Opel Zafira Life Celebrates World Premiere at Brussels Show

• Press conference held by head of Opel sales and marketing, Xavier Duchemin
• World premiere of new Zafira Life continues Opel’s model offensive
• Opel GT X Experimental future concept makes public debut
• Opel’s 120th year of automotive production and democratization of mobility begins
• PACE! plan works, Opel goes electric and global, returning to sustainable profitability

Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing Xavier Duchemin with New Opel Zafira Life

Opel plays a starring role at this year’s Brussels Motor Show, with a major world premiere. The new Opel Zafira Life was revealed today by Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing, Xavier Duchemin, during the press conference on the Opel stand 09-10 in hall 4. “Attractive as well as practical, the new Zafira Life makes travelling much more enjoyable, comfortable and adaptable, for drivers and passengers”, said Duchemin.

The public debut of the Opel GT X Experimental is another major attraction in Brussels. The concept represents the future of Opel and shows what customers can expect from the brand in future. Duchemin referred to the PACE! strategic plan to show Opel is electrifying its model range and investing in growing market segments, thus becoming a sustainably profitable and global brand.

New Opel Zafira Life: Practical and versatile van for up to nine occupants

“Brussels is the first European motor show of 2019 and therefore the perfect opportunity for Opel to celebrate the first of several product premieres this year,” said Opel’s head of sales and marketing. The model making its world premiere in Brussels is just right for Opel’s anniversary year. The German carmaker has been producing practical vehicles with innovative technology for everyone for 120 years. These are exactly the qualities displayed by the new Opel Zafira Life. The Opel Zafira Life is a fun-to-drive as well as comfortable multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that the German carmaker will offer in three lengths, tailor-made to customer requirements: the 4.60 metre “Small”, the 4.95m “Medium” and the 5.30m “Large” – each of which comes with up to nine seats. “The Zafira Life meets all demands,” said Duchemin, “from the versatile interiors and high comfort, to state-of-the-art infotainment and intelligent driver assistance systems.” A Zafira Life 4x4 will also be available to order from the start of sales. Opel will offer a purely electric version in early 2021, another milestone on the journey to electrifying the brand.

GT X Experimental: Opel’s vision of the future

Presenting the Opel GT X Experimental - a compact, electric SUV full of innovative ideas - for the first time in public, Duchemin said, “Opel has offered innovation, high-tech and mobility for all for 120 years. This ambition is stronger than ever today and nothing demonstrates it better than the car up here on the stage with me – the Opel GT X Experimental.”

Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing Xavier Duchemin with Opel GT X Experimental

The GT X Experimental shows how Opel sees mobility of the future: electric, and fully connected. The concept, which is making its first public appearance at the Brussels show, also gives a preview of the future for Opel as the exciting, approachable, German brand.

The signature design cues – such as the “Opel Vizor” front fascia and the “Opel Compass” – will become the hallmark of Opel cars in the mid-2020s. “The GT X Experimental embodies the vision of our brand defined in PACE!” said Duchemin.

120 years of Opel automobile production, targeting sustainable success with PACE!

But PACE! is not only a roadmap to the future, it is also a plan for the present, said Duchemin. As examples he named the new Opel Combo Cargo, which has been voted International Van Of The Year 2019, and the Opel Combo Life passenger car, which was named “AUTOBEST Best-buy-car of Europe 2019”! “Since the start of sales last September, we have already taken more than 36,000 orders for the new Opel Combo, more than all the registrations of the previous model in Europe in whole 2017. We have received almost 200,000 orders for the new Opel Insignia and the Grandland X and well over 130,000 for the Crossland X”, added Duchemin.

A key role in this success is played by Rüsselsheim R&D centre, which has taken over responsibility for the development of a new generation of large vans as well as a new engine family and 15 competence centres for the entire Groupe PSA.

Opel is therefore set for a strong performance in its 2019 anniversary year, as well as successful implementation of its ongoing product offensive. In addition to the new Opel Vivaro and the Grandland X plug-in hybrid, an important role is played here by the next-generation Corsa. “The new Corsa will also be available as a fully battery electric vehicle”, said Duchemin. “The Corsa will offer electro-mobility to more customers than ever before and make a significant contribution to Opel becoming a fully electrified brand by 2024.”

The Opel product portfolio is additionally complemented by “120 Years” model variants. These special editions of the Opel ADAM, KARL, Corsa, Astra, Insignia, Zafira, Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X offer a wealth of high-tech equipment as well as design and comfort features.