Opel full speed ahead with Opel Corsa at ERC round in Czech Republic

• Opel Corsa Rally4 in first international competition at Barum Czech Rally Zlín
• Electric ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup round at European Rally Championship
• WRC3 leader Yohan Rossel as special guest pilot in Opel Corsa-e Rally

 

New Opel Corsa Rally4

Barum Czech Rally Zlín from August 27-29 is a twofold highlight of the 2021 rally season for Opel Motorsport. Not only will the world's first electric rally one-make cup, ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, present itself on the international stage at the Czech round of the ERC. New Opel Corsa Rally4, which has already been busy collecting victories and podium places on the national level, will also make its first international appearance at the asphalt event around the industrial city of Zlín in the south-east of the Czech Republic.

New Opel Corsa Rally4

Opel works driver Marijan Griebel (32), the Junior European Champion from 2016 and 2017, will pilot the new 208 hp Opel Corsa Rally4. Co-driver in the customer sports car from Rüsselsheim is Tobias Braun (26), who is also one of the best in his field. And so the goal of the Opel crew is clear: “The competition is really tough, but it is not our aim to simply compete. We want to prove the high potential of the Corsa Rally4 and give it our all to be a contender at the front of the field,” says Griebel.

Opel Corsa-e Rally

Participants of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup are sure to pay careful attention to what Griebel/Braun do in the Opel Corsa Rally4. Because in 2022, one of them will have the opportunity to compete in the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team in exactly this type of vehicle and thus further develop as a driver.

Opel Corsa-e Rally

Season highlight for the first electric rally one-make cup

Barum Czech Rally Zlín is a very special challenge for the Cup participants. Fast asphalt tracks of the traditional event demand the utmost of the young teams in their sporty electric cars. A total distance of 522.72 kilometres – including 12 highly demanding special stages covering 147.33 kilometres – is in store for the crews of the Opel Corsa-e Rally on the three event days.

Opel Corsa-e Rally

Starting competitive status is clear: leader in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup is Laurent Pellier. The 26-year-old Frenchman has a flawless record after two rounds with a maximum score of 80 points. His closest rival is Luca Waldherr in the Opel Corsa-e Rally from Opel Austria. Top-ranked German drivers, Max Reiter and Alexander Kattenbach, are hard on the heels of the two leaders.

Guest appearance of WRC star Yohan Rossel in TotalEnergies' Opel Corsa-e Rally

Participants of the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup can look forward to another special challenge during the Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Top international driver Yohan Rossel has announced that he will be a guest participant in the electric Cup. 26-year-old Frenchman is considered one of the greatest talents of his country. After his third win of the season in the Citroën C3 Rally2 at the Belgian round of the WRC, Rossel leads the WRC3 rankings. At the Barum Rally, the 2019 French Rally Champion and his co-driver Alex Coria will pilot a Corsa-e Rally entered by Opel Motorsport and designed by Opel partner TotalEnergies. “I'm looking forward to my first start in an electric rally car,” said the WRC star. “I will certainly have to adapt in the Opel Corsa-e Rally, but Alex and I are happy to be here and gain experience. We will give everything to be competitive when we start as guests in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. I have no doubt that we will have a lot of fun, and I would like to thank Opel Motorsport and TotalEnergies for the opportunity to experience the Opel Corsa-e Rally.”

Opel Corsa-e Rally

Eurosport TV channel will report on the world's first electric rally one-make cup on Tuesday after the rally as part of its “ERC - All Access” magazine, focusing on standings leader leader Pellier.

!NEW! Opel’s European Sales Increase by Almost 13 Percent in August

• Opel outgrows the market more than threefold in August
• Sales increase of around four percent in the first eight months
• New registrations up in more than 19 European countries

Hot summer: Opel increased sales in August by more than 7,300 vehicles or 12.8 percent compared to the same period of 2014 to around 64,500 units.

Opel added another chapter to its ongoing success story in August with strong growth across Europe. 

According to preliminary numbers, the Rüsselsheim-based carmaker increased sales in August by more than 7,300 vehicles or 12.8 percent compared to the same period of 2014 to around 64,500 units. Opel therefore outgrew the overall European vehicle market (plus 4.1 percent) more than threefold. Opel’s market share is up by more than 0.4 percentage points to 5.71 percent. The overall result for the first eight months of the year is also positive – despite Opel pulling out of the Russian market. From January to August, the brand sold over 735,000 vehicles – around four percent or 27,300 units more than during the same period of last year. This is equivalent to a market share of 5.83 percent.

Insignia and co.: Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall posted an increase in volume in more than 19 European markets for the first eight months of 2015.

“This sales success is mainly down to our new models that are extremely popular with the customers across Europe. The new Astra, which will celebrate its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show and is a real quantum leap, will add additional drive to our sales,” said Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales and Aftersales of the Opel Group.

Opel and its British sister brand Vauxhall posted an increase in volume in more than 19 European markets for the first eight months of 2015 including Germany (+3 percent), the UK (+3 percent), France (+6 percent), Spain (+17 percent), Portugal (+18 percent), Poland (+18 percent), Italy (+20 percent) and Turkey (+34 percent).

Opel recorded its highest market share for August on its home market Germany since 2011 – with a 7.2 percent share of the overall vehicle market and a 7.5 percent share of the passenger car market. Opel also achieved its best market share for August since 2011 in the Netherlands (5.8 percent) and in the Czech Republic, the company recorded its best market share for August since 2001 (5.31 percent). The brand with the Blitz claimed top spot on the Hungarian passenger car market in August with a market share of 12.31 percent. Opel’s sister brand Vauxhall was the second on the UK passenger car market in August (11.27 percent market share) and for the first eight months of the year (10.29 percent market share). Furthermore, Opel took second place on the Spanish passenger car market in August.

!NEW! Opel Dominates FIA ERC Junior Finale

• European Junior champion Emil Bergkvist wins Barum Czech Rally in Opel ADAM R2
• Opel takes first and third place at FIA ERC Junior 2015 finale
• Tire defect costs Opel works driver Marijan Griebel second place

This is what winners look like: Emil Bergkvist and Joakim Sjöberg at ceremony in Zlín.

The ADAC Opel Rallye Junior team finished the 2015 FIA ERC Junior season with another outstanding performance. Swedish Opel works driver Emil Bergkvist (21, from Torsåker) and co-driver Joakim Sjöberg (29, from Ösmo), who had already captured the ERC Junior title before the end of the seaon, won the Barum Czech Rally Zlín in the Czech Republic in grand style. Their brand colleagues Aleks Zawada from Poland and his French co-driver Cathy Derousseaux took third place in a privately run Opel ADAM R2.

Masterful: ERC Junior champion Emil Bergkvist on his way to third season victory.

“I am overjoyed,“ beamed Bergkvist after his third season victory in the FIA ERC Junior 2015’s six races. “This rallye was the perfect end to a perfect season. Everything went according to plan, we were able to control the race from our leading position. We all worked so hard for this success, and it is great to see that our hard work paid off. Many thanks to my fantastic team from Opel Motorsport. Without them none of this would have been possible.”

High-flyer: Marijan Griebel again showed the Opel ADAM R2’s huge potential at the ERC finale.

In a second works Opel ADAM R2, Marijan Griebel (26, from Hahnweiler) and co-drive Stefan Clemens (28, from Thailen) had a stroke of bad luck when they suffered a puncture on their right front tire in the eleventh special stage after a top performance that had them on their way to becoming vice champion. As there were still more than ten kilometers to go to the finish line, the duo was forced to stop for a tire change. A good three minutes were lost and so they were only able to take fourth place in the rallye. In the fight for second place, Griebel came in hard on the heels of the young Latvian Ralfs Sirmacis, finishing a very strong third.  

Subdued joy: A tire puncture cost Marijan Griebel and Stefan Clemens the vice championship

But Griebel was disappointed: “We deserved second place. It is really bitter that a tire defect ruined everything. But with a little time and distance, I‘ll be able to look back at this year with the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior team with great satisfaction. We were really competitive in this extremely tough championship and drove a strong season.”

The three customer Opel ADAM R2s were also very fast. Aleks Zawada celebrated his second podium finish in the FIA ERC Junior, where Julius Tannert also could have joined him. But he and his co-driver Jennifer Thielen from Luxembourg lost valuable time on the first day and were stopped by a technical problem on Sunday on the way to the first special stage. The Bavarian duo Dominik Dinkel/Pirmin Winklhofer drove so well in their first European championship race in their Opel ADAM R2 that they would have come in sixth in the ERC Junior (for which they weren’t registered).

Proud boss: Opel Motorsport-Director Jörg Schrott with the winners Bergkvist (l.) and Sjöberg.

Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott was very pleased with the Opel teams‘ performance in the Czech Republic: “This result again shows that the ADAM R2 is currently the benchmark in the R2 class. Our European champion Emil once again gave us a taste of his exceptional talent. I feel very badly for Marijan, who yet again suffered a tire puncture that cost him a better result. My compliment go to Aleks, Julius and Dominik, who were very fast in our customer cars.”

Strong comeback: Opel celebrated first European championship title in 33 years with Emil Bergkvist and the Opel ADAM R2.

!NEW! Triple Victory for Opel at Ypres Rallye

• Opel teams dominate fourth round of FIA ERC Junior
• Three ADAM R2 winners – Aleks Zawada ahead of Marijan Griebel and Julius Tannert
• Bad luck costs Opel works drivers Griebel and Bergkvist near certain victory

Marijan Griebel, Stefan Clemens, Cathy Derousseaux, Aleks Zawada, Julius Tannert and Jennifer Thielen (from left to right) celebrate the Opel one-two-three at the Ypres Rallye.

Opel reinforced its strong position in the FIA ERC Junior at the Kenotek Ypres Rallye in West Flanders, Belgium. Pole Aleks Zawada and his French co-driver Cathy Derousseaux celebrated their first victory in their customer Opel ADAM R2, ahead of German Opel works drivers Marijan Griebel/Stefan Clemens from the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team and Julius Tannert and his Luxembourgian co-driver Jennifer Thielen in another customer Opel ADAM R2. Three of this year‘s four season victories in the FIA ERC Junior have now gone to the brand with the blitz!

“A fantastic day, a fantastic car, a fantastic rallye,” said an elated Zawada, who seemed to be out of the running for victory at the beginning of the second day after his 190 hp front-wheel drive car was stuck in a ditch for a minute after a harmless spin. But the Polish-French team did not give up, fought their way back and ultimately also benefitted from their competitors’ back luck. “Luck also plays a role, and the score is settled at the very end,” said Zawada. “I am really sorry for Emil and Marijan. Both deserved to win. But I am overjoyed that our efforts resulted in victory.”

The Opel works drivers Emil Bergkvist and Marijan Griebel battled for the lead from the first kilometer before both were impeded by mishaps. First Bergkvist had to retire his Opel ADAM R2 in the twelfth of seventeen stages with an engine problem. And then Griebel, who went into the last stage with a 36-second lead, suffered a left rear puncture shortly before the finish line. The 26-year-old from Hahnweiler still managed to take his Opel ADAM R2 across the finish line on one rim, but the time loss of nearly one minute sent him and his co-driver Stefan Clemens (28, from Thailen) to second place behind Zawada.

Bad luck strikes: Opel factory driver Marijan Griebel was leading until a damaged tire on the last stage of the Ypres Rallye saw him drop to second.

Griebel was understandably frustrated: “After a few days, I’ll probably be able to be pleased with our good performance and Opel Motorsport’s superior showing in this magnificent setting in front of thousands of excited spectators here in Ypres. But right now disappointment is the overwhelming feeling. Opel’s triple victory clearly proves that especially on asphalt, ADAM R2 currently sets the benchmark in its class. So we’re going into the last two FIA ERC Junior events in Estonia and the Czech Republic with a lot of self-confidence.”

Lead defending: Opel factory driver Emil Bergkvist defended first place in the FIA ERC Junior despite having to retire from the Ypres Rallye.

Swede Bergkvist (21, from Torsaker), who together with his co-driver Joakim Sjöberg (29, from Ösmo) won the first two FIA ERC Junior rounds in Latvia and Ireland, was disappointed but composed. “We had absolutely everything we needed to win here today. But things like this happen in motorsports, and there is no one I can blame for it. To be honest, I’d rather fight to win and have to pull out because of bad luck than be too slow and finish fourth. And we still have the best shot at the FIA ERC Junior championship.”

Indeed, the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team’s position in the FIA ERC Junior is still excellent. As only four of six rallye results are taken into consideration for the final points tally, Bergkvist’s withdrawal in Ypres could be a void result. And as his two toughest pursuers also failed to finish the race, he even increased his lead in the ranking after four rounds by two to 26 points. Griebel’s second-place finish put him in third place in the overall standings. He is currently 43 points behind his team colleague Bergkvist.

Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott commented on his charges’ results with mixed feelings: “Today two hearts beat in my chest. We celebrated a fantastic result for Opel that proves that our customer ADAM R2s are just as powerful as both works cars. I really feel for Emil and Marijan. Both gave a fantastic performance that deserved a victory. Marijan really had everything under control until the last stage. But I’m also happy for Aleks and Julius, who showed that they are capable of keeping up with the fast pace at the top of the FIA ERC Junior. Overall the performance of the Opel ADAM R2 was extremely good. And we are of course happy to go into the races in Estonia and the Czech Republic knowing this.”

!NEW! Opel ADAM and Astra Sports Tourer collect trophies in poll ALD Automotive Fleet Awards 2013

Just third title of Astra Sports Tourer confirms quality of bestseller from Opel brand 

A great result for Opel ADAM - Master of disguise

Outstanding reliability demonstrated by the German agency DEKRA or magazine "auto motor und sport

Andrej Barcak , Marketing Director Czech and Slovak representation of Opel, with trophies Fleet Award for the Opel  Astra Sports Tourer and Opel ADAM

Elegant estate Opel Astra Sports Tourer won the last two editions of the survey ALD Automotive Fleet Awards winning in the category of "Benefit " in the charged segment of official cars. Even from this year of awards this respected national survey, the largest specialized survey focused on the management of fleet and company cars, announced Publishing Club 91 (titles: FLEET company cars, Pneu revue, AutoBusiness, Truck & Business ), popular Astra Sports Tourer don't leave empty: the online vote winner in its segment  officer vehicles !

"Three triumphs Astra Sports Tourer in three consecutive years of the survey - it clearly speaks about the qualities of this model, " says Andrej Barcak, Marketing Director Czech and Slovak representation Opel. " His performance parameters, driveability, providing value and not least an attractive design, the Astra Sports Tourer tip of your segment. And I 'm sure now that under the hood of these cars appear petrol and diesel engines entirely new generation of our bestselling popularity will increase. "

The ceremony ALD Automotive Fleet Awards 2013 will be the Opel took yet another victory : a hundred-member jury composed of managers moving in fleet management, senior company managers, owners, partners, etc. . , Attributed the victory in the " Mini" attractive model Opel ADAM, which attracted mainly by its design, variety and quality sophisticated interior.

"ADAM is in every way an exceptional model - and, of course, pleased that he could convince the jury so difficult, "comments Zbynek Janecek, Fleet Manager Czech and Slovak representation Opel. "Leave behind the Skoda Citigo and Volkswagen up! is for us an extraordinary impulse."

The Top of the Quality and Reliability 

Opel Astra is the third best-selling model in Europe in the context of the most powerful passenger car segment , which accounts for about a quarter of the total European market. Customers clearly hear not only the attractive design of Astra , but also appreciate the quality and reliability of these models, as demonstrated by the traditional survey of the technical condition of used cars " DEKRA Mängelreport 2012" renowned German testing agency DEKRA: Opel Astra achieved the best result of all tested cars in the category individually assessed and models were evaluated as the car with the fewest faults.

The fact that top rating Astra's success is not accidental, but it is the result of systematic pressure carmaker Opel on quality, evidenced by the fact that in previous years, the closely watched ranking DEKRA placed on top of the Opel Corsa and Opel Insignia.

A recent addition to the list of triumphs Opel Astra Sports Tourer is the result of a long-term test for 100,000 kilometers of the German magazine "auto motor und sport": Opel Astra ST passed through it without the slightest defect, and achieved the best rating in its class !

!NEW! Opel in the first quarter of 2013: Growth in market share in the Czech and Slovak Republic and in All Europe

• Opel begins attack the second position of the European passenger car market
• Progress of orders promises continued strengthening brand position
• Clearly declared support from GM increases client confidence

Opel ADAM 

While the vast majority of "bulk" of competing brands losing their positions Opel in Europe, on the contrary reinforces: During the first quarter in Europe (EU + EFTA) sold 209,000 cars Opel, which makes Opel increased its market share to 6.7% and confirms Already last year, started the campaign for the position of "twos" European passenger car market. "From the fifth place, we have to work through the end of last year through the French competition to the third position - and now literally breathe on his back yet another Ford," says Pavel Šilha, Managing Director Czech and Slovak representation of Opel.

Opel thrive and grow market share in a declining domestic market. "In the Passenger Cars + Light Commercial Vehicles segment during the first quarter we increased market share of 2.41%, an increase of 24% compared to the same period of 2012," says Josef Šopík, sales director of Opel in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. "We are confident that we will maintain this trend in the coming months as each month registering a higher order."

Opel Mokka SUV

The positive results of Opel in the Czech Republic and Europe have the greatest merit attractive models, which recently swelled into production and is now beginning to fully promote the sales statistics. Literally hit as the Opel Mokka compact SUV, which has only a few months after the launch to his credit already over 100,000 orders. "Great attention is also drawn to the extremely adaptable minimodel ADAM ai responses to Cascada convertible promise a decent income," says director Šilha sales results Opel models. "Personally, I much promise from approaching motor coaching - in most of our models appear completely new diesel and gasoline engines, whose parameters are the absolute top of what is today's automotive market to buy!"

It is hard to measure, but in daily contact with customers is quite obvious trend of building confidence in the brand. "A clear declaration of full support for Opel by parent company General Motors coupled with huge investment in the development and production apparently calmed the situation and restore the confidence of clients," says Pavel Šilha. GM two weeks ago announced that in the coming years to invest in Opel model offensive 4 billion Euros , making the German automaker will present in 2016 a total of 23 new models and 13 new engines. And yesterday, GM "throwing" an additional investment of 230 million Euros to build a new testing capabilities in its European design center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and the nearby test track Dudenhofen.

"General Motors needs a strong presence in Europe in the design, development, production and sales - and Opel in this respect is a key factor in our success and has our full support," does not admit any doubt Dan Akerson, chairman and CEO of General Motors.