Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

GM Europe has revealed the Adam city car, which will wear Opel and Vauxhall badges, and debut in Paris this September. The Adam is an A-segment three-door hatchback aimed at the style conscious, think Fiat 500 and MINI. But unlike those two, Opel has no heritage to play with, so they’ve chosen modern design with lots of customisation.

Your Adam can be had as a JAM (unconventional, fashionable and colorful), GLAM (a more elegant, refined and sophisticated setting) and SLAM (for energetic and sporty types). These three “mood worlds” set the stage for a “virtually unlimited potential for personalisation” with a choice of exterior colorus, three roof colours, various interior colours, decors and headliners, including an LED lit “starlight” roof trim. Adam Lambert would make a good ambassador!

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

“No other car in this segment can be personalized as much as the Opel Adam because we are offering virtually unlimited exterior/interior colour, fabric, decor and kit combination possibilities. It’s unlikely our customers will see another car like theirs,” says Mark Adams, Opel VP of Design.

The Adam measures almost 3.70 meters in length and 1.72 meters wide excluding mirrors (2,311 mm wheelbase), a size which is closer to the MINI than the Fiat. Seating is for four. Design highlights include a “floating” roof, badging on the sides (base of rear pillars), the blade shape in the lower door and the characteristic “shock wave” around the door handles from the Astra GTC. The latter two are Opel signatures.

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

The headlamps feature wing-shaped daytime running lights (DRL) typical of Opel. For the first time in the A-segment, both the headlamps and the taillights are available with energy-saving LED technology.

Inside, Opel points us to the new infotainment system that offers smartphone connectivity for Apple iOS and Android. The system makes selected smartphone content including Internet based apps such as GPS navigation available in the cabin. It collects the content and displays it on the seven-inch colour touch screen.

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

Noteworthy features include Advanced Park Assist (APA II). Drivers engage the system with a button on the dash and it tells them when they pass a parallel parking space large enough for Adam. APA II then automatically steers Adam into the parking space, with the driver just controlling the brake, clutch and gears.

The ultrasonic sensors are shared with Side Blind Spot Alert, which should work like Volvo’s BLIS. Another first in the A-segment is the heated steering wheel, which is very valuable in winter.

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

Wheel sizes range from 15 to 18-inch, and cars that are specified with 17 or 18-inch rims come standard with a Sports chassis. Adam’s Electric Power Steering (EPS) includes a CITY mode which increases power assistance at lower speeds. ESP with Hill Start Assist is standard across the range, as are two sets of ISOFIX points plus top tethers.

The Adam will initially be offered with three petrol engines (1.2L 70 hp, 1.4L 87 hp and 1.4L 100 hp) with a five-speed manual. All are available with an ecoFLEX tech pack including Start/Stop. A new small petrol engine with direct injection turbocharging and a six-speed manual will be offered later.

Opel Adam city car revealed ahead of Paris debut

The Opel/Vauxhall Adam will hit European showrooms in January 2013. A cool Opel, it’s been awhile since we had such a thing!

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • oko028 on Jul 11, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    cute nya…

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  • carnoisseur on Jul 11, 2012 at 6:55 pm

    its ironically named Opel Adam when the founder was known as Adam Opel , unique and saleable , coming to malaysia?

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  • Josh Ling on Jul 11, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    Is it just me or the headlamp really reminds me of something belongs to Porsche cars?

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  • Porsche new born baby…
    Awww….

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  • hanifhamzah on Jul 11, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    the front headlight is quite similar to Cayenne’s…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • boyke on Jul 11, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    is it just me, or do any of you see any cues similar to the fiat 500?

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  • kingston on Jul 11, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    If the Audi A1 & Fiat 500 were to have a baby it would look like this :D

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  • if and only if, when this little bish reach here the only thing u can tick in the box is narrowed down. it hapens, always.

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  • Anon Kneemas on Jul 12, 2012 at 12:19 am

    Should’ve just called it the Opel 500…

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  • Hope it come…. Cool…

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  • Kumar san on Jul 12, 2012 at 8:56 am

    It’s graeat to see the Opel brand come back after a very long time hiatus,i reckon they named this after the founder,Adam Opel.

    It’s a cool looking car if not cute.My late dad onwed the Opel Record,Manta and two Kadett’s.Those days it was the brand that conquered Malaysian roads when it came to well engineered and proper German made cars.At least that’s what i saw when i was little in the back of Dad’s Opel Manta.

    Great to see this brand come back.

    Cheers.

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    • kadajawi on Jul 16, 2012 at 12:18 am

      The brand was never gone… in Europe. If it will make a comeback to Malaysia, who knows. I’d be surprised, but we’ll see. And anyway, we do have the (old) Opel Zafira, just with other name and badge.

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  • A very truly modern that’s made to look truly classic!

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  • Papa Baik on Jul 12, 2012 at 9:40 am

    This is nicer. Anak Baik, still want that Fiat 500L?

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  • bmpower on Jul 12, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Small car but look nice (yes, very abarth 500’sh )

    Please proton, make some small car similar to this style. Or just release EMAS design as small production car.

    We so hell boring with local small trash look car like p2 Viva. (unless u p2 salesman hehe)

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    • kadajawi on Jul 16, 2012 at 12:21 am

      This thing is several times the price of a Viva. ;) Even in Europe, which has much lower taxes (around 20%, while even the Viva should be taxed around 65%). It’s supposed to be premium (just look at the options!), and it will be priced that way. Just look at Fiat Panda vs Fiat 500. One is a cheap, good and practical car, the other is a tiny fashion accessory that happens to be driveable.

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  • the butt reminds me of savvy. Savvy mark II perhaps?

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  • bmpower on Jul 12, 2012 at 11:42 am

    savvy 2013 perhaps? small as this, with 125hp cps or CFE? why not. ;)

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  • matlimmutu on Jul 12, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    Proton should just copy a little bit here n there n come out with a cute small practical car. I don’t mind Proton copying as long as it is a good car. Come on Proton!!!

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    • kadajawi on Jul 16, 2012 at 12:22 am

      A fancy design like this is probably more expensive to produce. But people expect Proton to be dirt cheap, so how can they do both?

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  • BRING IT HERE!!!

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  • albag on Jul 12, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    so the dog knows how to use the ICE

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  • matlimmutu on Jul 12, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    new savvy cfe i like!!!

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  • where is the Eve?..he must be lonely..=)

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