Opel Increases Global Sales in the First Quarter of 2026 – Double-Digit Growth in Europe

• Worldwide growth: New registrations increase by almost 8% in the first quarter
• Strong in Europe: Passenger car sales in Europe up almost 18% year-on-year
• Continued strength: Corsa remains best-selling small car in Germany and the UK
• Convincing SUVs: Opel Grandland, Frontera and Mokka with double-digit increase

Opel grew worldwide significantly in the first quarter of 2026. From January to March, Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall sold more than 157,000 cars and light commercial vehicles. That is almost 8%  more than in the previous year.

Growth drivers included the SUV models Mokka, Frontera and Grandland newly launched in 2025. The trio recorded double-digit growth compared to the first quarter of 2025. The new Frontera, for example, is also very successful as an electric vehicle. In the United Kingdom (UK) it is the best-selling all-electric B-SUV in the first quarter of the year, in Spain it ranks fourth and, in the Netherlands, it ranks fifth.

Meanwhile, demand for the Opel Corsa, Germany's best-selling small car for over five years, remains high and is even increasing. Sales of the bestseller were up by 25% in Germany in March. It thus remains the undisputed number one among small cars in Opel’s home market in the first quarter. The same is true in the United Kingdom, while the Corsa is number two in the Netherlands and number three in Portugal, Belgium and Turkey.

"All these figures clearly show that Opel is on a clear road to success. Furthermore, the new Astra has recently started rolling off the production line at our main plant in Rüsselsheim. Our designers and engineers have done an excellent job. The car will convince customers and give us additional drive. I am convinced: 2026 will be a good year for Opel," said Florian Huettl, CEO Opel and Vauxhall.

Passenger car sales in Europe developed particularly positively. From January to March, Opel and Vauxhall sold more than 115,000 passenger cars in the EU29 region. That is 18% more than a year ago. The market share rose by 0.4 percentage points to 3.3%. Also remarkable: In almost all markets, new registrations were higher than in the first quarter of 2025.

Things went particularly well in Opel's home market of Germany. Almost 33,600 new passenger car registrations in the first quarter represent an increase of 39% compared to the same period last year. The market share was up by 1.2 percentage points to 4.8%. In March alone, 13,700 Opel passenger cars were newly registered – that was an impressive 43% more than in the same month of 2025.

Driver Signed: Sophia Flörsch Joins Opel GSE Formula E Team

• Next Level GSE: Talented 25-year-old becomes test and development driver of the new German factory team
• Team Principal Jörg Schrott: "We combine talent development with high sporting standards"
• Sophia Flörsch: "We want to achieve sporting success and win the hearts of the fans"
• First appearance: Sophia Flörsch to represent Opel GSE Formula E Team at the official Formula E GEN4 launch in Le Castellet

The Opel GSE Formula E Team has signed its first driver: Sophia Flörsch will join the German factory team as a test and development driver as it enters the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The 25-year-old German will make her first public appearance on April 21 and 22, when the new GEN4 cars of the all-electric series will be officially presented in France.

"With Sophia's signing, we at Opel are sending a clear signal for the consistent promotion of young talents in electric motorsport. Her precise technical feedback as well as her analytical way of working in the simulator and on the track will play an essential role in the further development of our GEN4 package," said Team Principal Jörg Schrott. "At the same time, her fresh approach fits perfectly with our OMG! GSE campaign, with which we present the emotional side of our all-electric high-performance models. We combine targeted talent promotion with high sporting standards and thus strengthen the visibility of a new generation in motorsport that combines sporting performance with public presence."   

Sophia Flörsch: Successful driver with team spirit and ambitions

Sophia Flörsch began her career in karting before moving up to motor racing in 2015 and making a splash in the British Ginetta Junior Championship as the youngest winner. Through stints in the ADAC Formula 4, the European Formula 3 Championship and the Formula Regional European Championship, she established herself in single-seater racing and made history by becoming the first woman to score points and podium finishes in both the German Formula 4 and later in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. In the years that followed, she successfully continued her career in prototype and GT racing, finished on the podium in the European Le Mans Series, finished in the top 10 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) – and is now considered one of the most prominent women in international motorsport.

"Formula E is currently the toughest racing series in the world – and that's exactly where Opel and I are now competing together. The fact that a brand with 125 years of motorsport DNA is now taking the step into a world championship is impressive. As a German driver, being part of this factory team is more than a privilege for me," said Sophia Flörsch. "The GEN4 car is a thoroughbred race car: over 800 hp, all-wheel drive, ultra-fast. I can't wait to go into depth with the engineers, understand this car and get the maximum out of it. Together, we want to show what true teamwork can do – achieve sporting success and win the hearts of motorsport fans for Opel and Formula E."

When Formula E, manufacturers and teams present the GEN4 all-electric racing cars in Le Castellet in a few days, Sophia Flörsch will be at the wheel of the Opel race car. The 25-year-old racing driver from Munich has already reeled off her first kilometres in the GEN4 in the simulator and got to know the Opel family during a visit to the Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim. Flörsch will be firmly involved in the test programme with immediate effect, supporting the team in development and simulator work and gaining targeted experience in the new Opel Formula E race car in the rookie sessions.

Opel talent promotion: First electric one-make rally cup as a springboard

Opel has a long-standing tradition of consistent talent development in motorsport, ranging from classic rally and circuit racing to all-electric rallying. With the ADAC GSE Rally Cup and its predecessor series, Opel has been opening a clear path to promotion to the European Junior Rally Championship for young drivers since 2013. This approach has already produced several titles and is now being continued at world championship level with the Opel GSE Formula E Team.

At the same time, Opel is also bringing the all-electric rally feeling to the road for customers. This is ensured by the production version of the Mokka GSE Rally, the new Opel Mokka GSE. The up to 200 km/h fast battery-electric performance car and ‘Golden Steering Wheel 2025’ 2 winner brings 207 kW (281 hp) of power and 345 Newton metres of torque to the road.

[1] The values of a vehicle depend not only on the efficient use of fuel by the vehicle, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.

[2] AUTO BILD issue 47/2025 and BILD am SONNTAG issue 47/2025, category ‘Small Cars’.

As Team Principal: Jörg Schrott Leads Opel GSE Formula E Team into Electric World Championship

• At Opel since 1997, Motorsport Director since 2012: A permanent fixture of the brand will be Team Principal of the new German works team
• Jörg Schrott: "I am grateful for the trust and look forward to the challenge."
• From the 2026/27 season: Opel has announced its entry into the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
• Next level GSE: Commitment provides a global stage for electric GSE high-performance models such as the new Opel Mokka GSE

With the official announcement of its entry into the Formula E World Championship, Opel is taking its commitment to electric motorsport to the next level. The Rüsselsheim-based brand has also made an important personnel decision for the ‘Opel GSE Formula E Team’: Jörg Schrott will take on the role of Team Principal. The brand with the Blitz emblem is thus relying on a proven leader for its next step in all-electric motorsport: Schrott has been part of the Opel family since 1997 and has been responsible for the brand's motorsport activities as Motorsport Director since 2012. Aschaffenburg-born Schrott made his first appearance in his new role during the Formel E race in Madrid, when Opel CEO Florian Huettl announced the new chapter in the brand's traditional and successful motorsport history.

“Jörg Schrott has been a defining personality of our brand for many years and has launched numerous successful motorsport projects. We are particularly proud that he is the driving force behind the ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup, which gives young talents access to electric racing. Precisely because Jörg has proven how to break new ground with courage and pioneering spirit, he is the perfect choice to take on the role of Team Principal of the Opel GSE Formula E Team in addition to his responsibility as Motorsport Director," said Florian Huettl.

"I am grateful for the trust and look forward to the new challenge," said Jörg Schrott. "To be able to help shape Opel's entry into Formula E and thus electric motorsport at FIA World Championship level is a very special task." In the coming weeks and months, the focus will be on building a team that has the ambition to win races. This includes a winning driver duo, a well-rehearsed and passionate crew at the track and a focused team in Rüsselsheim that prepares the races with the highest precision. The key positions have already been defined and will now be successively filled with Formula E expertise. “Formula E is one of the most fiercely contested racing series in the world. Success only comes from real teamwork and the right mindset. My task is to form a strong team from Rüsselsheim that works together towards a common goal: the success of our brand on the international stage," added Schrott.

Formative Opel personality with motorsport drive and claim to success

Jörg Schrott has been shaping motorsport at Opel since 1997: As the first employee of the then newly founded Opel Performance Center (OPC), he was significantly involved in the development of the brand's performance production vehicles and racing activities and took over the management of Opel Motorsport in 2012. Under his leadership, Opel became an integral part of international circuit and rally racing, including six Junior European Championship titles – the result of a consistent promotion of young talents who advanced to the European Rally Championship after successes in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. The world's first all-electric rally one-make cup, now renamed as ‘ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup’, will kick off its new season at the end of May with the drivers competing in the new Opel Mokka GSE Rally. At the same time, Opel customers benefit from the knowledge gained in motorsport. Opel is bringing the incomparable rally feeling of the 207 kW (281 hp) electric car to the road as a production model with the new Opel Mokka GSE.

Long before his motorsport commitments, Jörg Schrott was responsible for other management positions at Opel – including Head of Product Communications and Head of Corporate Communications – and thus also brings extensive experience in brand management, media relations and strategic positioning to his new role as Team Principal of the Opel GSE Formula E Team.

The official announcement of Opel's entry into Formula E marked the start of an impressive race weekend in Spain. Florian Huettl and Opel Marketing Director Rebecca Reinermann, together with Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds, presented Opel’s plans to international media representatives, celebrating their first official appearance in the paddock of the World Championship. On the Saturday of the race, 30,000 spectators – including Spain's King Felipe VI – watched the Formula E debut in Madrid live at the track.

The next appearance of the Opel GSE Formula E Team will be at the Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet in mid-April, when the series, manufacturers and teams will officially present the then more than 800 hp GEN4 generation of the all-electric race cars.