GM, PSA Peugeot Citroen to jointly build B-segment MPVs on PSA platform; Opel to lead engineering

Following on from last year’s announcement of a General Motors-PSA Peugeot Citroen alliance, the two carmakers have now revealed that they will be jointly building B-segment MPVs at GM’s España facility in Zaragoza, Spain.

Scheduled to go on sale in 2016, the MPVs will use a platform and powertrains provided by PSA Peugeot Citroen, while Opel’s engineering team in Russelsheim will lead the engineering execution of the joint project.

The España plant currently produces the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva B-segment MPV – the second-gen has been around since 2010, and is based on the fourth-gen Corsa. The new joint vehicle could possibly become the new third-gen Meriva as well as replace the even older Citroen C3 Picasso. We are not aware of a Peugeot equivalent at the moment.

The scope of the GM-PSA alliance includes the sharing of vehicle platforms, components and modules, and the creation of a global purchasing joint venture for the sourcing of commodities, components and other goods and services from suppliers with combined annual volumes of approximately US$125 billion. The focus would be first on small and midsize vehicles, MPVs and crossovers.

It was reported a few months ago that PSA Peugeot Citroen’s founding family could hand control over to GM in return for a fresh capital injection, after the seeking of finance from several potential investors, including Chinese partner Dongfeng, proved inconclusive.

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