Friday 26 October 2018

Groupe PSA: Q3 2018 Revenue +7.8% growth

  • Groupe PSA Q3 revenue at €15.4 billion[1] and YTD revenue up 29.1% at €54 billion;
  • Peugeot Citroën DS (PCD) Automotive division revenue up 0.8%:
    • Strong market share increase in Europe: +0.7 pt [2];
    • Negative impact of exchange rates especially in Argentina, Brazil and Turkey;
  • Opel Vauxhall (OV) Automotive division revenue amounted to €3.9 billion;
  • Consolidated worldwide sales down 16.7% mainly because of the suspension of the group’s activities in Iran. In Europe, sales up 8.1%.



Group Q3 2018 revenue amounted to €15,428 million, compared with €14,309 million in Q3 2017. At constant 2015 exchange rate and perimeter, 2018 Group revenue was up 21.6% [3].
PCD Automotive division revenue amounted to €8,485 million up by 0.8% compared to Q3 2017. The positive impact of product mix (+2.2%), sales to partners (+1.4%), price (+1.5%) and others (+0.9%) more than compensated the negative impact of exchange rates (-2.3%) and volumes (-2.9%).

OV Automotive division revenue amounted to €3,877 million in Q3 2018, compared with €2,789 million in Q3 20171.
With a total of 703,000 cars sold, Q3 2018 consolidated worldwide sales were up in Europe but down outside of Europe mainly because of the suspension of the group’s activities in Iran from May.
Total PCD inventory, including independent dealers, stood at 402,000 vehicles [4] at the end of September 2018, up 33,000 units compared to end of September 2017. OV inventory, including independent dealers, totalled 173,000 vehicles at the end of September 2018 down 64,000 units compared to end of September 2017.
Philippe de Rovira, Chief Financial Officer of Groupe PSA and member of the Executive Committee, said: « The execution of Push to Pass strategic plan and PACE! Opel Vauxhall turnaround plan is again proving to be a strong lever to deliver a sustainable performance despite an adverse environment. »
Market outlook: in 2018, the Group anticipates a growth of 2% of the automotive market in Europe, 3% in Latin America, 10% in Russia and 1% in China.

Operational targets
The Push to Pass plan sets the following targets for Groupe PSA (excluding Opel Vauxhall):
  • Deliver over 4.5% Automotive recurring operating margin [5] on average in 2016-2018, and target over 6% by 2021;
  • Deliver 10% Group revenue growth by 2018 [6] vs 2015, and target additional 15% by 2021.

[1] Groupe PSA revenue includes Opel Vauxhall (OV) since August 1st 2017; It does not include the impact of hyperinflation in Argentina following IAS29. The estimation of this impact is in progress.
[2] PCD market share, Q3 2018 vs Q3 2017
[3] As of 30 September 2018, growth at constant exchange rates (2015) and perimeter (excluding OV) versus revenue as of 30 September 2015.
[4] Excluding JV in China and Iran, including independent dealers
 [5]  Recurring operating income related to revenue
 [6]   At constant (2015) exchange rates and perimeter (excluding OV)

New Opel for Old Diesel: Opel Environment Bonus of up to €8,000


  • Exchange made easy: Bonus for Euro 1 to 4 vehicles of any brand when buying an Opel vehicle
  • Attractive trade-in offers for Euro 5 Opel diesel vehicles for customers living in German regions with especially high air pollution when they buy a new model




Opel is looking to a speedy fleet renewal as one way of reducing vehicle emissions and is therefore introducing a special environment bonus of up to €8,000: Owners of older diesel vehicles of any brand that meet the Euro 1 to Euro 4 emissions standards can benefit from this bonus. The condition is that the old diesel vehicle is handed in and scrapped. The bonus will also be paid when Euro 5 models made by Opel are traded in for an Opel vehicle [1] by customers who live or whose company is located in German areas [2] with especially high air pollution.


Both private and small commercial customers in Germany can take advantage of this attractive offer. Furthermore, Opel will also grant a further two years guarantee in addition to the manufacturer guarantee on young used cars [3].




“With the introduction of the “Opel Environment Bonus”, we are making it easier for customers to switch to the latest and most efficient Opel models and are thus contributing to an improvement of air quality. Customers who buy a new Opel now therefore need not fear city driving bans from today’s perspective,” said Jürgen Keller, Executive Director Sales, Marketing & Aftersales Opel Germany. Opel is already prepared for the future with its ultra-modern portfolio: The Rüsselsheim-based carmaker is ready for the new Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard that comes into force for all new registrations in September 2019. The company already offers 127 passenger car variants that meet the more stringent limits of the new standard.




[1] New cars, demonstration cars and test cars.

[2] Areas with especially high air pollution: München, Stuttgart, Köln, Reutlingen, Düren, Hamburg, Limburg an der Lahn, Düsseldorf, Kiel, Heilbronn, Backnang, Darmstadt, Bochum, Ludwigsburg along with the neighbouring districts.

[3] Valid for selected young used cars from the existing stock of Opel Automobile GmbH.

Thursday 18 October 2018

Made in Germany: Opel Celebrates 120 Years of Automobiles


  • When the horses moved under the bonnet: Opel starts with Patentmotorwagen in 1899
  • Mobility for the masses: Doktorwagen, Laubfrosch and Kadett pave the way
  • From Lutzmann to Insignia; 120 years of car manufacturing in Rüsselsheim
  • Company goal until this very day: Opel democratises technologies

The first Opel: Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann, 1899


Opel is one of the carmakers with the richest tradition in the world. Next year, the brand will celebrate 120 years of automobiles. After listening to the advice of her sons Karl, Wilhelm and Friedrich, Sophie Opel decided to start producing cars in 1899 – four years after the death of company founder Adam Opel. What started in a garage in Rüsselsheim am Main with 65 hand-made Opel Patentmotorwagen “System Lutzmann”, has long become a mass phenomenon will more than 70 million vehicles built to date. From the very beginning, Opel championed the cause of producing cars as efficiently as possible and thus making them affordable for a broad audience. For example, Opel was the first German manufacturer to introduce the especially economic assembly line production as early as 1924. This helped the Opel 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch” and all later Opel 4 PS variants become bestsellers. The Rüsselsheim-based company already produced technologically-advanced vehicles for the masses with the Opel P4 and the Kadett (already with a self-supporting body) in the 1930s. Made in Germany and German engineering became affordable and accessible. Opel even stayed true to this democratising of mobility when developing a sports car: An affordable dream car hit the roads in 1968 in the Opel GT.


The brand has played a leading role in all segments – models such as the Opel Kadett, Rekord and Kapitän characterised the period of reconstruction and the period of the economic miracle. Stylish icons such as the Opel GT, Manta and Monza then followed. In the 1980s and 1990s models such as Corsa, Astra and Zafira then became bestsellers and symbols of reunification. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the opening of the plant in Eisenach, Opel became more popular than ever before. The first generation Astra was produced 4.2 million times between 1991 and 1998 making it the most built Opel model ever. Until this very day, the Rüsselsheim-based carmaker is firmly anchored in the centre of society and offers technologies that are normally reserved for expensive premium cars. Innovative solutions such as the IntelliLux LED Matrix light in the compact Astra (Car of the Year 2016) as well as in the Insignia flagship, the AGR-certified active ergonomic seats (available in many carlines) or the extensive array of assistance systems for more safety and comfort (all carlines) are typical for Opel.

From Lutzmann to Opel Doktorwagen: The pioneering years

Opel joins the ranks of the automotive pioneers of the late 19th century that include Daimler, Benz and Peugeot by buying Friedrich Lutzmann’s motor car factory. In the spring of 1899, the first Opel patent motor car “System Lutzmann” is built in Rüsselsheim. Two years later, a converted Lutzmann wins the Heidelberg-Königstuhl “Mountain Race” by beating “16 other vehicles made by well-known German carmakers”. Overall, the development in the automotive industry is fast and furious. While the first models are direct descendants of horse-drawn carriages, Opel launches an ultra-modern small car for an extremely competitive price in 1909. The 4/8 hp Opel Doktorwagen already has an Opel engineered and Opel built 4-cylinder in-line engine. In the adverts, Opel promises that it is ideal for “Doctors, veterinarians and lawyers”. The Doktorwagen is available for prices between 4,000 and 5,000 Mark while many other cars made during this period cost 20,000 Mark. It transforms the motor car from a prestigious toy for the rich and the famous into an affordable mobility solution for a broad audience.

4/8 hp Opel Doktorwagen from 1909.

From Opel Laubfrosch to Kadett: Mass mobility

Friedrich – who had since been promoted to chief engineer – and his brother Wilhelm introduce the assembly line production at Opel in 1924. Ford were the first company to introduce this cost-cutting method in America in 1913. Opel always had a keen eye for developments in other countries. Adam Opel became fascinated by the sewing machine during his years of travel in France and later the System Darracq provided a major boost for car manufacturing in Rüsselsheim. The Opel brothers then launch the innovative 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch”. The two-seater with a top speed of 60 km/h is available for 3,900 Goldmark thanks to assembly line production. Later, the “car for everyone” is available for 1,930 Reichsmark. In the following years, an entire vehicle family is created based on the Laubfrosch technology. In total, 119,484 Opel 4 PS models are made until 1931.

4/12 hp Opel “Laubfrosch” (Tree Frog), 1924


What these revolutionary cars are for the 1920s, the Kadett is for the 1930s. Automotive progress is taking huge steps. The Kadett replaces the successful Opel P4 and celebrates its debut with a self-supporting steel body, single-wheel front suspension, 4-cylinder four-stroke engine and hydraulic drum brakes. The prices are well below those of the direct competitors. In 1938, the “normal” Opel Kadett limousine is available for an affordable 1,795 Mark.



The Kadett nameplate is revived in 1962 and Opel ups the ante even further with the Kadett A. While many competitors still rely on two-stroke or air-cooled rear-mounted engine, the newcomers shines with the comfort of a water-cooled 4-cylinder unit, a quiet 4-speed transmissions and body styles ranging from coupé to Caravan.



From Olympia Rekord to the “KAD” models: Prosperity increases


The first all-new Opel after the war is the Olympia Rekord and it sounds in a new era with its ponton-style body and chrome plated shark mouth. The design takes cues from that of large American limousines – and is perfect for the economic miracle that is just beginning. Those who are successful want to show it again. And a new type of vehicle also makes its debut with the Olympia Rekord Caravan – a lifestyle estate for the whole family. An all-new Opel Kapitän arrives in 1954, the Opel Rekord P2 is introduced in 1960 and the Rekord A follows in 1963 with disc brakes and soon afterwards with 6-cylinders. No matter whether as a coupé, estate or limousine – the mid-size Rekord becomes synonymous with the new middle class in the young Federal Republic of Germany. Opel produces 882,433 Rekord A by 1965. This success opens the door for the “big three” and in 1964 the “KAD” – for Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat – arrive in the luxury class. The second generation of these KAD models can even boast a unique level of driving comfort thanks to the legendary de Dion rear axle. Opel introduces the safety steering column in all passenger car models in 1968. Innovations to help cope with the growing amount of traffic.



From the Opel GT to the Calibra: New sportiness

Opel Experimental GT was shown on a slightly slanted platform at the IAA in 1965 to emphasize the two-seater’s dynamic shape.

Opel becomes the first European manufacturer to open a true, modern design studio in June 1964. And only one year later, the first concept car from a European manufacturer, the Experimental GT, celebrates its debut at the 1965 Frankfurt Motor Show. A further 36 months later, the serial production Opel GT is available from Opel dealers and marks the birth of a sports car legend. The icon is affordable for a broad audience thanks to mass production technology and the GT is the next hit from Rüsselsheim. The company sticks to this approach in the coming years. Opel Manta shares its technology with the Ascona when it is launched in 1970 and the Calibra “borrows” the Vectra’s technology from 1989.


The top-of-the-range variant of the aerodynamics world champion (Cd of 0.26), the Calibra Turbo 4x4 delivers 204 hp and offers the driving performance of sports cars twice its price.





From Opel Corsa to Ampera: Bestsellers and trendsetters

In 1982, Opel made a huge splash with a small car. Corsa A rounded off the company’s offering by sitting neatly under the Kadett. Opel Corsa was an impressive display of getting the most out of a small space without compromising on driving pleasure or cost effectiveness. Every single generation of the Corsa (A to E) has driven and continued the democratisation of individual mobility. To date, almost 14 million Corsa have been registered.


And next year the next generation will follow adding a new chapter to the story – with a fully electric version of the Corsa.


Just as the Corsa has shaped the small car segment, the Zafira has defined the compact van segment with room for seven since 1999. The third row of seats that disappears entirely under the boot floor is simply a stroke of genius. Owners of models made by competitors have to painstakingly remove the additional heavy seats when the boot space is required. Seven people can easily fit into the 4.32 metre long Zafira. Alternatively, the compact van can double as a transporter in a matter of seconds by folding award the seats and created a 1.56 by 1.15 metre loading area with a total capacity of up to 1,700 litres.


The current Opel Zafira is also a master of metamorphosis doubling as a transporter and a lounge on wheels thanks to the Flex7 Plus seating system.


A further trendsetter follows in the footsteps of the Corsa and Zafira after celebrating its world premiere at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show: The Opel Ampera, a car that redefines electro-mobility. The 2012 Car of the Year drives electric and also has its own source of power on board with the range extender. This makes the Ampera just as independent from loading stations as a conventional passenger car. 


Opel presents the next generation of the electric car at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. The Ampera-e has an all-electric NEDC range of 520 kilometres thanks to its 60 kWh state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery. And the 150 kW/204 hp electric motor gives it sports car-like acceleration. The next electric car from Rüsselsheim will follow next year already and electro-mobility will get another boost with the Corsa-e – out of the niche and on to the road.




From Opel Astra to Insignia: New efficiency



Opel discovers the new lightness of being with the launch of the current generation Astra in 2015. The compact car weighs up to 200 kilogrammes less than its predecessor did. The engine offering follows the downsizing strategy: with smaller displacement and turbocharging, lower fuel consumption and higher efficiency. For the first time, the Astra is available with a highly efficient 3-cylinder direct injection petrol unit and the revolutionary IntelliLux LED Matrix light. The innovative system turns night into day without glaring other road users – a unique feature in the compact class.


Opel Astra convinces customers and experts alike and is voted “Car of the Year 2016”.



The Insignia A is the first Opel that can recognise traffic signs from 2008 and offers the intelligent AFL+ lighting system. Just like the Astra, the second generation of the Opel flagship has been trimmed for efficiency. The new generation Insignia is lighter, more economic and simultaneously much more spacious. A highlight feature of the Insignia GSi, Country Tourer, Grand Sport and Sports Tourer is the adaptive all-wheel drive with torque vectoring that can accelerate the rear wheels individually in a split-second depending on the driving situation. The Opel Insignia is the first vehicle made by a volume manufacturer to offer this technology in the mid-size segment.




From Opel Mokka to Grandland X: SUV phenomenon


SUV is the buzzword of the hour in the automotive industry. Customers want to sit a little bit higher to have a better overview and to enjoy the flair of long-distance travel and adventure. Opel recognised this trend at a very early stage and proposed a unique offer in the B-segment. The cool sub-compact Opel Mokka is also available with all-wheel drive and proves to be extremely popular from the very start. It is joined in the compact class by the Opel Crossland X and the Opel Grandland X in 2017. All members of the X-Family are available with the AGR-certified (Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.) active seats. Ergonomic and comfortable seats have been a part of the Opel DNA for a long time – 120 years ago the Opel Patentmotorwagen “System Lutzmann” already proudly sported leather upholstery.


Friday 12 October 2018

Opel GT and Opel Corsa A GSi are “Vintage Cars of the Year”

  • Premiere: First time one brand wins two awards in Auto Bild Klassik readers’ choice
  • Celebrities: Opel designer Erhard Schnell and touring car legend Volker Strycek accept awards


Vintage Car of the Year in the sports car and coupé segment: Opel GT designer Erhard Schnell next to his award-winning brainchild.

The 1968 Opel GT and the 1988 Opel Corsa GSi have won “Vintage Car of the Year” awards. It is the first time ever that two cars made by a single brand have celebrated victories at the “Golden Vintage Car” readers’ choice award organised by magazine Auto Bild Klassik. The pan-European award was established in 2010 and readers can choose their favourites in six categories. The iconic Opel GT won the “Sports cars and coupés” segment while the speedy Opel Corsa A GSi impressed in the “Small and compact car segment”. Two very special Opel ambassadors travelled to the award ceremony in Stuttgart. 91-year-old former Opel designer Erhard Schnell accepted the award for his brainchild – the Opel GSi. Elsewhere “Mister GSi”, Opel Director Performance Cars Volker Strycek, collected the trophy for the Corsa GSi.


“The courage we displayed when designing the Opel GT has paid off time and time again. I am delighted that its design still fascinates people today and has resulted in it winning ‘Vintage Car of the Year’,” said Erhard Schnell. “Opel has always built cars that spark emotion. This is demonstrated by icons such as the Opel GT but also by little sports cars such as the Corsa GSi – of which the latest variant is currently available,” added Volker Strycek.




Vintage Car of the Year in the small and compact car segment: “Mister GSi” Volker Strycek with the 1988 Opel Corsa A GSi.
Opel Corsa GSi was launched exactly 30 years ago. It was as dynamic as a motorbike: extremely compact, 820 kg light, with cheeky wheel arches, sport seats, 100 hp and a top speed of 188 km/h. It laid the foundations for further Corsa GSi models and its DNA can still be seen in its latest descendent. The latest generation Corsa GSi celebrated its world premiere a few weeks ago. Powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine (fuel consumption[1]: urban 8.0-7.7 l/100 km, extra-urban 5.5-5.1 l/100 km, combined 6.4-6.1 l/100 km, 147-139 g/km CO2) it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.9 second and has a top speed of 207 km/h. The new Corsa GSi and its big brother the Insignia GSi are thus continuing Opel’s successful GSi tradition.




A groundbreaking design was already a feature of the very first sketch for Opel’s other winner at this year’s awards, the Opel GT. Presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1965, the Opel GT was already rolling off the production line three years later thanks to the excitement it stirred. The advertising slogan “Only flying is better” is just as iconic as the “Coke bottle” shape and the “sleeping eyes” pop-up headlights. Even back then, those responsible combined sportiness with comfort and trendsetting efficiency – just as the Opel designers are doing today with the Opel GT X Experimental. The forward-looking brand concept is a bold, 4.06-metre, 5-door, all-electric compact SUV with coupé appeal and brimming with innovative ideas, which gives a preview of what the future holds for Opel models.
 

[1] Values measured according to WLTP and converted to NEDC for comparison.

Tuesday 9 October 2018

Opel to Launch Eight All-New or Refreshed Models by 2020


  • Stronger customer orientation and dealer performance
  • Focus on high volume and high growth segments with three key launches by 2020: All-New Opel Corsa, Vivaro and Mokka X successor
  • Ensure CO2 compliance with state-of-the-art technology: four electrified vehicles by end of 2020; 100 percent electrification by 2024; further improved combustion engines

 
Opel is continuing to execute the PACE! plan product offensive to meet customer needs and ensure compliance with the drastic Europe-wide CO2 guidelines which become effective in 2020. The future portfolio will ensure a sustainable, successful future for both the company and its dealer network. From early 2019 to the end of 2020, the company will launch eight all-new or refreshed models, investing primarily in high-volume and profitable segments. By then, Opel will be offering one of the newest portfolios of all volume manufacturers.


With its PACE! plan, Opel has clearly committed to bringing at least one all-new model onto the market every year. In 2019 alone, Opel will launch the new generation of the bestselling Corsa and the successor to the successful Vivaro as LCV and passenger car variants. Additional variants and equipment versions of the Combo will also be on sale, thus significantly renewing the LCV portfolio. 


The successor to the hugely popular Opel Mokka X will follow in 2020 and will play a pivotal role for the strategy to expand the proportion of the company’s SUV sales from 25 to 40 percent by 2021.


“Opel goes electric” was one of the commitments made by the company in November 2017 as part of its PACE! plan. Order books for both the all-electric new five-seater Corsa and the Grandland X PHEV which will be produced in Eisenach will be open by the summer of 2019. By the end of 2020, Opel will have a total of four electrified models on offer, providing a lot of driving pleasure and transforming e-car demand from niche to volume. By 2024, there will be an electrified version of every Opel model. Opel will make highly interesting offers, both technically and economically, and will democratise electro-mobility while further improving its combustion engines.

In order to contribute to the CO2 compliance and to focus on high volume segments, the Opel ADAM, KARL and Cascada will not be replaced after the end of their life cycles, but will remain on sale until the end of 2019. With the new portfolio, Opel will continue to cover around 80 percent of the mainstream market volume in 2020 – with significantly higher efficiency and customer-orientation while simultaneously reducing complexity.

“In a context of drastic CO2 norms, it’s our responsibility to shape a sustainable future for our company and our dealers with a highly competitive portfolio for passenger and light commercial vehicles. Opel will offer fun to drive and emotionally designed models including highly competitive light commercial vehicles such as the new Combo and Vivaro. The customers will benefit from the broad introduction of innovative technologies and affordable electrification,” said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. “The most recent awards – like the IVOTY 2019 for our Combo – demonstrate that we are on the right path.”

The German manufacturer with almost 120 years of automotive tradition is leveraging Groupe PSA platforms and innovative propulsion technologies for all new models. Opel has impressively demonstrated its efficiency this year: the entire portfolio was and is fully available from dealers in time for the transition to the new Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure standard (WLTP). Moreover, Opel is already fully ready for the new Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard and offers 127 passenger car models that meet the requirements which will come into effect for all new registrations in September 2019. “Our commitment to Euro 6d-TEMP is part of our strategy to become a leader in the reduction of vehicle emissions and a key pillar of our customer-centric approach. Whoever buys a new Opel now must not fear a city driving ban from today’s perspective,” said Lohscheller.

Friday 5 October 2018

Successful September: Opel Increases Market Share to 7% in Europe




Opel and sister brand Vauxhall benefitted from the timely and consistent preparation of the transition to the new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure) test cycle in September: The brands achieved a combined passenger car and light commercial vehicles market share of 7 percent (+ 0.8 percentage points versus same month of 2017) in Europe in September[1]. This is the highest market share in an individual month since March 2016 and the highest September value since 2014.


“Seven percent Opel market share in Europe is a great result of which we can be proud of. And our market share gains in Europe are broadly based and above all achieved in the right and profitable channels. We are benefitting from the fact that we have certified our portfolio according to WLTP and Euro 6d-TEMP in good time. Whoever buys an Opel now, can rely on the latest technology and gets peace of mind,” said Xavier Duchemin, Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing, Opel Automobile GmbH.


Last month, Opel registered a market share increase in 11 markets, including the biggest European countries: In its home market Germany, the brand increased its market share to 9.5 percent (+ 2.2pp) of the total market, the highest share in an individual month since December 2010 and the highest September value since 2007.


Opel’s sister brand Vauxhall registered a market share of 8.6 percent (+ 1.3pp) in the UK, the highest result in an individual month for 13 months. In Spain, the Opel market share was at 5.8 percent (+0.3pp), which represents the highest September share since 2015. In Italy, the brand with the Blitz achieved a market share of 5.4 percent (+0.6pp) also representing the best score for a September since 2015 and the highest monthly result for 18 months. Opel’s market share reached 3.8 percent (+ 0.6pp) in France. This is the highest market share in an individual month since May 2015 and the highest September value since 2010.


Opel achieved its highest market share of all European countries in the Netherlands where the Rüsselsheim-based carmaker was the overall market leader with a market share of 10.4 percent. In Belgium, the brand registered a market share of 8.5 percent in the total market, the highest September market share since 2009. In Slovakia, Opel achieved a record market share of 9.5 percent.



Opel/Vauxhall market share of passenger car market (PC) and total market (PC + Light Commercial Vehicles)

PC Sep 18 Change PC versus Sep 17 PC+LCV Sep 18 Change PC+LCV versus Sep 17
Germany 10.2% +2.6pp 9.5% +2.2pp
UK 8.5% +1.2pp 8.6% +1.3pp
France 4.3% +0.9pp 3.8% +0.6pp
Italy 5.7% +0.7pp 5.4% +0.6pp
Spain 6.0% +0.1pp 5.8% +0.3pp
 
[1] Total Market Europe E30, according to preliminary figures, figures rounded