Marijan Griebel takes podium in Opel Corsa Rally4

• Third place for the former Opel works junior at the opening round of the Stellantis Rally Cup France, held as part of the Rallye du Touquet in France.

Two-time European junior champion and four-time German champion Marijan Griebel made a remarkable comeback in the Opel Corsa Rally4 at the opening round of the French Rally Championship, held as part of the Rallye du Touquet. At the wheel of the Opel Corsa Rally4, the 35-year-old German, together with co-driver Ella Kremer (25), who replaced his previous co-driver Tobias Braun in the hot seat this season, finished third in the Stellantis Rally Cup France in a field of around 20 Peugeot 208 Rally4.

“The rally with its flowing, fast and spectator-lined special stages was just as great as the service park right on the seafront in Le Touquet,” enthused Griebel about the traditional event around 70 kilometers south of Calais on the French Channel coast. The environment was not completely new for the former Opel factory junior: In the 2021 season, Griebel had made a test appearance at the Rallye du Touquet in the then brand-new Opel Corsa Rally Electric as a course car.

Nevertheless, the rally was something special for Griebel/Kremer: “Despite a five-month break from rallying and two years without competing in the Rally4, it worked great again from the first meter, as did the collaboration with Ella. Various special aspects of the rally, such as nominating the maximum of ten tires in the morning and the language barrier, were challenging at times, but we were able to overcome them all. From day one, Ella and I fought for the top positions and after an intense fight that went literally down to the wire, we finally made it onto the podium. This rally in the Opel Corsa Rally4 was extremely fun and a great exercise for the rest of the year. And the fact that we won by a clear margin in the over-30 category, for which we were eligible for prize money, was also very gratifying...”

50 years ago: Opel Genève Concept Sports Car Unveiled

• Bold, pure, unique: Concept car takes centre stage at the 1975 Geneva Motor Show
• Too good to be true: Breathtaking sports car study remains a dream
• Modern visionary: Opel Experimental paves way for production models such as new Opel Grandland 

Bold, pure, visionary: This is how Opel Experimental brand study presented itself to the public almost two years ago. Innovative concept vehicles that inspire have a long tradition at Opel. As early as 1975 – exactly 50 years ago – Opel showed its vision of a sports car study that is beguiling in every respect at the Geneva Motor Show. At the time, the Opel Genève became one of the main attractions at the Swiss trade fair with its distinctly flat silhouette. With the Genève, Opel's design department once again demonstrated its visionary skills, which it had already established ten years earlier with the Experimental GT. While this was quickly transferred to series production and many of the elements of the Opel Experimental are brought to life in all-new Opel Grandland, Opel Genève remained a dream that many sports car enthusiasts celebrate to this day.

Slim study: Harmonious Genève design awakens emotions

Opel knew how to stage Genève at 1975 Geneva Motor Show. And rightly so, because harmonious show car exuded pure sportiness with its slim shape, powerful front and elegantly tapering downwards roofline. A truly ‘golden’ appearance, after all, the study was painted in exactly this colour. Automobil Revue wrote at time: "Light-footed, elegant coupé rotates on an elevated turntable, thus serving as an eye-catcher for visitors. (…) Font and rear are tapered with integrated bumpers. All window surfaces, including side ones, are strongly curved." This was made possible by fact that‘Opel Advanced Design Team’ around Erhard Schnell formed Opel Genève out of fiberglass and was thus able to give it a styling that subsequently attracted admiring glances not only at Motor Show.

Despite its popularity, two-seater with its pop-up headlights typical of Opel concept cars at the time, would never go into series production. To understand this decision, however, it is necessary to look back to beginning of 1970s, because Opel Genève was originally planned as GT-W. Under this working title, the coupé with its incomparable proportions was designed in Rüsselsheim in 1972. Small and flat mid-engined two-seater was to be powered by a two-rotor rotary ‘Wankel’ engine, which is why the original model designation was GT-W. 

But as a result of oil crisis, rotary piston engine project was stopped in 1974. Nevertheless, beautiful Opel GT-W was allowed to live on – albeit modified and under the new name Opel Genève, chosen to match its first public appearance.

In addition, another Opel study caused a sensation in same year: Opel had decided to unveil the futuristic GT2 at 1975 IAA. This was designed in much greater detail, with functioning sliding doors, a fully designed interior and a functional drive train, and was intended to provide a vivid glimpse into future Opel developments.

While GT2 was donated to Deutsches Museum in Munich in May 1978, Genève remained on display in the Opel design department for many years. It was repainted in 1977 and has dazzled in a bright orange since then. Concept car is now one of  highlights of Opel Classic Collection.

When visionary dreams come true: Groundbreaking Opel Experimental

Almost 50 years after the Genève, the Opel Experimental shows how visions of the future can actually become reality. The study, which was presented for the first time at the IAA Mobility in 2023, has since provided clear guidance on the brand's further developments and future mobility. This can be characterised by three core concepts:

• Detox: Opel Experimental has a bold and pure design with a clear focus on the essentials.
• Modern German: It inspires with its impressive proportions, intelligent solutions, highly efficient use of space and state-of-the-art lighting technology, including the first illuminated Opel Blitz.
• Greenovation: It is fully electric and reduces the carbon footprint.

All this is ‘German Energy’, which makes every model with the Blitz unmistakably an Opel. And the result of this ‘German Energy’, visible as the latest production model, is the new Opel Grandland, designed and developed in Rüsselheim and built in Eisenach. Top-of-the-line SUV ‘made in Germany’ brings the spirit of the brand study to life and introduces many features into series production. This makes the ‘Golden Steering Wheel 2024’[1] winning Grandland a prime example of how the designers and engineers at Opel turn forward-looking automotive dreams into reality in a short time – and what an important part pioneering studies such as the Opel Experimental play in this.

[1] AUTO BILD edition 46/2024 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 45/2024, category ‘Best car under €50,000’.

Premiere: Opel presents new Vivaro HYDROGEN at the “Showcase Day: Hydrogen Mobility” in Munich

• New Vivaro HYDROGEN: For the first time with Opel Vizor and class-leading assistance systems
• Hydrogen advantages: Long range, locally emission-free operation, short refueling stops, independence from the electricity and charging grid
• 40 percent cheaper than its predecessor: New Vivaro HYDROGEN available to order soon, starting at €71,500 (RRP excl. VAT)
• Advancing hydrogen mobility: Conference at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs with expert contributions and vehicle exhibition

How is hydrogen mobility developing? Which successful pilot projects and vehicles are paving the way to a profitable hydrogen future? And how can an efficient hydrogen infrastructure be created? These and other topics were the focus of yesterday's "Showcase Day: Hydrogen Mobility" in Munich . Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen, Head of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Introduction Strategy, spoke on behalf of Opel and Stellantis about "Light Commercial Vehicles with Hydrogen" at the symposium. The event was under the patronage of State Minister Hubert Aiwanger and was opened by State Secretary Tobias Gotthardt in the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. Opel also presented the new Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN for the first time there . The hydrogen vehicle with fuel cell combines all the advantages of locally emission-free technology with the stylish design of the latest Vivaro generation with Opel Vizor and class-leading assistance systems.

In his speech, Gotthardt emphasized the importance of hydrogen: "With hydrogen, we are advancing the energy transition without driving industry into the ground. So far, one side has faced uncertainty about whether it will find buyers for its green hydrogen, while the other side needs a secure and comprehensive infrastructure to replace fossil fuels with hydrogen. Our hydrogen strategy addresses precisely these issues. We see advantages for hydrogen over other technologies, especially in freight and passenger transport."

Opel and Stellantis underscore this with the appropriate vehicles and drivetrains: "We at Opel and Stellantis were the first manufacturers to bring light commercial vehicles with hydrogen fuel cell propulsion to the road. Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN now offers all the advantages of the previous generation plus a fresh look – all at significantly reduced prices for customers," says Thiesen. The starting price for the new Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN, which will soon be available to order, is around €71,500 (RRP excl. VAT) – around 40 percent lower than before.

Development goal: Independent, locally emission-free mobility without compromise

Following the launch of the latest Opel Vivaro generation last year, the all-round commercial vehicle is now, for the first time, also enriching the portfolio as a hydrogen vehicle with a fuel cell. The advantages of this technology are manifold: With its combination of hydrogen fuel cell drive and plug-in battery, Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN can travel more than 400 kilometers on a full tank (according to WLTP 1). Compared to battery-electric drives, colder outside temperatures have hardly any impact on the range. Refueling with hydrogen takes just a few minutes. And thanks to the space-saving, compact design of the drive components, customers do not have to compromise on loading capacity. Like its model brothers, the hydrogen transporter offers up to 6.1 cubic meters of loading volume and a one-ton payload.

This makes it the ideal locally emission-free commercial vehicle option for anyone who uses their fleets intensively or requires a long range, and therefore cannot switch to battery-electric models due to their operating model. "For example, service technicians who take their vehicle home in the evening but cannot charge it there, as well as companies that don't have the necessary connection power from the electrical grid to charge large fleets, need the classic filling station model," explains Thiesen. "This is precisely where a key advantage of our hydrogen vehicles such as Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN and Movano HYDROGEN lies : They make users independent of the electricity and charging grid."

Perspective: Development of an economical hydrogen filling station network

The significant reduction in vehicle prices was made possible by the fact that, with the transition to the new generation, the fuel cell vans are now also being produced at the corresponding Stellantis plants. Making the vehicles more economical for customers through the further development of hydrogen technology and series production is just one of Opel and Stellantis' goals in advancing the locally emission-free mobility alternative. "To date, Opel Vivaro HYDROGEN vehicles have already covered a total of more than two million kilometers. This demonstrates our experience with this technology and that we offer the right solutions with our products," says Thiesen.

The same requirements also apply to the Europe-wide development of an attractive yet efficient refueling station infrastructure – another aspect of the "Showcase Day: Hydrogen Mobility." For example, the EU is pushing for the expansion of the public hydrogen refueling station network with the "Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation" (AFIR), which is binding for all member states. It stipulates the construction of hydrogen stations every 200 kilometers along major highways and at intersections. From today's approximately 150 public 700 bar refueling stations, the number is expected to grow to at least 500 by 2030. However, these stations must also be economically viable in the long term, meaning that enough hydrogen-powered vehicles must use a refueling station every day. This is the only way to ensure the sustainable, broad-based market success of fuel cell vehicles.

"To achieve this, it makes sense to establish so-called hydrogen ecosystems in addition to basic coverage and to increasingly establish filling stations at these locations – for example, around large cities with many hydrogen consumers," Thiesen continues. "Implementing this task cannot be accomplished overnight, but with our know-how, our drive solutions, and our vehicles at Opel and Stellantis, we are continuously driving the development of hydrogen mobility forward as a pioneer, together with the other stakeholders involved in this process."

[1] The stated range was determined using the WLTP test procedures (Regulation (EC) No. 715/2007 and Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range may vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular personal driving style, road conditions, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning, and thermal preconditioning.