Strengthened commitment to Russia as high growth market
Opel
is for the first time celebrating an automotive world premiere in Russia. At
the Moscow International Auto Salon (August 29 - September 9), the unveiling of
the all-new four door Astra J sedan is the undisputed highlight of Opel’s show.
Never
before has the Opel stand, which is located in Hall 14 and covers an area of
1,750 square meters, been so vast. This is also the place where visitors can
see a further two world premieres. For the first time, the Astra five door and
the Astra Sports Tourer are being unveiled with their updated and fresh design
cues. Added to that is the world debut of the new mid size gasoline engine
generation.
More
than a million visitors are expected at the Auto Salon. They will have the
chance to see a further two premieres for the Russian market: the Astra OPC
with its 206 kW/280 hp engine and the Mokka with which Opel is entering the
SUV-B segment as the first German manufacturer.
Astra J sedan as key component of growth strategy
The
sedan is an important addition to the Astra J line-up which is now even more
diverse and offers new powertrains and driver assistance systems combined with
fresh, sporty design. With its elegant appearance, typical Astra
qualities and a large array of technological highlights – some are unique, some
are unusual for the segment - Opel´s new compact four-door notchback (length/width/height: 4,658/1,814/1,476 mm) targets customers with high
expectations. It has a wheelbase of 2,685 mm and
provides generous interior space. The separate trunk offers 460 liters of
volume - 90 liters more than the five door model. By folding the 60:40 split
rear bench flat the luggage volume can be increased up to a maximum of 1,010
liters.
Start of powertrain renewal with High Torque 1.6 liter Turbocharged gasoline engine
Opel has announced that it
is fundamentally renewing its engine range and the first phase of this plan is
starting now. Three completely new engine families are in the pipeline. The gasoline
turbocharged four cylinder with a displacement of 1598 cc, central direct
injection and Start/Stop technology is now the first such engine to be unveiled
when it makes its debut in Moscow.
The new SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection)
ECOTEC engine provides an extraordinarily high maximum torque of up to 300 Nm. The
production start is scheduled for the end of the year; Russia is expected to be
one its biggest markets.
Russia is third biggest Astra market, high demand for
compact sedans
Russia is of great importance to Opel. After
Germany, it is currently the second biggest automotive market in Europe. Last
year around 70,000 Opel cars were sold there. This year, from January to July,
the Opel brand grew by 29 percent – more than twice as fast as the market. According to predictions Russia is expected to become
Europe´s main market with up to 3.4 million
total vehicle sales in 2014. Its high growth potential is down to the low
average of vehicles per capita. For example, Russia has half as many vehicles
per 1,000 inhabitants as Germany. More than half of all cars on Russian roads
are more than ten years old. In this high growth market, four door sedans and
SUVs are in high demand. Across all segments, more than 60 percent of all
sedans sold in Europe are sold in Russia. Last year, in the compact segment 51
percent of customers there opted for a notchback version. As Russia is the
third biggest market for the Astra in Europe after Germany and the UK, the
Moscow Auto Salon was a natural choice for Opel as the venue to celebrate the
world premiere of the all-new sedan as well as the five door and Sports Tourer
variants of the new Astra model line-up.
The
Astra is by far the most successful Opel model in Russia. In the first half of
2012 alone, it managed to increase its compact segment share from 4.4 to six
percent.
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