!NEW! Opel Mokka SUV rolls off the production line in Zaragoza

• Spanish King Felipe VI guest of honor at official start of production
• Investment secures around 5,700 jobs at the Spanish plant
• Already more than 275,000 orders for the successful sub-compact SUV

The first Opel Mokka SUV from Zaragoza: King Felipe VI of Spain (on left) with Michael Lohscheller, CFO Opel Group was the guest of honor. 

The successful subcompact SUV Opel Mokka is now manufactured in Europe: Today, Opel celebrated the official start of production in Zaragoza, Spain. Guest of honor at the ceremony was the Spanish King Felipe VI.

Big day for the Spanish plant in Zaragoza: King Felipe VI was present and even signed the first Opel Mokka SUV to roll off the production line. On the right: Michael Lohscheller, CFO Opel Group

“Today is a good day for us. Producing the Mokka in Zaragoza helps us to better utilize our capacities in Europe and to serve our customers more quickly,” says Michael Lohscheller, Chief Financial Officer of the Opel Group. “Demand for the Mokka remains huge: we have received more than 275,000 orders since its market launch in the summer of 2012. This has made the SUV our third most important model within just two years. The Mokka embodies the appeal of our newest models and our brand’s comeback.”

The first Opel Mokka from Zaragoza: King Felipe VI of Spain (on left) with Michael Lohscheller, CFO Opel Group was the guest of honor. 

In total, Opel plans to invest nearly 210 million Euros this year in the important Spanish manufacturing site. Last year 168 million Euros were invested. To make the Zaragoza plant ready for the Mokka production Opel invested 80 million in the initial phase. Since the opening of the plant in 1982 the investment totaled more than 4.3 billion Euros.

King Felipe VI of Spain was the guest of honor at the start of production of the Mokka in Zaragoza, here he is being shown around by Michael Lohscheller, CFO Opel Group (on right).

Manufacturing the sub-compact SUV in Spain will secure the around 5,700 jobs in the plant there. In addition to the Opel Mokka SUV, the Opel Corsa and Opel Meriva models are also built in Zaragoza. With the fifth generation of the Opel Corsa there will be another important production start this year.

The Zaragoza plant readied itself for the Opel Mokka’s start of production in record time. After all, it was just one year ago that the decision to produce the car in Europe was announced.

The challenges this posed were mastered thanks to excellent international collaboration within General Motors. Up until now, the Opel Mokka was produced solely in South Korea.

Manufacturing will start with CKD (Completely Knocked Down) parts kits from Korea, and then the amount of locally produced parts will be increased step by step in the coming years. “Producing the Mokka here is in line with our company philosophy to build cars where we sell them,” explains Michael Lohscheller. “This year, around 20,000 Opel Mokka will roll off the assembly line in Zaragoza. Next year this number will increase considerably”.

The Opel Mokka is now a European: Today, Opel celebrated the official start of production of its successful subcompact SUV in Zaragoza, Spain.

The Opel Mokka has been a real success right from its introduction. The stylish SUV has won over experts and customers alike. In both 2013 and 2014, readers of the automotive magazine Auto Bild voted the Opel Mokka “All-wheel Drive Car of the Year” in the category “Off-road vehicles and SUVs under 25,000 euros”.

“Opel Mokka is a key part of our large model offensive,” says Lohscheller. “To 2018, we will introduce 27 new cars and 17 new engines as we grow our market share step by step.”

!NEW! Opel/Vauxhall to produce Mokka SUV in Spain’s Zaragoza plant in 2014

High global demand for small SUV creates additional capacity opportunities 

Good Decision: Opel CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann announces that the Mokka production is coming to Europe

Production of the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka is coming to Europe. GM’s plant in Zaragoza (Spain) will start producing the successful small SUV in the second half of 2014. GM and Opel/Vauxhall leadership made this joint decision because of the high demand for the vehicle in Europe. At the same time, additional capacity for small SUV’s will be created at the plant in Bupyeong (Korea) that has been the unique source of production so far.

Meeting in Zaragoza: Opel CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann shaking hands with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy

Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann said: “The decision for Zaragoza follows our company's strategy of building vehicles where we sell them. The enormous demand for the Mokka underlines the attractiveness of our vehicles, adds momentum to our product offensive and secures jobs in Europe. The decision will help address the underutilization of available production capacity in Europe and therefore is good news for the entire organization.”

Chairman of the European Employee Forum (EEF) Dr. Wolfgang Schäfer-Klug stated: “It is not only great news for Zaragoza but for all plants in view of the improved overall capacity utilization. Opel/Vauxhall management has now fulfilled a long-standing request from the EEF to produce our small SUV in Europe. This is really a win-win situation for everybody in Opel/Vauxhall.”

In the initial phase, US$ 80 million will be invested in Zaragoza for production. The decision to produce the Mokka in Europe is helping to safeguard 5,800 jobs in Opel’s Spanish plant, which is currently producing the Corsa and Meriva.

Since the launch of the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka in the summer of 2012, the vehicle has been a success. Not only is the stylish SUV popular with experts, but customers as well. The Mokka is among the three best-selling SUVs in several European markets.

While the initial European production will be based on CKD-kits (CKD = Completely Knocked Down), with parts coming from Korea, localization will gradually increase.

“This is another great day for Opel/Vauxhall,” continued Neumann. “After the recent decision of GM to invest 4 billion Euros in its European operations and an additional commitment to invest 230 million Euros in the Development Center in Ruesselsheim, Germany, this is further proof that we are on the right path.”

The biggest winners are Opel/Vauxhall customers and employees in Europe, added Neumann: “With this investment, we will be able to produce more Mokkas and to more quickly serve our customers.”