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Showing posts with label Opel. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Opel. Show all posts

Friday, 15 June 2012

Opel and Vauxhall Reveal Facelifted Astra Family, gets New 192hp Twin-Turbo Diesel

If you were wondering why Opel did not show the front end of its new Astra sedan (sold as the Buick Verano in North America) during its web presentation earlier this month, this is because the entire family of the compact model has received a mid-life makeover.

The new model year Astra has been treated to a minor restyling while Opel and its sister company Vauxhall have also introduced a new array of assistance systems and a fresh 192hp (195PS) twin-turbocharged diesel engine to the range.

While not so evident, the Astra gains a new front grille with the wing-like chrome bar and Opel logo now positioned in the center, plus a redesigned front bumper with a more pronounced lower grille and the availability of LED daytime running lights.

New front indicator lamps and a new design of fog lamps (when available) round out the changes up front.

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

At Last, Opel Unveils All-New 2013 Astra Sedan

This is the all-new Opel Astra sedan, the fourth and likely last member of the Astra family after the five-door hatchback, the Sports Tourer station wagon and the GTC coupe as the upcoming convertible model is said to gain a new nameplate in the likes of the VW Golf-based Eos.

If you have already laid eyes on the North American market Buick Verano or its Chinese twin, the Excelle GT, the 2013 Opel Astra sedan's appearance won't surprise you.

That doesn't mean there aren't some styling changes, just that they are limited to the front and rear ends with the European model sporting the typical Astra face and new tail lamps that ditch the Buick's chrome 'eyebrows' along with a restyled boot that integrates a spoiler in its design.

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Opel Insignia Turbo for Sale on eBay, or is it a Buick Regal in Disguise?

Not that there are significant styling differences between the original Opel Insignia and its North American clone, the Buick Regal, other than the front grille and badges, but its uncommon to find an Insignia listed for sale in the U.S., which is why this eBay sale caught our attention. Read more »

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Spied: Opel's Upcoming Astra Convertible Opens Up for Some Fresh Air

Even though we are less than a year away from the scheduled start of production of Opel's Astra-based convertible at GM's Gliwice plant in Poland, the company continues to perform tests with early engineering prototypes.

In our latest scoop shots, Opel's engineers removed the cloth top but retained the framed doors on the unfinished test car.

Thursday, 17 May 2012

GM to Build Next Opel Astra in the UK Instead of Germany, Bochum Plant Faces Closure

Bad news for Opel's Bochum plant in Germany as General Motors has decided to allocate production of the next Astra, which is the brand's second bestselling model after the Corsa, to its manufacturing plants in Ellesmere Port, UK and Gliwice, Poland.

GM said that it made the decision after the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall workforce approved a new labor agreement on Wednesday, which comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra, into the early 2020s.

Monday, 14 May 2012

Opel and Vauxhall to Present Three New Engine Families Including 1.6L Turbo Petrol with up to 197hp

There is a wind of change at GM's European operations as Opel and its sister brand in Britain Vauxhall today announced plans to renew their engine range within the next year with three completely new gasoline and diesel families that will replace the core of their current portfolio.

For the time being, Opel has revealed details on one engine family, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline unit with direct injection and Start/Stop.

Friday, 11 May 2012

GM's Opel to Build Next Citroen C5 Mid-Size Model, Says PSA Exec

New details about General Motors strategic cooperation with the PSA Citroen-Peugeot group surfaced today after Jean-Luc Perrard, head of PSA's factory in Rennes, France, told local newspaper Ouest France that Opel will build next generation of the Citroen C5, codenamed X8.

According to a report from Autonews Europe, Perrard did not say which Opel factory would manufacture Citroen's mid-size model, but there's a good chance it may be the Ruesselsheim plant that assembles the current Opel Insignia series.

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Opel Denies Report that the Next Zafira will be Developed by PSA Peugeot-Citroën

The more General Motors European division and PSA Peugeot-Citroën deepen their newly formed strategic partnership, the more rumors come out.

Earlier today, Germany's Spiegel magazine and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung business daily reported that GM decided to move development of the next Opel Zafira minivan from Germany to France. Opel's response came in quickly via a statement attributed to Opel/Vauxhall CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke who denied the reports.

Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Opel and Vauxhall Name their New City Car Adam, will Debut at the Paris Motor Show

As promised, Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall today revealed the name of their upcoming city car, which up until now, was officially known by its code name 'Junior'. The new model is called Adam, which also happens to be the name of the German automaker's founder, Adam Opel.

The company released a pair of pictures of a camouflaged prototype model, a video of the car revealing its name through a navigation map and a second comic strip featuring Opel employees who worked on the development and marketing teams for the Adam.

Monday, 7 May 2012

Opel Reportedly Mulling to End Astra Production in Germany in 2015

General Motors' struggling Opel brand may end production of the popular Astra compact model at its Rüsselsheim plant in Germany after the presentation of the next generation model in 2015, according to a report from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Citing unnamed senior labor representatives who are involved in restructuring talks, the German newspaper wrote that GM's top brass in Europe is proposing to transfer production of Opel's second bestselling model after the Corsa to its existing factories in Ellesmere Port, England and Gliwice, Poland.

Thursday, 3 May 2012

Spied: New European Market Opel / Vauxhall Astra Sedan

In what seems like ages in the auto industry, Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall are still developing the Astra sedan more than three years since the introduction of the hatchback model in the fall of 2009, and two years after Buick launched the Chinese market version of the car under the Excelle GT nameplate.

In the meantime, GM also brought a Buick version of the Astra sedan named the Verano to the North American market.

Opel Junior's Name to be Revealed through a Prototype's Ride in Frankfurt

After revealing the introduction date, GM's Opel division continues its playful tease about its upcoming Fiat 500 rival by announcing that the name of the new model, currently known as Junior, will be revealed via a prototype model's drive in Frankfurt.

To explain, on May 8, the prototype will cruise the streets of the Germany city writing its own name through the route it's going. The vehicle's trip will be displayed live on a virtual map on Opel's Facebook page.

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Opel gets Playful with "Junior", Confirms May 8 Debut in Comic Strip

Typically, automakers prepare the public and the press alike for an upcoming vehicle debut with one or more cropped, perhaps even shaded, pictures or an equally mysterious video clip, but that's not the way Opel wants to play the game with its soon-to-be revealed premium city car.

The German carmaker opted to release a lighthearted comic strip through which it informs us that the small hatch will not be called "Junior" as this is its internal codename, and that the production name will include an "A".

Opel Builds 500,000th Insignia at its Rüsselsheim Plant

Opel's Rüsselsheim plant reached a new milestone last week with the production of the 500,000th Insignia, less than four years after its market launch in October of 2008.

The vehicle in question was a white Insignia Sports Tourer fitted with Opel's new 192hp (195PS) 2.0 BiTurbo diesel engine which had its debut in February.

Detroit's Big Three Face Significant Problems and Big Loses in Europe

All in all, the US automotive industry is in a very good shape, especially if you consider that three years ago General Motors and Chrysler were one step before closing shop.

General Motors, helped by a raft of new products and Toyota’s production problems, is once again the world’s number one car manufacturer. The Pentastar has tied up with Fiat – and even though the latter was thought to be the knight in shining armor, now it is Chrysler that is bringing in the profits while its Italian partner is struggling.

Thursday, 26 April 2012

SCOOP: New Opel City Car Smiles at the Camera Possibly for the Last Time Before its Unveiling

The latest word from Germany is that Opel will release the first official photos of its new city car model on May 8 and that it will not be named Junior or Allegra as originally thought, but Adam, evidently after the founder of the company, Adam Opel.

If the reveal date turns out to be true (we have not yet confirmed the news), these could very well be the last spy shots we get of the prototype model.

Wednesday, 11 April 2012

Spy Shots: Opel Insignia Prepares for its First Nip and Tuck

It's time for one of Opel's most popular models, the Insignia, which is sold under the Vauxhall nameplate in Britain and as the Buick Regal in North America and China, to go under the cosmetic knife, some four years after its introduction.

We can’t be sure if these prototypes of the Insignia five-door fastback and Sports Tourer (station wagon) that were scooped in Germany are hiding the final changes behind the black and white camo, but if they are, then the exterior styling tweaks should be limited to the front and rear fascias and perhaps to the wheel designs.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

MR Car Design Slams Down and Powers up the Opel Insignia OPC

For its next project, German tuning house MR Car Design has selected the Opel Insignia OPC sports sedan, which is the European sibling of the Buick Regal GS, though instead of a 270HP turbocharged four and front-wheel drive, the Opel gets a more potent 321hp (325PS) V6 turbo and AWD.

The first thing you'll notice about MR Car Design's Insignia OPC is how low it sits to the ground, something that was made possible thanks to a height-adjustable G-Ride air suspension from Reil Performance.

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Opel Enigma is a Design Concept Based on the Chevy Camaro by David Cardoso

It’s no secret that Opel and sister company Vauxhall are currently weathering a severe crisis with rumors of plant closures both in Germany and the UK as the economic turmoil across Europe is taking its toll on most automakers.

That said, any plans Opel might have had for a two-door coupe will most likely be put on ice for the time being if not canned altogether.

But it never hurts to imagine what a sporty coupe with an Opel (or Vauxhall) badge would look like. Enter the world of an old acquaintance of ours, designer David Cardoso, who sent Carscoop these renderings of the Opel Enigma concept study.

The GT coupe model was designed to use the rear-wheel drive platform of the Chevrolet Camaro, but we'll let Dave do the rest of the talking on the Enigma:

Monday, 26 March 2012

Opel Ampera Wins 2012 Monte Carlo Rally for Electric and Alternative Propulsion Vehicles

In its debut appearance at the Monte Carlo Rally, the Chevrolet Volt's European twin, the Opel Ampera, picked up its first win in the electric and alternative propulsion category. From the seven Ampera models that competed in the rally, four finished in the top 10.

The French duo Bernard Darniche and Joseph Lambert finished first, while the Ampera teams with Charlotte Berton and Olivier Sussot ranked third, Jean-Claude Andruet and Patrick Lienne came in 7th and Hanns Werner Wirth and Daniel Riesen finished 8th.

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