!NEW! Opel strengthens its position in Russia

• Business in Russia is now integrated into GM Europe
• Andy Dunstan takes over management position

 With vehicles like the Astra Sedan is Opel one of the most popular brands on the Russian market. Thanks to an organizational change the company is now even more powerful.

The General Motors (GM) business in Russia will be integrated into GM Europe, the European group of GM, effective January 1st, 2014. So far the business in Russia is run by GM International Operations (GMIO) based in Shanghai. It is an important step to strengthen the position of Opel on the Russian market.

Opel Astra Sedan

“This is the right decision at the right time. Russia is an important part of the European market and for Opel it is the third biggest market in Europe,” says Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Chairman of Opel/Vauxhall and President, GM Europe. “All forecasts point out that Russia will become the biggest market in Europe in the next years. Opel enjoys high reputation in Russia. With our strong model portfolio we want to clearly increase our market share.” GM brands in Russia are Opel, Chevrolet and Cadillac.

Andy Dunstan is now responsible for the business of GM in Russia

Andy Dunstan, until now Executive Director Sales Central & Eastern Europe and International Operations will take over the management of the business in Russia effective November 1st, 2013. Dunstan, who brings in valuable experiences from Product Planning, Marketing, Business Development and Sales, will report to Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. Dunstan follows Jim Bovenzi, who will move to Detroit as Executive Director Global Localization Strategy.

!NEW! Opel on track for growth in Turkey

• Istanbul Motor Show with ADAM, Mokka and Astra sedan on display
• Management board member Alfred Rieck opens Opel stand 
  
• More than 50,000 Opel vehicle sales expected this year

Turkey is one of the most important growth markets for the Opel brand. This point was emphasized by Opel Vice President Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Alfred Rieck, at the start of the Istanbul International Motor Show (November 2-11, 2012). Rieck said: “This year we will sell more than 50,000 vehicles so we’ll be increasing our market share from 6.0 to an estimated 6.3 percent. This will be our highest share since 2005. Opel is one of the top importers in Turkey and one of the most popular brands. We will build on this and outperform the growth of the local market.”

The company’s growth strategy is based on its established brand name, a powerful product portfolio and a reliable dealer network. In addition, Opel’s forthcoming engine offensive delivering new, even more efficient and environmentally friendly engines is expected to further boost its popularity with its Turkish customers.

The new Opel ADAM celebrates its Turkey premiere in Istanbul. Apart from the small, chic, urban car, the sub-compact Mokka SUV plus the Astra sedan will be the highlights of the Opel booth. More than 200 companies are expected to unveil their new products in Istanbul.  Up to a million visitors are expected at the Turkish automotive salon which takes place every two years. This makes it the third largest show this year after Geneva and Paris.

50 years of Opel compact sedans: Getting better all the time

• New Astra sedan after half-a-century notchback tradition
• World premiere at the Moscow Auto Salon (August 29 – September 9)
• Success story starts 1962 with Kadett A
  
  
  
  
  In 1962 the Opel Kadett A is launched. It lays the foundations for the modern compact segment of Germany during its economic boom years. It also makes mobility affordable to a growing middle class. There are three variants: one of them is the two-door sedan which marks the beginning of the Opel’s success story of compact notchbacks with a separate trunk. Fifty years later, the new Astra sedan is celebrating its world premiere at the Auto Salon in Moscow (August 29 – September 9, 2012). In that sense, it is also a milestone, marking a half-a-century tradition of Opel sedans in the compact segment. It is also an anniversary within an even bigger anniversary: Opel is this year celebrating its 150^th birthday as a company. There are very few other car makers that have such a long tradition. Opel’s first ever compact car was already born 76 years ago with the arrival of the 1936 Kadett. So far Opel has sold ten generations of compact vehicles, equivalent to 22 million cars.
  
  

  

  Opel Kadett B (1965 – 1973)

  Opel compact cars often served as icons in their segment. Take for example this iconic advertising slogan from 1969.

  From the 1962 Kadett A to the Kadett B (1965 – 1973) that was famed for its avant-garde advertising slogan “Opel Kadett. Das Auto.” through to the current new Astra line-up, there has always been a sedan variant in the Opel compact segment. The only exception is the Kadett D line (1979 – 1984) which was the first front-wheel drive car at Opel but was launched without a notchback variant. However, this gap was filled in 1985 with the arrival of the next model generation. Since then, Opel has maintained this body style as a four door variant in its portfolio.
  
  An overview of Opel’s compact sedans:
  
  
  Kadett A (1962 – 1965): Two doors
  Kadett B (1965 – 1973): Two and four doors
  Kadett C (1973 – 1979): Two and four doors
  Kadett E (1984 – 1991): Comeback of four door sedan in 1985.
  
  
  Astra F (1991 – 1997): Four door starting early 1992
  Astra G (1998 – 2004): Four door from fall 1998
  Astra H (since 2004): Four door from fall 2007
  Astra J (since 2009): Four door complements new Astra line-up starting fall 2012
  
  
  
  

Opel celebrates Four Moscow World Premieres

• Highlight of Moscow Auto Salon: The new Astra J sedan
• Additional  debuts for updated five door and Sports Tourer
• Opel launches powertrain renewal with New Generation SIDI gasoline engine
• 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.