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  • Funny looking Opel Combo van is a rebadged Fiat Doblo

    In Cars, Fiat, International News, Opel / By / / 19 comments


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    These are first official pictures of the next generation Opel Combo, which rivals the Renault Kangoo and Peugeot Partner, among other compact vans. It will replace the current Combo, which has served since 2001. The new Combo is no longer based on the Corsa supermini, but is a rebadged Fiat Doblo, saving costs for both brands.

    The panel van version now offers a choice of two wheelbases – 2,755 mm or 3,105 mm – giving an overall vehicle length of 4.39 and 4.74 metres respectively, as well as two roof heights, 1.85 m or 2.10 m. The Combo is also available as a car-van, with five or seven seats and a paneled or glazed body.


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    Van variants can be ordered with one or two optional sliding doors, while the “car” version has both sliding doors as standard and comes with a top-hinged tailgate. An asymmetrical double wing door is also available. An additional rear roof hatch can be installed to transport ladders, for example. With up to 3,800 litres of space in SWB form and 4,600 litres with the LWB, the Combo offers the largest load volume in both classes.

    The new Opel Combo is available with six engines: four diesels, one 95 hp 1.4 petrol and a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) unit. The diesel range comprises 1.3 and 1.6 CDTI motors, each with 90 hp, as well as a 1.6 CDTI with 105 hp. The top performer is the 135 hp 2.0 CDTI. The CDTI engines only need to be serviced every 35,000 km or once a year.

     

  • GM won’t sell Opel to an European rival

    In Cars, International News, Opel / By / / 6 comments

    Well, will they, or won’t they? The rumour mill has been going on about talk that potential buyers are looking to take Opel off General Motors’ hands, Beijing Automotive Industry Holding being one name bandied about.

    Now, GM’s CEO Daniel Akerson has assured the head of Opel that the American automaker was not in talks to sell the European arm to a rival, according to reports. German newspaper Handelsblatt had originally reported that Akerson spoke with Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke on the telephone.

    The media has been speculating that GM is considering putting Opel and its UK sister brand Vauxhall up for sale – with Volkswagen and BAIC named as possible buyers – because Akerson is impatient with the slow pace of restructuring at the money-losing division, which lost US$1.6 bil last year. .

    GM has so far not commented on the reports, despite calls to do so, but people familiar with the matter have revealed that GM was reviewing options for the European automaker, the reports add. Going with the above, it would seem VW won’t be in the picture should GM decide to sell Opel.

     

  • Opel Astra GTC revealed ahead of Frankfurt premiere

    In 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, International News, Opel, Vauxhall / By / / 25 comments

    Opel/Vauxhall has released details on the Astra GTC ahead of the model’s world debut at the Frankfurt show in September. The GTC is a three-door variant of the C-segment Astra, but isn’t the same car with two doors lopped off – the only bits carried over from the five-door hatch are the door handles, wing mirror housing and roof aerial. This approach is also used by VW for the Scirocco and the Renault for the Megane Coupe – cars the GTC will rival.

    The Astra GTC started life as the GTC Paris Concept from Paris 2010, and retains much of the showcar’s looks. However, it must be said that the showcar appeared incredibly realistic from the start, and its production future was never in doubt.

    Prominent design cues include the Opel signature blade (started with the Insignia) and another line that sprouts from the door handles. The front and rear lights have “wing shaped” elements. All of these were also on the Paris Concept.

    Opel is keen to highlight the GTC’s front High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) suspension, similar to than on the Insignia OPC. Compared to the standard Astra’s McPherson strut, HiPerStrut reduces kingpin inclination and offset and has a shorter spindle length. This improves grip and reduces torque steer, offering GTC drivers the “sporty, crisp feel they expect, with enhanced precision and feedback.” In addition, HiPerStut reduces tyre flops, which allows the car to accommodate bigger wheels.

    The rear suspension combines a torsion beam with a Watt’s link, something unique to Opel. Compared to the five-door, ride height is lowered by 15 mm. The GTC also has wider tracks, +40 mm in front and +30 mm in the rear. Opel’s adaptive FlexRide chassis control system with Standard, Tour and Sport modes is also available.

    At launch, the Poland built Astra GTC can be had with a choice of four powertrains – one diesel and three petrol. The upgraded 2.0 CDTI has 165 hp/380 Nm and does 0-100 km/h in 8.9 seconds. Top speed is 210 km/h. Paired with a six-speed manual and start/stop, combined fuel consumption “does not exceed” 4.9 litres per 100 km.

    Two of the petrols are 1.4 turbos with 120 hp and 140 hp. Both have 200 Nm of torque. There’s also a 180 hp 1.6 turbo that can reach 220 km/h. Not enough? There will be a high-performance OPC variant in 2012.

    Gallery after the jump.
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  • Opel Astra GTC set for production, to debut in Frankfurt

    In Cars, International News, Opel, Vauxhall / By / / 25 comments


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    Opel has released the first images of its Astra GTC, which is based on the GTC Paris Concept unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last October. The Astra GTC has been given the nod for series production, and the company is set to give the car its world debut in Frankfurt in September.

    Full details of the production version will be announced in June, which will give European customers the chance to specify their ideal model and place an order early for the vehicle, which will appear in showrooms relatively soon after the Frankfurt debut.


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    The production Opel/Vauxhall Astra GTC will be a three-door body hatch with dramatic proportions, much like the rakish concept that previewed it. The Paris car wore a turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder mill offering an estimated 290 hp – we’ll have to wait and see what the final form wears.

     

  • Opel Zafira Tourer Concept offers glimpse of third-gen MPV

    In Cars, International News, Opel, Vauxhall / By / / 8 comments

    Opel will be premiering its Zafira Tourer Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, and the vehicle is expected to provide the basis for the production third-generation version of the compact MPV, which will arrive in Opel and Vauxhall forms sometime early next year.

    The concept is powered by a new version of the downsized, fuel-efficient 1.4 Turbo pot featuring Start/Stop technology, while among the items found in the vehicle’s underpinnings is a FlexRide adaptive damping system.

    Externally, things start with a colour scheme called Frost Liquid Metal, a special metallic silver-grey, and the Zafira Tourer Concept features, among other things, dark metallic grey 20-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels with 245/40 R20 tyres and wing-shaped LED daytime running lights, bi-xenon AFL and fog lamps – all contained behind a single Plexiglass cover – at the front.

    Of course, it’s in the interior where all the action is – the concept features a cabin with generous space for rear-seat passengers and a light, airy outlook, provided by a panoramic windscreen that flows into a generous glass roof extending to the rear of the car.

    A second pane of high-tech composite material is edge-lit by LEDs. Tiny metallic particles are embedded in the cabin’s upper sections to reflect the light and give off a warm glow that can be varied in different shades of yellow.

    The seating configuration is versatile enough, so to speak. With two rows in place, providing five-seat capacity, the Zafira concept can be transformed at the push of a button into a four-seater with limousine levels of space. A folding mechanism allows the centre section of the second row to fold down, revealing two armrests for occupants in the outer seats. These seats can then slide back and towards each other.

    The concept’s tiltable three-piece headrests are electrically powered, though the driver’s remains in a vertical position when the car is in motion. In the ‘lounge’ setting, each swivels 90 degrees to the horizontal position while the outer elements curve slightly forward.

    Up front, a large touchscreen display dominates the centre console, above which a covered storage compartment can hold a tablet PC like an iPad. With pivot-mounted tablet PCs on the front seat backs, passengers in the second row can comfortably surf the internet or control multimedia apps.

    The interior is finished in high-quality caramel leather for the seats, with colour-matched quilted seams and stitching contrasting with cocoa dark brown door trim, soft deep-pile carpet and a host of premium materials.

    Gallery after the jump.
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  • Facelifted Opel/Vauxhall Corsa is a big fan of the Mazda2!

    In Cars, International News, Opel, Vauxhall / By / / 16 comments

    Opel has facelifted its Corsa supermini (Vauxhall Corsa in the UK), which first came on the scene in 2006. GM’s 2011 model year B-segment contender to the Polo, Clio and Fiesta gets a “sportier, expressive look” to cloak the internal updates for 2010 cars, which got new engines, upgraded suspension and retuned steering.

    The facelift re-proportions the upper and lower grilles. The lower one is wider and taller to visually widen the car. In addition, a mesh grille design replaces the current horizontal bars while the chrome “wings” of the Opel logo is bigger. The German brand has also added “eagle eye” headlamps along with signature wing-shaped daylight lamps that made their debut in the Insignia. Six new alloy designs and a larger Opel Blitz logo at the rear are included as well.

    There are also new fog lamp units with “integrated chrome blades” that really reminds me of the Mazda2; the green colour on the Corsa helps the visual link to its Japanese classmate too. What do you think? See the familiar smiley face?

    All variants have been updated with new trim or fabrics. The new Touch & Connect navigation system has a five-inch touch screen that displays both 2D and 3D bird view maps from SD navigation cards. Features include an option to choose the most ecological route and the proposal of alternative routes when faced with traffic, even when navigation is not active. It’s Bluetooth, iPod and USB compatible, too.

    Gallery after the jump.
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  • Paris 2010: Opel GTC Paris dreams to be hot hatch king

    In 2010 Paris Motor Show, Cars, General Motors, Opel / By / / 25 comments

    This is the Opel GTC Paris concept car, described as a showcase of how Opel can “dial up” the brand’s design language via a “sporty and emotional interpretation”. This concept previews the upcoming three-door hatchback version of the current Opel/Vauxhall Astra.

    Following the likes of Renault with its Megane, the GTC is more than just a five-door Astra with two doors lopped off. Like the Megane Coupe, it’s a compact, rakish and highly stylised three-door. The brand’s recent signature blade sweeps back from the front, like in the Insignia and unlike the five-door Astra. Another design line starts from the door handle flowing back to join the rear lights. Opel says the car has a “bulldog stance”. Short and fat?

    The interior has some interesting ideas. The driver’s seat is in red while the passenger’s is in black. They even have calligraphy laser etched on them. The script reads “and the speed was pure beauty”, a quote from Richard Bach’s novel, Jonathan Livingstone Seagull.

    Speed wouldn’t be a problem. The GTC has a twin-scroll turbo 2.0-litre with direct injection. This 290 hp motor with double camshaft phasing and twin balance shafts is paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Start/stop is standard, as is a Limited Slip Differential for extra traction. The GTC Paris also features FlexRide adaptive suspension that continuously adapts to changes in driving style and cornering speed.

    Nice ingredients for a hot VXR variant. Official pics are here while live images come after the jump.
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  • Paris-bound Opel GTC Concept pumps out 290hp

    In Cars, Concept Cars, International News, Opel / By / / 12 comments

    Opel has released more information and pictures of the GTC Concept ahead of the Paris Motor Show. The German-based company, who sell their cars in the UK under the Vauxhall brand, has revealed details about the car’s power figures. The GTC Concept’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot engine is able to generate 290hp. This is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that complements its power with a limited slip differential.

    Help keeping the car stable is Opel’s FlexRide suspension and a crank rear axle with a Watt’s link. The GTC show car for Paris sits on 21-inch wheels, optimized with carbon-fiber inserts which enclose the center caps. This is finished off in a liquid metal red exterior colour scheme.

    A picture gallery with interior images is available after the jump.

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  • Opel GTC Paris Concept previews three-door Astra hatch

    In Cars, International News, Opel, Vauxhall / By / / 20 comments

    This is the Opel GTC Paris Concept that will be unwrapped at the Paris Motor Show next month. Much more than just a show car, it previews the three-door hatchback version and the VXR performance flagship of the current Opel/Vauxhall Astra, which made its debut last year as a five-door hatch. A wagon version called Sport Tourer surfaced in June.

    This rakish three-door measures 4.46 metres long (slightly longer than the five-door) and the lines on its body is “similar to tendons in a sprinter”. We can see the “Opel signature blade”, a fine crease along the rocker panel, in the same direction as on the Insignia, where this cue first appeared. The five-door hatch and Sport Tourer have theirs in a different direction – back to front.

    There’s also another prominent line that shoots from the door handles to the rear of the car; this gives the GTC broad shoulders and wider impression. Opel says that the brushed aluminium upper outline of the glasshouse guides eyes to the integrated spoiler. Of course they had to include LED running lights, and those on the GTC have “wing” motifs.

    The concept is realistically powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbo engine with direct injection. As with most new cars in Europe, there’s start/stop tech and a six-speed manual gearbox. Autocar UK says that the production car will debut late next year alongside a VXR range topper, which could have up to 300 bhp and an electronic limited-slip differential – the latter already on the GTC concept.

    The GTC and the three-door Renault Megane are examples of carmakers putting in a lot of effort on differentiating their three-door “Sport” models from the regular five-door hatch, instead of just chopping off two doors. More pics after the jump.
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  • Opel is coming to China and the rest of Asia Pacific!

    In Cars, International News, Opel / By / / 26 comments

    Opel, who are under GM’s European division, have announced plans of selling the brands in China. This will eventually open up to countries in the Asia Pacific region, Australia and South America. Current GM brands in China, include Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet.

    “We will market Opel as a European designed car in the premium segment. There are a growing number of Chinese who like European cars and have the money to afford them,” said company spokesman Andreas Kroemer talking to a German publication.

    They have yet to set a date for sales to begin, but the company has previously sold around 4000 cars in the country as a testing phase. Currently the only other way you could get an Opel car in China was through Buick, which included the Opel Insignia-based Buick Regal in its product portfolio.

    This will soon change and analysts predict that Opel will initially export cars to China until it has established a market position in the country. It will then assemble cars locally to avoid import taxes, which usually increases the price of the car by 20 percent.

    Due to it being marketed as a premium brand, Opel will be competing against the likes of BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen who have been in China for sometime now. It seems that if ever the German-made brand make a return to Malaysia, it will be priced to compete at the premium level, and not the affordable category it’s priced at in Europe.

     
 
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