!NEW! First Quarter Opel Sales up by Around 8 Percent in Europe

• Good start to new year: Best opening quarter since 2011
• Opel breaks through the 300,000 new vehicle barrier in the first quarter
• Volume increases in 17 markets, market share up in 15 markets
• Opel Astra Sports Tourer and Opel Mokka X add further impetus

Astra-nomical: New Opel Astra was sold 37,000 times in the first quarter – an increase of around 40 percent compared to its predecessor last year.

Great start to the year for Opel: The brand sold around 303,000 vehicles across Europe in the first quarter – an increase of almost 24,000 vehicles or 8 percent compared to the same period of 2015. Opel has managed to break through the 300,000 new vehicle barrier for the first time in five years thanks to the successful ongoing product offensive. The brand with the Blitz showed a stronger development than the overall European market, which only grew by 5 percent from January to March. Opel’s market share was thus up by around 0.2 percentage points to 6 percent. The company therefore recorded it best first quarter sales figures and market share for five years.

Germany, Spain, France or Belgium are the prime examples for Opel’s ongoing upwards trend. First quarter sales were up in 17 markets, the market share grew in 15 markets. The development in Spain was particularly satisfying with Opel taking top spot on the passenger car market in Q1. Furthermore, Opel is the fastest growing brand in the top 5 in Belgium (+11 percent). Elsewhere, Opel’s market share in the Netherlands was up by almost a quarter to 7.4 percent.

The new Opel Astra is largely responsible for the Rüsselsheim-based carmakers recent success. The five-door variant of Europe’s “Car of the Year 2016” was sold 37,000 times in the first quarter – and increase of around 40 percent compared to its predecessor last year. Opel has already received around 150,000 orders for the new Opel Astra from across Europe even though the important station wagon variant, the Astra Sports Tourer, is only just being introduced to dealers across Europe.

“A good start to the year. The customers across Europe really like our young and attractive model range with the Opel Astra and the Astra Sports Tourer as the current highlights. Opel Mokka X will add further impetus later this year. We are well on track to increasing our sales considerably in 2016,” said Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales Opel Group.

!NEW! Opel Announces New Battery Electric Car: Ampera-e

• New Opel battery electric vehicle will break down barriers to electric mobility
• Five-door, five-seat Ampera-e will have longer range than most electric cars
• Fun to drive, outstanding connectivity and affordably priced

Game-changer: Five-door, five-seat Opel Ampera-e will have longer range than most electric cars.

Opel will launch a revolutionary new battery electric car next year, as the German brand continues the biggest, most far-reaching model offensive in its history with 29 new models between 2016 and 2020. The new five-door, five seat will be called “Ampera-e”. It will not only have a longer range on a full charge than most electric cars, it will also be affordably priced.

Building on the electrification expertise established with the original Opel Ampera, which set the benchmark for modern electric cars in 2011, the new Opel Ampera-e combines innovative electric-mobility with state-of-the-art connectivity and exciting driving dynamics.

Announcing the Ampera-e today at the CAR Symposium in Bochum, Germany, GM Chairman & CEO Mary Barra said: “GM and Opel have always been convinced that electric cars will play a defining role in future mobility. The game-changing technology of the Ampera-e is a significant step toward realizing that vision. Our new battery electric car is also another boost for Opel’s reputation for making innovative engineering widely accessible.”

In debate: Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, host of the CAR Symposium, and GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra.

Trends like urbanization and protecting the environment also call for new kinds of mobility and alternative propulsion systems. “Electric vehicles have the potential to make a significant contribution to climate protection and emissions reduction”, says Opel group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. “The new Opel Ampera-e will open the road to electric mobility by breaking down the barriers of high price and short driving range.”

The unique, compact proportions of the Ampera-e are driven by the battery pack being mounted flat, under the vehicle floor. The efficient packaging of the battery also enables a roomy interior providing comfortable seating for five passengers and trunk space comparable with that of a car in the compact class.

The Ampera-e will also offer the award-winning personal connectivity and service assistant, Opel OnStar and connectivity and infotainment technologies that will integrate smartphones and other electronic devices seamlessly into the vehicle.

!NEW! Opel Records January Sales Increase of over 10 Percent across Europe

• Opel outgrows the overall market considerably
• Highest European sales and market share since 2011 

Huge success: Sales of the new Opel Astra were up by more than 43 percent in January.

Opel has started the year positively across Europe. New registrations of around 80,000 gave the company its highest January sales figures and market share since 2011. According to preliminary data, sales increased by 7,500 units or 10.4 percent compared to January 2015. Thus, the Rüsselsheim-based carmaker registered significantly more growth than the overall European market (growth of 2.6 percent). Opel’s market share was up by 0.4 percentage points to 5.75 percent.

Extremely popular: New Opel Astra was sold over 17,500 times across Europe.

“Our excellent start to the year once again shows that our product offensive is appealing to the taste of our customers,” said Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales Opel Group. “The new Opel Astra is a resounding success with an increase of over 43 percent in January.

The new Opel Astra Sports Tourer and the new Opel Mokka X will continue to drive sales during the course of the year.”

Opel’s strong display in the opening month of the year is mainly based on the demand for the new Astra. The current generation, available at dealerships in most European countries during the course of November, was sold more than 17,500 times. The winner of six national Golden Steering Wheel and nine Car of the Year awards has already been ordered more than a 100,000 times across Europe. In addition, the Opel Mokka registered an increase of 5.4 percent in January and recorded sales of around 12,500 units.

Opel registered an increase in sales in 14 European markets in January including the three large western European markets Germany (+20.5%), France (+16.6%) and Spain (68.8%). In Germany, Opel posted its highest January sales and markets share since 2008. In Spain, the increase saw the company record its highest sales since 2008 and its highest market share since 2001.