Wednesday, 14 October 2026

Exciting Look into the Future: Opel STX Concept and Opel GSE 27FE Celebrate World Premieres at the Paris Motor Show

  • Sports Tourer design of tomorrow: Opel CEO Florian Huettl, Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann and Vice President Design Mark Adams present visionary STX Concept
  • Epitome of GSE: GSE 27FE Formula E GEN4 race car in the final design
  • GSE experience for all: New Opel Corsa GSE and Astra GSE Line in Paris for the first time
  • Best future prospects: Four new Opel models by 2030 plus investments of more than one billion euros in Germany

  • Unique trade fair appearance: Until October 18, visitors can immerse themselves more deeply in the Opel world of German precision and high performance at booth A42 in hall 4

 


“It is an exciting time for Opel. After the successful launch of the Grandland, Mokka and Frontera, we are on course for growth,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl at Opel press conference of the Paris Motor Show. “We have an outstanding offer for our customers. At the same time, we are investing in our future, with investments of more than one billion euros and four new models by 2030,” announced Huettl.

The vision for the future became very clear in the following minutes: The world premieres, which Huettl unveiled together with Opel Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann and Opel Vice President Design Mark Adams, stand for the next groundbreaking step in German engineering and high performance – the visionary Opel STX Concept and the Opel GSE 27FE Formula E GEN4 racing car.

World premiere 1: Opel STX Concept shows Sports Tourer design of tomorrow

“The Opel Sports Tourer eXperimental Concept, or Opel STX Concept for short, celebrate Sports Tourer history and reimagines this Opel favourite for a new generation,” said Huettl. It combines German engineering, emotional design and intelligent technologies in such a way that drivers and passengers experience the highest level of driving engagement. “It has an even bolder, more confident brand face with a more prominent Opel Vizor and a new light signature,” said Vice President Design Mark Adams. “The STX Concept represents the next ambitious and exciting step forward in Opel design.” 

 

At the same time, the visionary study combines technical and emotional styling with groundbreaking solutions that ensure better aerodynamics and efficiency. The STX Concept is not only a show car that presents modern design with innovative technology ideas, but also anticipates the visionary further development of the Sports Tourer and already carries elements of future Opel models.

World premiere 2: Opel GSE 27FE as the epitome of the GSE world

Just like the latest study from Rüsselsheim, the second Opel world premiere, the Opel GSE 27FE Formula E racing car, is also characterised by German engineering and precision combined with innovative technologies. “GSE is the most thrilling expression of Opel. We bring this spirit to life across three dimensions with Race, Drive and Play,” said Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann.

“Race means nothing less than that the GSE spirit comes to life on the racetrack – since its launch last year, we have achieved great success with the Mokka GSE Rally. Now, we take the ultimate next step – into Formula E,” said Reinermann. The Opel GSE 27FE is the race car for the GEN4 generation of the Formula E World Championship, which begins with the coming season – and it represents the epitome of the Opel GSE performance concept ‘Grand Sport Electric’. The high-performance electric vehicle has permanent all-wheel drive, offers over 800 hp of power, achieves a recuperation power of up to 700 kW and thus raises electric motorsport to a completely new level.

The whole GSE world: New Opel Corsa GSE, Mokka GSE and Astra GSE Line

Reinermann also showed how customers can experience GSE for themselves with the two other GSE pillars ‘Drive’ and ‘Play’. After the introduction of the Opel Mokka GSE last year, the new Opel Corsa GSE celebrated its exhibition premiere in Paris. The hot hatch shines in the characteristic GSE design and offers emotion, excitement and high performance combined with all-electric driving excitement. With 207 kW (281 hp), 345 Newton metres of torque and 5.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, it is the most powerful Corsa to date and accelerates faster than any other current production Opel.


 And those who want to drive an Opel in the GSE design not only fully electrically, but independently of the drive variant, will be able to do so with the new GSE Line. To kick things off, the manufacturer presented the Opel Astra GSE Line in Paris, which will be available from next spring.

But GSE at Opel does not only take place on the race and rally track as well as on the road. “Car culture is no longer limited to the road. It happens online. In communities. And in games. – that's exactly what we mean by 'play',” said Reinermann. The ‘Pit Stop Experience’, developed in cooperation with GIANTX, combines performance, technology and gaming at the Opel booth. Inspired by the Opel Formula E programme, visitors can race on an exclusive digital Trackmania track. In interaction with the motorway architecture of the entire booth Opel is thus creating an appearance that spatially translates the further development and future of the German manufacturer.


 “We are on clear path for growth this year thanks to our great products and with our Formula E team we are taking GSE to the next level. The significant investments represent a clear commitment to Germany as an industrial location. We will introduce four new models by 2030 – including the next generation Opel Astra. And the Opel STX Concept shows a clear vision for the future design of our cars,” summarised Huettl.

Monday, 12 October 2026

Opel STX Concept: Visionary Study from Rüsselsheim Shows the Estate Design of Tomorrow

  • New chapter: With the STX Concept, Opel presents a vision for future estate cars at the Paris Motor Show
  • Bolder, purer, even more emotional: New Opel Vizor lighting signature with lamella light animations and even more prominent vertical Opel Compass and illuminated emblem plus clean, downward-sloping rear
  • Pure efficiency: Intelligent aerodynamic solutions with extendable diffuser elements and alloy wheels in a three-zone design

Opel at the Paris Motor Show – this means premieres that will reveal the wide range of emotional automotive excellence ‘made in Germany’. For example, the new Opel GSE 27FE Formula E racing car will celebrate its world premiere in the French capital, and the new Opel Corsa GSE hot hatch, which is now on sale, will make its exhibition debut. Furthermore, a very special show car is set to turn heads at the ‘Mondial de l'Auto’ from October 12 to 18: the Opel Sports Tourer eXperimental Concept, or Opel STX Concept in short. The name gives a clear indication that the German manufacturer is showing its vision of future estates. The abbreviation ‘ST’ is closely associated with the Sports Tourer models with the Blitz, such as the latest generation Opel Astra Sports Tourer. But the Opel STX Concept is more. It also symbolises the next stage of Opel's design philosophy – even bolder, even purer, even more emotional and even more efficient.

“Our Opel STX Concept reinterprets the estate! With its bold design, the latest concept car from Rüsselsheim reaffirms what we at Opel understand by German engineering paired with visionary design. The STX Concept gives a taste of how exciting and emotional the estate of tomorrow can be – with maximum functionality and efficiency. The study shows characteristic features that will be found in future Opel models and underlines Opel's role as an estate pioneer in Europe,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl.

Future Design: New Opel Vizor even bolder and more confident

The Opel STX Concept is the bold vision of the electric estate of tomorrow. It illustrates Opel’s next design ambition, combining this with German engineering and intelligent technologies in such a way that drivers and passengers experience the highest level of driving pleasure. The latest concept car from Rüsselsheim thus continues Opel's long tradition as an estate pioneer in Europe. The manufacturer was largely responsible for the breakthrough of this type of vehicle in Europe as early as the 1950s: In 1953, Opel introduced the Olympia Rekord Caravan. The Opel Kadett Caravan and many other models up to the latest Opel Astra Sports Tourer followed. All these models always impressed with style-defining design and innovative technologies.

The conviction that forward-looking technology should not remove emotions from the automobile but rather amplify them is at the heart of the Opel STX Concept. The concept car is a modern expression of Opel's engineering excellence, which combines intelligent technology with bold, precise design. The result is an electric car that is as efficient as it is emotional.

What stands out at first glance is the further development of the Opel Vizor. The characteristic brand face now appears even bolder than in its previous iterations. While many electric cars today feature an ultra-slim ‘face’, the Vizor of the Opel STX Concept is higher and more prominent. It thus matches the size of the vehicle and reflects its undeniably German character. In addition, the new lighting signature uses precise vertical slanting lamellas that form the outside boundary of the Vizor but gradually fade more towards the centre. As usual, the illuminated Opel Blitz forms the visible centre of the Opel Compass; the characteristic crease in the bonnet is further emphasised by the sporty, sharp front design.

This motto is also taken up by the rear of the STX Concept: it drops steeply and thus combines the highest practical benefit through the additional space gained in the cargo compartment with modern design. Here, too, the Opel Compass is even more precise than before – with slim, illuminated compass axes and the illuminated OPEL wordmark in the centre. The horizontal taillights on the left and right reflect the lamella look of the front.

Furthermore, the entire surfacing serves as an eye-catcher. Flush, precisely shaped and with a distinctively technical appearance, it emphasises the concept car’s character. One example is the striking C-pillars. Here, the glass light strips protruding from the window line towards the rear – and which continue into the roof of the Opel STX Concept – create exceptional visual accents. Illuminated ‘STX’ lettering on the sides, which taper towards the front, and details such as the geometrically precise and sharply defined cameras on the driver’s and passenger’s sides (replacing the usual wing mirrors) further emphasise the combination of high technical standards and desirable design.

High-speed efficiency: Custom-fit body and intelligent aero solutions

The side view of the Opel STX Concept, shimmering in silver and blue, is dominated by the low, aerodynamic silhouette designed for long-distance efficiency and stability at high speeds on the German Autobahn. The sculpted body with short overhangs and wide flared areas around the wheel arches underline the stretched and at the same time bold lines.

To this end, the Opel STX Concept presents aerodynamic solutions that not only reduce consumption but also increase range, directional stability and driving pleasure. Among other things, the aerodynamically optimised 3-section alloys combined with 285/35 R22 Goodyear tyres contribute to an engaging driving experience.

In addition, the Opel STX Concept has an active aerodynamic system that continuously adapts to the driving situation, using moving elements at the rear to optimise airflow, reduce drag and improve stability. For example, at the right speed, blue-coloured diffusers protrude from under the rear; behind the wheels, vertical bumper elements extend sideways to the rear to support the streamlined stance.

All this helps transfer the performance of the visionary concept car safely to the road. The Opel STX Concept combines an innovative electric architecture with all-wheel drive and a top speed of over 200 km/h. In this way, it proves that efficiency, performance and emotional driving pleasure can go hand in hand in the electric age.

The interior is also designed precisely for this experience. In the future, the designers and engineers will realise an interior here that continues the ‘Painting with Light’ idea of the 2023 Opel Experimental and the 2025 Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo with immersive lighting elements and special lightweight seats, and take it to the next level of development.

The Opel STX Concept is not only a show car that presents groundbreaking design and controlled desirable surfacing with innovative technology ideas. It also anticipates the visionary further development of the estate body style and already contains elements of future Opel models. The characteristic Opel design language is even more sculptural and expressive and integrates the technologies of tomorrow clearly and coherently into the overall picture.

Together with Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann and Vice President Design Mark Adams, Opel CEO Florian Huettl will present these and other highlights with the Blitz to an international audience at the Opel Press Conference, which will take place at the Opel stand A42 in hall 4 at 11.00 CEST on Monday, October 12.

Friday, 2 October 2026

New Vauxhall Corsa GSE Awarded ‘Hot Hatch of the Year’ at News UK Motor Awards 2026

  •  New Vauxhall Corsa GSE wins ‘Hot Hatch of the Year’ at the News UK Motor Awards 2026
  • Judges praised the GSE for its design, performance, and driving experience
  • The GSE is the most powerful production Corsa of all time with 281PS, and the fastest accelerating Vauxhall on sale with a 0-62 mph time of 5.5 seconds

  • Vauxhall Corsa GSE delivers attainable performance in line with Vauxhall’s hot hatch heritage and is available to order now for just £34,495 OTR (£32,995 inc. Electric Car Grant)
  • The New Vauxhall Corsa GSE has been awarded ‘Hot Hatch of the Year’ at the News UK Motor Awards 2026 


The News UK Motor Awards 2026 celebrate the standout new cars shaping today’s market, recognising models across key categories spanning family, city, adventure, and performance cars. Winners are selected by an expert judging panel of leading automotive journalists from News UK titles, including The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times Magazine, and LUXX Magazine.


 The judges praised the New Vauxhall Corsa GSE for its classic racing-inspired design, impressive performance, and fun driving experience. Rob Gill, Motors Editor at The Sun, said “The best colour is white. Like Vauxhall's old race cars. I think we can all agree on that. Small Car. Big Power. Tartan Seats. I had so much fun testing Vauxhall Corsa GSE at Croft, I didn’t want to give it back.”

 

Eurig Druce, Vauxhall Managing Director, said: “The New Corsa GSE marks a strong return to the hot hatch segment for Vauxhall, bringing both performance and driver appeal, with the benefits of fully electric power. Corsa remains Britain’s best-selling small car, and with the GSE we are continuing Vauxhall’s tradition of sporty superminis in a way that reflects today’s move to electrification. Thank you to the News UK judges for recognising it as ‘Hot Hatch of the Year’ for 2026.”

The new Vauxhall Corsa GSE is the most powerful production Corsa of all time, with 0-62mph acceleration in just 5.5 seconds. Building on the rally-inspired  Vauxhall Mokka GSE, the Corsa GSE features a Torsen® mechanical limited slip differential, extensive chassis upgrades, Alcon® four-piston front brake callipers with 355mm discs, distinctive exterior details and retro-inspired interior touches. Priced at £32,995 including the Electric Car Grant (ECG)*, the Corsa GSE delivers high performance while maintaining everyday practicality.