Opel have released details on their new Astra Sports Tourer which will go on sale in November this year. The Astra Sports Tourer will make it’s debut at the Paris Motor Show in October before hitting the dealerships in the following month. The goal of this Astra is obviously practicality but Opel have still made an effort to make the wagon look stylish. A few improvements have resulted in the Astra Sports Tourer having a load space of 1550 liters which will no doubt be its biggest draw card.

This increase is space is created by the new FlexFold rear seat system. This system allows the rear seats to be lowered by simply pressing a button located on the side walls of the cargo department. The seats will then automatically fold onto themselves, this feature is the first of it’s kind in a compact wagon.

The new Opel Astra Sports Tourer will be available in 8 different diesel and petrol engines, with a top power of 132kW (180hp). Obviously the Astra will be available in both automatic and manual, with the manual option including a shift-up indicator. This indicator is intended to improve fuel economy in the manual option, also intended to improve fuel economy is a start/stop feature that will be introduced at a later stage.

Source: Opel

Opel Corsa owners in Europe can now kit out their Corsa’s with the designs of their favourite team. With stickers including the flags of: Denmark, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, England, Italy, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. What makes these stickers really work is that they are easy to apply and easy to remove. Also with them being custom made for the Opel Corsa, they fit on perfectly with the exact dimensions of the car to ensure they look stylish and classy.

Covering your car with branding or stickers can often look tacky or even a bit like your car is ready to hit the track on a race day. But with these custom designed stickers from Opel they remain minimalistic and subtle. The stickers sell for 149 Euros in Germany which is quite a heavy price but either way, they look really good and it’s nice to see the car makers getting behind the world cup and the supporters.

Source: Opel

The new Opel Ampera has been in production for a long time now and today marks an important day, as the first of the pre-production models has just rolled off the factory floor. The Opel Ampera is set to go on sale in European markets in the later parts of 2011, so there is still a long wait for the car to go into full production.

The point of these pre-production models is largely for testing, ensuring that they live up to the standards that are set, including safety as some of the models will be used crash-testing and structural integrity . Also the controls and car software are tested so that the final launch product will run smooth and as error-free as possible.

In keeping with the general push towards more eco-friendly and fuel efficient cars, the Opel Ampera has been designed as electric. The car will deliver up to 60km on the electric motor before the standard engine will kick in and take the car more than 500km in a seamless change. Charging the battery is done by plugging the car into any house-hold plug socket, which adds great versatility and user-friendliness to the Ampera.

The Opel Ampera is set to go on sale in the later months of 2011

Source: Opel.

The next generation Opel Meriva which is aimed at ergonomic design and styling goes on sale in June. Designed in Germany, the next generation Meriva is intended to be dynamic, flexible and affordable.

First on the list of new design elements is FlexDoors, which is a rear-hinged door system that is aimed at enabling passengers easy access into the cabin, as the back seats are often used in the Meriva. The doors open independently from the from doors and extend up to 84 degrees, with the focus being on easily accessing a baby seat without the need to twist and turn.

Inside the cabin the focus is once again on space and comfort. With flexible armrests and fully adjustable seats. The legroom has been increased, and the seats can be moved and adjusted to further increase legroom and cabin space.

The new Opel Meriva range includes petrol and diesel versions, the petrol range includes:

• 1.4 liter (100hp)
• 1.4 Turbo (120hp)
• 1.4 Turbo (140hp) – 6 Speed manual gearbox, increased power and reduced emissions compared to the previous generation Meriva.

The 2 diesel models available include:

• 1.3 CDTI (75hp) requires only 4.9 liters / 100km
• 1.7 CDTI (100hp) – 6 Speed automatic transmission

The new Opel Meriva will be produced in Spain

Source: Opel

A great honor for the new Opel Astra: An international expert jury has recognized the compact car with the internationally known “red dot” award in the product design category.

The Astra can add the red dot to an expanding trophy case that started with the Goldenes Lenkrad (Golden Steering Wheel), by Germany’s AutoBild and its European affiliates and has expanded in recent weeks to three important awards in Spain and a viewer’s choice prize in Romania, proving that the Astra is valued throughout Europe not only for its sleek lines but also for its innovative technologies.

For the first time since the 1973 inception of Spain’s most prestigious national prize, the Opel Astra has earned the title Car of the Year by ABC newspaper. The compact has also won Readers Choice 2010 from Prensa Ibérica, La Vanguardia and AutoFácil, and the Car of the Year 2010 in the Canary Islands.

In Romania, 30.000 people voted Astra as “Car No. 1″ in a competition organized by an automotive TV show. That award was presented March 14.

Honored for the evolution of Opel’s bespoke design language

The Astra, developed at Opel’s European Design Center in Rüsselsheim, continues the natural evolution of Opel’s design language, ‘sculptural artistry meets German precision’ first introduced on the Insignia and bringing it newly interpreted for the compact class.

“It is a very special honor to receive this endorsement from an international jury of non-automotive designers. It confirms once again that Opel is on the right track by offering the highest quality components and materials matching the upscale execution,” says Mark Adams, vice president of Opel/Vauxhall Design.

This prize is added to the impressive list of awards already attributed to the new Astra since it went on sale in December 2009. So far, the elegant compact has received 16 awards, including the 2010 Golden Steering Wheel award. The Astra was also named 2010 Car of the year in several countries like Spain.

Source: Opel

Rüsselsheim. The new Corsa range has been rejuvenated to provide more power and more driving fun with less fuel consumption. Opel engineers have given the Corsa a complete make-over, introducing an enhanced powertrain line-up that reduces fuel consumption by up to 13 percent, significant chassis improvements and a new steering calibration. In addition to its agile handling and greater ride comfort, drivers will appreciate engines that give more pulling power.

The Corsa comes in two distinct body styles, the coupé-like three-door and the family friendly five-door. Inside the cabin, the Corsa continues to offer one of the roomiest and most attractive interiors in its class. True to Opel’s philosophy, it also features innovative technologies at an affordable price, including halogen Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), a heated steering wheel, active front head restraints, Hill Start Assist, a Panorama sunroof or the integrated FlexFix bicycle carrier which is unique to Opel.

More power with improved fuel economy

The powertrain line-up consists of a wide offer of gasoline engine from the 1-liter 3 cylinder (48 kW/65 hp ) entry level version to the turbo charged 1.6-liter on the Corsa OPC (141 kW/192 hp). On the diesel side, different versions of the 1.3 and 1.7 CDTI motors offer outputs ranging from 55 kW/75 hp to 96 kW/130 hp all with fuel consumption under 5 liters per 100 kilometers. The Corsa ecoFLEX 1.3 l CDTI offers exceptionally low CO2 emissions of just 98 g/km for the 3-door variant, 99 g/km for the 5-door.

Opel engineers have developed the engines to give greater torque, while at the same time reducing their appetite for fuel and lowering CO2 emissions. All gasoline engines, and the new 1.7 CDTI diesel, comply with Euro 5 emissions standards.

Upgraded chassis and steering

Opel chassis engineers have upgraded all major suspension components and the steering system. The result is improved ride comfort, more precise steering feel and greater directional stability – without compromising Corsa’s acclaimed agility.

Dampers, springs, anti-roll bars, the rear axle, the electric steering gear and its calibration software all have been optimized. All the changes apply to Essentia, Enjoy and Cosmo variants, while versions equipped with the Sport chassis, GSi and ecoFLEX models benefit from additional improvements to the rear axle and steering. The Corsa OPC took over the changes applied to the steering gear.

Source: Opel

World Premiere at the Geneva Motor Show 2010

Rüsselsheim. Opel will unveil its Flextreme GT/E concept car at the 80th Geneva Motor Show (March 4 – 14), that will boost the company’s credentials as a leader in green technologies, offering expressive design with efficient environmental performance – and engineered with German precision.

In Opel’s strategy for achieving more independence from fossil fuels, electricity plays a key role. The 4.7-meter long Flextreme GT/E concept illustrates how extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be plugged into large or mid-size vehicles, as well as compact cars such as the upcoming Ampera.

Opel calls this strategy e-mobility unlimited: adapting the highly efficient E-REV drive system – which removes the limitations of battery-only power – to vehicles across all market segments. To enjoy zero CO2 driving emissions Opel-style, the Flextreme GT/E concept shows that size doesn’t matter.

The purposeful design also enables the Flextreme GT/E to achieve a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22, which helps it reach a 200 km/h-plus top speed as well as conserve energy and extend its driving range. Stand-out visual features include a low and wide stance, wing-shaped lights front and rear, a distinctive nose and grille, floating C-pillars and muscular, sculptured bodywork.

“The Flextreme GT/E concept shows the shape of things to come from Opel,” says Frank Weber, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning. “Bold, expressive and highly efficient, it represents the product strategy we will apply to all our future vehicles, large and small, across all market segments.”

Source: Opel

Come January 2010, the Opel Corsa gets a complete re-make, with major engineering changes so numerous that the super-mini family is reshaped. A re-vamped powertrain line-up, chassis improvements and a steering recalibration will give the Corsa better performance and greater fuel economy – as well as superb passenger comfort, excellent handling and exciting driving dynamics.

The Corsa stays faithful to its exciting design, with sporty contours and one of the roomiest and most flattering interiors in its class. It also features innovative technologies that remain exceptional in the small car segment. These include the halogen AFL curve and cornering lights, a heated steering wheel and the integrated bicycle carrier system FlexFix which is unique to Opel. The Corsa, which accounts for some 30 percent of Opel/Vauxhall total sales, is available in two distinctly different variants: the coupé-like three-door and the family friendly five-door model.

Much lower fuel consumption and increased output in the gasoline engine line-up

The Opel Corsa boasts a new gasoline engine line-up that fully complies with Euro 5 standards. All engines have been re-worked to offer more torque while featuring up to 13 per cent lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.  Both the 1.2- and 1.4-liter Twinport variants are each available in two versions with different outputs. Every country selects and offers customers the variants that suit the needs of their region. Some may decide to go for optimal fuel efficiency; other may want to balance it with more performance.

The most popular gasoline powertrains (the 1.0 to 1.4 liter with manual and Easytronic transmissions) now have fuel consumptions between 5.0 and 5.5 liter/100 km, with maximum CO2 emissions of only 129 g/km

Steering

Opel has optimized the steering on all Corsa models. The software controls for the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) have been re-tuned and the engineers have installed a new yoke liner in the steering gear for reduced friction. Overall, these measures provide improved feedback and precision with increased on-center feel and stronger return to the middle position after a curve or any input given to the steering for lane changes. Corrective maneuvers result in improved straight-ahead stability.

Source: Opel

General Motors South Africa’s (GMSA) Corsa Utility has once again taken top honours in the Synovate Quality Awards for 2009 in the half ton light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment.

In addition, the Corsa Utility won the accolade for best overall LCV brand in the 2009 survey.

Locally manufactured at the Struandale plant in Port Elizabeth, this popular half ton has been South Africa’s market leader for 55 months in a row, breaking its own sales record in October 2009. Its previous best was between April 1998 and September 2002 when the Corsa Utility enjoyed an unbeaten 54-month record.

According to Malcolm Gauld, GMSA vice president of sales and marketing, the success of the Corsa Utility is ascribed to its superior built-in quality and superb after sales support its owners enjoy. “This feisty half ton has surpassed its competitors in the Synovate Quality Survey since 2005,” said Gauld.

The Synovate survey measures the number of problems new car owners experience with their vehicles in the first few months of ownership and includes interviews with 55 000 new vehicle owners.

Source: Opel

The Vivaro has won the title of “economy champ 2009” in the van category of the British Fleetworld magazine’s fuel-saving marathon. The successful Vauxhall Vivaro from the UK is technically identical to the Opel Vivaro in Europe. With an equivalent of 5.1 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km, the Vivaro also beat the model’s economical regular average consumption of 7.8 liters by a good third on a 580-kilometer test drive through central England. In doing so, it left all the other competitors in its category behind.

The fuel-saving characteristics of the Vivaro van with short wheelbase and 2.0 CDTI (84 kW/114 hp) turbo-diesel engine were put to the test during the challenge. The British fleet magazine Fleetworld holds the fuel-saving marathon annually and a total of ten vans from different manufacturers took part in this year’s contest.

Source: Opel