25 Years Ago: One Millionth Opel “Made in Eisenach” is Produced

• November 10, 1999: Black Opel Corsa B “Edition 100” is milestone vehicle
• Strong signal: First automotive plant founded in the new federal states after German reunification
• Eisenach today: Home of the Opel Grandland is an ultra-modern plant for electrified vehicles

Eisenach and automotive production belong together, and Opel and Eisenach have enjoyed close ties for over three decades. The brand with the Blitz was one of the first companies to become involved in the new federal states in 1990, the year of German reunification, laying the foundations for a success story that continues to this day – with cars ‘made in Eisenach’. The one millionth Opel rolled off the production line at the Thuringian plant on November 10, 1999: a black Corsa B in the ‘Edition 100’ trim level.

The plant has continuously developed over the decades and had reason to celebrate again recently. In April, the all-new Opel Grandland celebrated its world premiere in Eisenach. The new electrified top SUV has recently been produced in the Wartburg town, making it a true ‘Eisenacher’. With the new Opel Grandland, the plant is well-positioned for the future.

Eisenach plant: First Opel vehicles produced in 1990

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, those responsible at Opel at the time quickly recognised the potential offered by the traditional automotive location of Eisenach. As early as March 1990, Opel founded Opel-AWE-Planungs-GmbH together with Automobilwerk Eisenach (AWE), thereby promoting economic development in Thuringia. Just two days after official reunification, on October 5, 1990, the first Opel Vectra rolled off the production line in an AWE plant. In February 1991, the foundation stone is laid for the new factory in the Eisenach. After a construction period of just 19 months and a total investment of around one billion German marks, the new Eisenach plant starts production of the Opel Astra in September 1992. And on 3 June 1993, the first Opel Corsa ‘made in Germany’ drives off the production line.

From then on, Opel production in Eisenach boomed. Due to the high demand, production in the first half of the 1990s is at times focussed exclusively on the best-selling small car. The Corsa is so popular with customers that just nine years after the start of car production at the site and only six years after the first Corsa from Eisenach, the one millionth Opel produced here rolls off the production line. On November 10, 1999, exactly 10 years to the day after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a 48 kW (65 hp) black Corsa ‘Edition’ made its way from final assembly in Thuringia to its buyer in Regensburg, Bavaria.

Success factors: state-of-the-art production and continuous development

Right from the start, the plant in Eisenach undergoes continuous development to ensure its success. It quickly sets standards in terms of environmental compatibility, manufacturing technology and production systems. There are five fundamental principles: employee involvement, continuous improvement, quality assurance from the outset, standardisation and short throughput times thanks to perfectly organised logistics. As a result, the plant is subsequently recognised several times as the most modern and productive automotive production facility in Europe.

In 2012, the Astra and Corsa were joined by the Opel ADAM. Since the extensive modernisation of the production facilities in 2019, the plant has been solely responsible for the Opel Grandland SUV.

For the all-new Opel Grandland: Eisenach becomes an ‘electrified plant’

The all-new Opel Grandland, which celebrated its world premiere on site earlier this year and has been available to order for a few weeks, now rolls off the production line in Eisenach – and the demands on the site beforehand were significant. After all, the new generation of the top-of-the-line SUV is also available as a fully electric Grandland Electric for the first time. The new Grandland is the first model from the German manufacturer to be based on the ultra-modern, BEV-native STLA Medium platform and, with a battery capacity of up to 97 kWh (usable capacity), enables a locally emissions-free range of up to around 700 kilometres (WLTP 1).

To make the Eisenach plant ready for the production of electrified models, the company invested €130 million in the site and developed it into a genuine ‘electrified plant’ in numerous areas. For example, significant changes have been made to the production process with modifications in the body shop and final assembly. In addition, the entire conveyor systems were adapted and reinforced, the body shell was fully automated and many state-of-the-art camera systems were installed in the various areas for detailed inspection. A new battery shop has also been created, in which the battery packs for the electric Grandland are assembled on site. Specialised high-voltage experts have been trained for this task.

The fact that Eisenach is also planning a solar park to supply the plant with ‘green’ energy fits in perfectly with the new, electric Opel Grandland and its own battery assembly. In this way, the gradual switch to renewable energies is also helping to ensure that the plant is sustainably positioned for the future and can continue its success story.

[1] Preliminary range values determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range can vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular on personal driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning and thermal preconditioning. Preliminary values, vehicle not available yet.

Grand Title: All-New Opel Grandland Wins ‘2024 Golden Steering Wheel’

• ‘Best car under €50,000’1: New top-of-line SUV strikes gold
• Serial winners: 21 ‘automotive Oscars’ for brand with Blitz to date

All-new Opel Grandland, which will arrive at dealerships soon, has already been able to celebrate its first major success. The top-of-the-line SUV has won the ‘2024 Golden Steering Wheel’ in Germany. Stylish, dynamic, spacious and with an electrified drivetrain portfolio – all strong arguments that convinced the experts to name the newcomer ‘made in Germany’ ‘Best car under €50,000’. The award presented by AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG is recognised as one of the most renowned of its kind in the automotive industry. This year’s award for the all-new Grandland takes Opel’s overall ‘Golden Steering Wheel’ tally to 21.

“All-new Opel Grandland is already bringing the automotive future to the road. It is the first Opel on a BEV-native platform. This enables exemplary locally emissions-free ranges combined with excellent comfort. This blend combined with the bold and pure Opel design is exceptional. We are delighted that AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG have rewarded this innovative spirit with the Golden Steering Wheel,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl at the award ceremony in Berlin's Axel Springer Haus.

“All-new Opel Grandland convinces with its distinctive design and modern cockpit. And it shows how important it is today to give customers freedom when choosing their drive. Whether hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric – everyone will find the right variant,” said Robin Hornig, editor-in-chief of AUTO BILD.

Opel clearly presented what it means by “German Energy” and how the brand envisions the automotive future with the Opel Experimental concept car. The all-new Opel Grandland is already making many of the Experimental’s visionary innovations a reality. The top-of-the-line SUV is the first Opel on the BEV-native STLA Medium platform and offers numerous groundbreaking technologies, clever equipment and sustainable solutions. It always shines with the new 3D Vizor – depending on the trim even for the first time with an illuminated Opel Blitz. When viewed from the rear, the Grandland also has the continuously illuminated Opel wordmark.

In the cockpit, Grandland drivers look at two widescreen displays. Together with the optional Intelli-HUD (head-up display), they ensure that the driver can always keep his eyes on the road. In addition, Pure Mode reduces the content displayed to a necessary minimum at night or at higher speeds. The ergonomic seats with individually adjustable side cushions, certified by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR), also ensure pure and, above all, relaxed driving pleasure; the patented Intelli-Seat ergonomics feature is standard on both front seats. Safety and comfort are increased by features such as the adaptive, glare-free Intelli-Lux HD light with more than 50,000 elements and the practical Pixel Box. It has an illuminated, translucent glass surface under which the smartphone can be inductively charged. And with a volume of up to 1,645 litres, the new Grandland has plenty of loading space.

Opel and ‘Golden Steering Wheel’: 21 winners from Rüsselsheim

All-new Opel Grandland is the latest in a proud line of ‘Golden Steering Wheel’ winners from Opel. The award, which has been presented since 1976 by the Axel Springer publishing house BILD am SONNTAG (as of 2009 in cooperation with AUTO BILD) was won for the 21st time by the German carmaker. It all started in 1978, two years after the award was founded, with the Opel Senator A.

Opel Corsa Electric Wins “Best in Class” Award 2025

• “Best electric city vehicle”: electricar magazine awards Opel Corsa Electric
• Winner: Opel Corsa combines emotional appearance with top technologies and high utility value
• Small car bestseller: at the top of its segment for more than three years in a row

Opel Corsa Electric inspires customers as much as experts. The latest proof is the "Best in Class" award 2025 from electricar in cooperation with the Institute for New Mobility. The jury of the trade magazine has chosen Opel's current best-selling small car as the winner in the "Best Electric City Vehicle" category. First, the committee, made up of personalities from business, science and the media, evaluated all the proposals received and identified five finalists per category. In the second step, the Corsa Electric emerged as the winner in the electric city vehicle category. Opel Germany brand boss Patrick Dinger accepted the award from electricar editor-in-chief Armin Grasmuck at the weekend.

"The 'Best in Class' award means that we as an automobile manufacturer have done something crucial right: developing a product with the Opel Corsa Electric that is well received by experts and customers alike. A product that is successful and points the way to future-proof, resource-saving mobility. Many thanks to the electricar jury and to all Opel partners who arouse enthusiasm for the Corsa on site every day," said Patrick Dinger at the awards ceremony at the Hockenheimring.

There are many reasons for the enduring success of the Opel Corsa Electric: It scores points with its characteristic design including the Opel Vizor brand face, space for five people, and top technologies such as the adaptive, glare-free Intelli-Lux Matrix light, which make every journey more relaxed and safer. In addition, there is locally emission-free driving fun in two versions: Customers can choose from two battery-electric power levels with Opel Corsa Electric. With the 115 kW (156 hp) drive and 51 kWh battery, up to 405 kilometers (according to WLTP 2) can be covered without stopping to charge, while with 100 kW (136 hp) and 50 kWh battery, up to 357 kilometers (WLTP 2) are possible before the journey can continue after a short "break" - for example, just under 30 minutes of charging at a 100 kW direct current fast charging station for 80 percent of the battery capacity.

All of this makes the current generation of the Opel small car a bestseller. Opel Corsa - across all drive variants - has been at the top of its segment in Germany for the past three calendar years. According to statistics from the Federal Motor Transport Authority, in the first half of 2024 Opel Corsa dominated the segment again and also ranked first among battery-electric small cars.

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

[2] The stated range was determined using the WLTP test procedures (Regulation (EC) No. 715/2007 and Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range may vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular personal driving style, route conditions, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning, and thermal preconditioning.