their European launches.
Like its coupe twin, the topless Camaro was engineered and designed in Australia, while the Aveo's design was largely done by an Australian designer at GM’s Korean design base
Opel 2012 Insignia
Punchy new sequential-turbo diesel fires up Open Insignia, thanks to Saab
WHILE ailing Saab might be about to breathe its last, the Swedish car-maker’s spirit will live on in a new diesel engine that is set to breathe new vigour into Opel’s Insignia – the European mid-sized car produced by General Motors, the company that placed Saab on death row in 2010.
The new top-line version of the 2.0-litre CDTi BiTurbo four-cylinder engine packs 143kW of power and 400Nm – making it the most powerful diesel in the Insignia line-up by a margin of 25kW – while delivering super-frugal 4.9-litre per 100km fuel economy and 129 grams per kilometre CO2 emissions.
This eclipses the fuel efficiency of thrifty mainstream 2.0-litre mid-size front-drive European diesel cars such as the Ford Mondeo (5.9L/100k and 157g/km) and Volkswagen Passat (5.7L/100km and 151g/km), as well as the current Mazda6 (5.9L/100 and 154g/km).
However, the Insignia engine’s moment in the sun might be short-lived, as Mazda’s new Sky-D diesel engine technology promises fuel economy as low as 4.0L/100km and carbon emissions around 105g/km when it arrives in 2012.
The Insignia is one of three models that will kick-off the Opel brand in Australia in 2012, joining the Corsa and Astra in local showrooms after an Australian International Motor Show debut.
OPEL has revealed its all-new Mokka ‘sub-compact’ SUV model two months out from its public debut at the Geneva motor show in March – and it may come to Australia next year.
Named after a variety of Arabica coffee bean, the Mokka is about the same size as a Skoda Yeti or Nissan Dualis and will hit European showrooms by the end of this year.
The Opel brand will launch in Australia later this year – with the Corsa light car, Astra small car and Insignia medium car – and, while the Mokka won’t be available in time to be part of its initial model line-up, it is a strong chance to arrive here in 2013.
Michelle Lang, the marketing and public relations manager of the brand’s Australian arm, told GoAuto today that the car was of strong interest, but could not confirm it for the local market.
Should it go on sale here, it would allow the General Motors brand to go head-to-head with the similar Ford EcoSport crossover that was unveiled at the Delhi motor show last week (see separate story linked below).
Mokka will be available in Europe with a choice of three engines – an 85kW 1.6-litre petrol, a 103kW/200Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol (shared with the Holden Cruze and Opel’s own Astra) and a 93kW/300Nm 1.7-litre turbo-diesel.
Left: Opel Mokka. Below: Buick Encore.
The latter two engines are available with either six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions, with all manual models equipped with a fuel-saving idle-stop system.
The Mokka range will also offer front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, though the AWD version only engages the rear wheels when the going gets slippery.
Relatively generous ground clearance and wide 1540mm tracks are provided for driving over moderate terrain such as gravel roads.
At 4280mm long, Mokka is about the same size as Dualis and Yeti, and about 150mm shy of smaller members of the compact SUV segment like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage.
The Mokka’s loading area can be folded to accommodate up to 1372 litres of space and the brand promises a number of clever storage solutions including up to 19 cubby holes and a Flex-Fix system that can hold up to three bicycles on a slide-out floor at the rear.
Standard safety features include ESC, hill-start assist and hill-descent control, lane departure warning and a claimed segment-first traffic sign recognition system operated via a camera.
Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke said the car “takes its strengths from traditional, larger SUVs and fits them into a modern compact format”.
“The Mokka extends Opel’s vehicle line and continues the momentum we’ve built up over the last few years with our strong product offensive,” he said.
“It also energises the new SUV B-segment that is predicted to grow considerably over the next years.”
Mokka will also go on-sale in the US from early next year as the Buick Encore, positioned against premium players like the BMW Q1 and Audi A3.
The General Motors subsidiary – positioned between mainstream brand Chevrolet and luxury arm Cadillac – showed the Encore for the first time at the Detroit motor show this week.
Opel shows Astra Coupe’s interior and confirms sub-Corsa city-car on Paris show eve
GENERAL Motors revealed significant new pieces in its future small-car puzzle a week out from the Paris motor show by releasing the first interior images of its next-generation Chevrolet Aveo and Opel Astra Coupe, and announcing plans to produce an all-new Opel micro-car in 2013.
The redesigned Aveo previews the next-generation Barina that Holden will release in Australia in the third quarter of next year.
Both Opel models are a strong chance for release in Australia given that – as we reported exclusively two weeks ago – GM Holden is planning to launch Opel as a premium brand in Australia as early as next year.
Left: Opel GTC Paris concept.
Before then, Holden will launch Chevrolet’s sub-light Spark hatch in Australia as the ‘Barina Spark’ at the Sydney motor show on October 15.
A mildly updated MY2011 Barina is also expected to appear at the Sydney show and will carry Holden’s light-car candle before the all-new Barina arrives later in 2011.
The new interior designs of the Aveo/Barina and also GM/Holden’s facelifted Captiva were revealed in official GM videos last week, along with a range of fresh exterior, interior and action images of Opel’s GTC Paris concept.
As GoAuto has reported, Chevrolet will also show the Holden-designed Cruze hatchback – set to be built in Australia in the second half of 2011 – and another Aussie-influenced and Asia-Pacific-developed car in the Orlando MPV, which is on the radar but not a strong chance for sale here in the near future.
Meanwhile, the GTC concept previews the replacement for Opel’s classy AH Astra-based ‘coupe’, which would be a core model alongside the new Astra hatchback within any potential Opel range Down Under.
The GTC Paris concept is powered by a 213kW 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine that drives the car’s front wheels through a limited-slip differential, while its German-engineered chassis benefits from a “new execution” of Opel’s ‘FlexRide’ adaptive suspension system. Announcing the all-new micro-car for Europe – which could look like the Trixx hatch concept revealed by Opel at the 2004 Geneva motor show – GM Europe CEO Nick Reilly said production of the sub-Corsa Vauxhall/Opel city-car will commence in 2013 at Opel’s Eisenach plant in Germany.
“This is a further milestone in the growth strategy for our business,” said Mr Reilly.
“Our 90 million Euro investment in the Eisenach plant will significantly strengthen its role within our European manufacturing network, and will offer customers a brand new model with innovative technology and exciting design.”
The all-new Opel/Vauxhall is codenamed ‘Made in Eisenach’ and may also be sold under the Opel banner in Australia.
Next Zafira emerges as Opel confirms new Astra convertible, both likely for Oz
OPEL has unveiled its next-generation Zafira and confirmed it will produce a successor for the Astra convertible, both of which are likely to join the German General Motors brand’s model range that goes on sale here next year.
GM Holden has confirmed it will launch Opel as an upmarket rival for Volkswagen in 2012 with at least three core models – the light-sized Corsa, Astra small-car and mid-size Insignia – but the all-new Zafira people-mover and Astra convertible are odds-on to eventually join the Euro GM brand’s initial B, C and D-segment offerings here.
Emerging as the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Concept ahead of its official public debut at the Geneva motor show on March 1, the thinly disguised new-generation Zafira seven-seater features a new ‘Flex7’ seating concept wrapped in a rakish exterior design that Opel says is reminiscent of a high-speed train.
Opel’s newest people-mover is claimed to combine “lounge-on-wheels luxury” with the seven-seat flexibility it has offered in Europe for the past 12 years – and in Australia between 2001 and 2006.
The Zafira Tourer concept is headlined by a panoramic windscreen that melds with a large glass roof which extends to the rear of the car to bathe all three rows of seats in ambient light.
With two rows in place, Opel says the Zafira can be transformed in to a four-seater with limousine levels of interior space a the push of a button, thanks to a new folding mechanism that stows the middle section of the second row, reveals armrests for the two rear outboard occupants and allows those seats to slide backwards and towards each other.
Less likely to reach production is a second pane of high-tech composite material edge-lit by LEDs and tiny metallic particles embedded in the cabin’s upper sections to reflect light and give off a warm glow that can be varied in different shades of yellow.
The Zafira concept also features power-operated three-piece curved and tiltable head restraints can swivel 90 degrees to horizontal, a large touch-screen display in the centre console, a large centre stack compartment, caramel leather seat tream and pivot-mounted tablet PCs on the front seat backs, allowing second-row passengers to surf the internet.On the outside of the Frost Liquid Metal silver-painted Zafira concept wing-shaped LED daytime running lights, bi-Xenon headlights and foglights reside behind a single Plexiglass cover up front, while polished aluminium wing mirrors house turn indicators.
At the rear, dark LED tail-lights around to the side of the vehicle, while parallelogram-shaped dual exhaust outlets are integrated into an aluminium bar in the lower fascia. The concept rides on dark metallic grey 20-inch twin spoke polished high-gloss alloy wheels with diamond-cut aluminium surfaces and 245/40 R20 rubber.
GM's European affiliate reveals its next-gen Meriva, complete with suicide doors
MOST of the talk on the General Motors stand at Geneva was about the ‘suicide doors’ on the Meriva concept – and how GM executives were stating quite clearly that they will make it to production.
Opel/Vauxhall execs said the Meriva’s rear-opening back doors not only improve access to the back seats but also offer safety benefits, even though they can be opened independent of the front doors (unlike the Mazda RX-8 and Mini Clubman).
Unusually, the Meriva Concept has a regular B-pillar to improve crash protection so rear seat passengers can get in and out without the front doors having to be opened first.
The doors can be opened up to 90 degrees, making it easier to get in and out of the back seat, and for getting kids into their child seats, said the company.
The concept car looks almost production-ready and is expected to replace the existing Meriva baby MPV that is built in Brazil and Spain, probably by the end of 2009.
With design elements flagged in the recent GTC Coupe and Flextreme concepts, the Meriva features a distinctive Citroen-style “wave” along the window line that gives the vehicle an upswept look without losing window space for the rear passengers.
Given the demise of the Zafira in Australia, the Meriva is unlikely to come to Australia.
Opel 2011 Ampera
GM Europe reveals detail of its Chev Volt-based Ampera at Geneva
OPEL’S version of General Motors’ long-awaited global plug-in hybrid made its world premiere at the Geneva motor show opening last night (Australian time), accompanied by a full gallery of images and preliminary specifications.
Biggest surprise is that the Opel Ampera’s aggressive new 2007 GTC concept-inspired bumpers and far more upmarket leather and piano-black interior are the only changes from the far more conservative Chevrolet Volt upon which it is based.
Revealed during GM’s 100th birthday celebrations last September, the production Volt was itself a significant departure from the wild sedan concept that first debuted at the 2007 Detroit motor show.
Indeed, while GM calls the front-drive, four-seater Volt a five-door sedan, Opel emphasises the fact it is a hatchback (although it is perhaps even more accurately described as a liftback), which of course is the body style of choice in Europe.
Either way, Australia’s Volt will be based on the less exciting Chevy Volt when it goes on sale here in 2012, with Holden using Friday’s Melbourne motor show opening to reveal images of what its lion-badged Volt will look like.
GM Europe confirmed the Ampera will go into production from late 2011 – a year after the Volt hits the US – and that a right-hand drive iteration will be sold as a Vauxhall in the UK in 2012, bringing to four the number of GM brands that have been confirmed to sell the Volt.
At this stage the Volt is planned for manufacture only at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant in the US, but Vauxhall hopes to also eventually build it at its Ellesmere Port factory, which produces the Astra.
Holden next year also will produce a small-car based on the next-generation Astra’s new Delta II chassis architecture, which will underpin the Volt, putting its Elizabeth factory in line for eventual production of GM’s ground-breaking answer to the Toyota Prius.
Apart from presenting the Ampera’s meaner face and more luxurious cabin, GM Europe also revealed that the car’s unique Voltec plug-in hybrid drive system, which is identical to the Volt’s and is also shared with the Detroit show’s Cadillac Converj concept, is capable of a petrol engine-assisted total range of more than 500km. It also has a claimed top speed of 161km/h. GM Europe stresses that unlike an all-electric or ‘battery-electric vehicle’ (BEV), the Volt/Ampera eliminates “range anxiety” by providing drivers confidence they will not be stranded by a flat battery.
Opel 2013 Calibra
Opel confirms Holden hand in new model set for European launch by 2013
FRESH from designing the five-door Cruze hatchback for international markets, Holden Design is penning one of three new aspirational models to debut under Opel badges in Europe – and probably Australia – by 2013.
The Australian design connection was revealed by Opel vice-president of corporate and product planning Frank Weber at yesterday’s Geneva motor show opening, where he gave Australian motoring journalists a glimpse of new-model plans for the German-based subsidiary of General Motors over the next two years.
General Motors is planning to roll out the Opel range across Australia under its own brand name in 2012, as a premium alternative to the Holden range.
Mr Weber said Opel would launch in Australia with its core models – the Corsa light car, Astra small car and Insignia medium car – before spreading into a broader model range with some of Opel's wide range of niche models.
He said that in Europe, those Opel niche models would be expanded over the next two years with an additional three vehicles coming on stream, including a hot Astra GTC coupe, a small SUV codenamed Junior and an all-new four-seat cabriolet.
Left: Opel vice-president of corporate and product planning Frank Weber. Bottom: 2005 Holden Tigra convertible.
Mr Weber did not rule out a hard-top coupe version of the cabriolet, as a form of latter-day Calibra, saying there was still plenty of desire for such a model in Europe.
“We have not announced (it) officially, but a car like this could make sense,” he said.
Asked if Holden had a hand in the design of any of these up-coming models, Mr Weber said: “As you know, our design operation is global. And I think there is one car (by Holden) that is going to be an Opel in the future.”
Asked if that car was the cabrio/coupe, Mr Weber shrugged and smiled.
General Motors vice-president of design Ed Welburn told GoAuto at Geneva that he had recently visited Holden's design studio at Fishermens Bend in Melbourne to view projects underway there.
He said the Holden design team was extremely busy on a range of projects, including the next-generation Commodore.
But he added that Holden was also working on global projects for GM – an apparent reference to jobs such as the new Opel.
Mr Weber said the cabriolet would replace the Astra convertible, saying: “There is one spot in the portfolio.”
He indicated that simple chop-top convertibles of existing models had seen their day, even though rival Volkswagen has just announced the return of the Golf Cabriolet.
“When you take a base compact car and turn it into a convertible it has all sorts of limitations to it,” he said. “I think you could do it in the past, but not now – they sort of get stuck in between.
“I think it takes a car that is extremely well styled and presents as a whole package – that is something that you want.”
Although Mr Weber refused to compare the new Opel convertible with others such as the VW Eos or Peugeot 308 CC, he said the Opel cabrio would “go beyond what you currently know, Astra Convertible”, indicating it would be bigger than Astra with a unique body style.
“If you do four seats, and you are spending that money for open air, I think the car should be positioned between Astra and mid-sized (models),” he said. “It is not just an Astra or Insignia convertible.”
“So 2013 will become a very interesting and emotional year for us,” he said. “Convertible is coming, Junior is coming, GTC will already be there, so in 2013, all the things are happening to emotionalise and stimulate the brand.”
The Holden-designed Chevrolet Cruze hatch – one of several models from the Australian design studio in recent years – made its formal debut on the Chevrolet stand at Geneva today.
Alongside it were two other vehicles with a strong Australian connection – the Camaro Convertble and Chevrolet Aveo (Barina), which were both being previewed ahead of their European launches.
Like its coupe twin, the topless Camaro was engineered and designed in Australia, while the Aveo's design was largely done by an Australian designer at GM’s Korean design base
Opel 2012 Insignia
Punchy new sequential-turbo diesel fires up Open Insignia, thanks to Saab
WHILE ailing Saab might be about to breathe its last, the Swedish car-maker’s spirit will live on in a new diesel engine that is set to breathe new vigour into Opel’s Insignia – the European mid-sized car produced by General Motors, the company that placed Saab on death row in 2010.
The new top-line version of the 2.0-litre CDTi BiTurbo four-cylinder engine packs 143kW of power and 400Nm – making it the most powerful diesel in the Insignia line-up by a margin of 25kW – while delivering super-frugal 4.9-litre per 100km fuel economy and 129 grams per kilometre CO2 emissions.
This eclipses the fuel efficiency of thrifty mainstream 2.0-litre mid-size front-drive European diesel cars such as the Ford Mondeo (5.9L/100k and 157g/km) and Volkswagen Passat (5.7L/100km and 151g/km), as well as the current Mazda6 (5.9L/100 and 154g/km).
The Insignia is one of three models that will kick-off the Opel brand in Australia in 2012, joining the Corsa and Astra in local showrooms after an Australian International Motor Show debut.
Opel Australia has confirmed it will take a 2.0-litre diesel engine – which was co-developed with Saab – alongside a similar-sized direct-injection petrol powerplant.
But it has confirmed it will not take the latest hi-po biturbo diesel in its launch fleet, sticking with the standard 118kW turbo diesel, at least initially.
Opel Australia marketing and public relations manager Michelle Lang told GoAuto today that the company would keep a lid on model variants in the start-up stages.
She did not rule out the appearance of the engine in the Australian line-up, saying: "It looks like an absolute ripper, and we are interested in it."
In Europe, the new flagship diesel – a development of the previous 118kW/350Nm CDTi engine – will be applied to both sedan and wagon models in both AWD and 2WD.
Formally the province of prestige car-makers, biturbo sequential turbo-charging employs two turbochargers of different sizes that work either separately or together to cut turbo lag and lift peak charging.
Opel says the smaller turbocharger accelerates especially quickly at low engine speeds, bringing on 350Nm of torque from just 1500rpm.
Both turbos operate together in the mid range, with the larger turbocharger pre-compressing the intake air, before it is fully compressed in the smaller one.
From about 3000rpm, all the gases flow directly to the larger turbo-charger for full boost.
As well, the engine uses a world-first twin intercooler system – a water-cooled unit linked to the small turbo for low revs to give the inlet air a quick trip to the engine, and then bigger, conventional air-cooled intercooler to handle the bigger volumes of air from the large turbo.
Opel Insignia chief engineer Volker Scharf said the engine produced power and torque at similar levels to a six-cylinder 3.0-litre diesel engine.
“With our biturbo technology, smaller engines produce even more output while enabling 30 per cent lower fuel consumption and emissions,” he said.
“This is a very good example of successful downsizing by Opel.”
The new engine is said to be good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 8.7 seconds
Manual Insignias get idle-stop, helping to trip the fuel consumption that Opel claims is just 4.9L/100km for the most efficient model, the front-drive sedan.
No figures are given for the 4x4 and wagon models.
Opel 2012 Astra
But it has confirmed it will not take the latest hi-po biturbo diesel in its launch fleet, sticking with the standard 118kW turbo diesel, at least initially.
Opel Australia marketing and public relations manager Michelle Lang told GoAuto today that the company would keep a lid on model variants in the start-up stages.
She did not rule out the appearance of the engine in the Australian line-up, saying: "It looks like an absolute ripper, and we are interested in it."
In Europe, the new flagship diesel – a development of the previous 118kW/350Nm CDTi engine – will be applied to both sedan and wagon models in both AWD and 2WD.
Formally the province of prestige car-makers, biturbo sequential turbo-charging employs two turbochargers of different sizes that work either separately or together to cut turbo lag and lift peak charging.
Opel says the smaller turbocharger accelerates especially quickly at low engine speeds, bringing on 350Nm of torque from just 1500rpm.
Both turbos operate together in the mid range, with the larger turbocharger pre-compressing the intake air, before it is fully compressed in the smaller one.
From about 3000rpm, all the gases flow directly to the larger turbo-charger for full boost.
As well, the engine uses a world-first twin intercooler system – a water-cooled unit linked to the small turbo for low revs to give the inlet air a quick trip to the engine, and then bigger, conventional air-cooled intercooler to handle the bigger volumes of air from the large turbo.
Opel Insignia chief engineer Volker Scharf said the engine produced power and torque at similar levels to a six-cylinder 3.0-litre diesel engine.
“With our biturbo technology, smaller engines produce even more output while enabling 30 per cent lower fuel consumption and emissions,” he said.
“This is a very good example of successful downsizing by Opel.”
The new engine is said to be good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 8.7 seconds
Manual Insignias get idle-stop, helping to trip the fuel consumption that Opel claims is just 4.9L/100km for the most efficient model, the front-drive sedan.
No figures are given for the 4x4 and wagon models.
Opel to take on the likes of the Volkswagen Scirocco R with 206kW OPC Astra coupe
OPEL has whipped the covers from its fastest-ever production Astra – the blistering OPC coupe – ahead of its release across Europe in the middle of next year.
It will sit at the head of the new Astra GTC coupe range that made its production debut at the Frankfurt show in September before going on sale across European markets later this month, and likely in Australia from late next year.
The OPC (short for Opel Performance Centre) coupe is powered by a 2.0-litre direct-injection engine with 206kW of power and a thumping 400Nm of torque.
Opel claims it is good for a top speed of 250km/h, but the car’s 0-100km/h acceleration time remains under wraps for now.
Figures like these are enough to make the most powerful non-OPC Astra coupe – the 132kW turbo-petrol GTC – seem demure by comparison.
As GoAuto has reported, this 132kW version of the Astra GTC is a chance to be a part of the brand’s inaugural Australian range when the brand is launched here in October next year, as a rival for the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
While there is no official word on whether the hotter OPC version will join the range here, it is likely to join similar high-performance OPC versions of the Corsa light car and Insignia mid-sizer around mid-2013.
The brutal OPC stacks up well against potential local (five-door) rivals like the Renault Megane RS 250 (184kW/340Nm), Mazda3 MPS (190KW/380Nm) and Volkswagen Golf R (188kW/330Nm).
It also eclipses the Volkswagen Scirocco R (same outputs as the Golf R) and the new Ford Focus ST (184kW/360Nm), both of which will go on-sale in Australia next year.
Power is sent through the front wheels of the flagship Astra via a new mechanical limited-slip differential designed to curb wheelspin, while the HiPer strut system – as used in the rest of the GTC range – has been designed to improve handling and banish torque-steer.
The OPC will also feature high-performance Brembo brakes and an adaptive FlexRide chassis with ‘Sport’ and ‘OPC’ buttons that let the driver the adjust the dampers, throttle response and steering control.
Much of the OPC’s testing was conducted at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit under the supervision of Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Joachim Winkelhock.
Cosmetically, the OPC is differentiated from its tamer GTC coupe siblings by enormous multi-spoke alloy wheels and sculpted front and rear bumpers, the latter with integrated distinctive trapezoidal twin exhausts.
The car also gets subtle side skirts and an understated roof-mounted rear spoiler, making it an even closer realisation of Opel’s original 2010 Paris Concept coupe than the rest of the GTC family.
Inside, the OPC gets heavily bolstered racing-style seats, a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and upgraded instrumentation.
European pricing and full specifications will be revealed closer to launch.
The OPC will be sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Astra VXR. Holden Special Vehicles sold the previous-generation model in Australia with VXR badges between 2006 and 2009.
OPEL has whipped the covers from its fastest-ever production Astra – the blistering OPC coupe – ahead of its release across Europe in the middle of next year.
It will sit at the head of the new Astra GTC coupe range that made its production debut at the Frankfurt show in September before going on sale across European markets later this month, and likely in Australia from late next year.
The OPC (short for Opel Performance Centre) coupe is powered by a 2.0-litre direct-injection engine with 206kW of power and a thumping 400Nm of torque.
Opel claims it is good for a top speed of 250km/h, but the car’s 0-100km/h acceleration time remains under wraps for now.
Figures like these are enough to make the most powerful non-OPC Astra coupe – the 132kW turbo-petrol GTC – seem demure by comparison.
As GoAuto has reported, this 132kW version of the Astra GTC is a chance to be a part of the brand’s inaugural Australian range when the brand is launched here in October next year, as a rival for the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
While there is no official word on whether the hotter OPC version will join the range here, it is likely to join similar high-performance OPC versions of the Corsa light car and Insignia mid-sizer around mid-2013.
The brutal OPC stacks up well against potential local (five-door) rivals like the Renault Megane RS 250 (184kW/340Nm), Mazda3 MPS (190KW/380Nm) and Volkswagen Golf R (188kW/330Nm).
It also eclipses the Volkswagen Scirocco R (same outputs as the Golf R) and the new Ford Focus ST (184kW/360Nm), both of which will go on-sale in Australia next year.
Power is sent through the front wheels of the flagship Astra via a new mechanical limited-slip differential designed to curb wheelspin, while the HiPer strut system – as used in the rest of the GTC range – has been designed to improve handling and banish torque-steer.
The OPC will also feature high-performance Brembo brakes and an adaptive FlexRide chassis with ‘Sport’ and ‘OPC’ buttons that let the driver the adjust the dampers, throttle response and steering control.
Much of the OPC’s testing was conducted at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit under the supervision of Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Joachim Winkelhock.
Cosmetically, the OPC is differentiated from its tamer GTC coupe siblings by enormous multi-spoke alloy wheels and sculpted front and rear bumpers, the latter with integrated distinctive trapezoidal twin exhausts.
The car also gets subtle side skirts and an understated roof-mounted rear spoiler, making it an even closer realisation of Opel’s original 2010 Paris Concept coupe than the rest of the GTC family.
Inside, the OPC gets heavily bolstered racing-style seats, a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and upgraded instrumentation.
European pricing and full specifications will be revealed closer to launch.
The OPC will be sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Astra VXR. Holden Special Vehicles sold the previous-generation model in Australia with VXR badges between 2006 and 2009.
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