!NEW! Opel Opens New Global Propulsion Systems Center

• Seven-floor testing and development building for propulsion systems of the future
• €210 million investment at Rüsselsheim headquarters

Opel has invested €210 million in the complex of the new Global Propulsion Systems Center in Rüsselsheim. More than 800 people work here.

Only two years after the groundbreaking ceremony the new, ultra-modern Global Propulsion Systems Center at Opel’s Rüsselsheim headquarters is ready to go into service. Volker Bouffier, Prime Minister of the federal state of Hesse, who took the opportunity to take a close look at the impressive building complex, attended the official inauguration ceremony.

Hesse’s Prime Minister Volker Bouffier presents the “Hessian Lion” to Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Global Propulsion Systems Center in Rüsselsheim.

More than 800 engineers and technicians will develop the propulsion systems of the future in the complex with a surface area of around 36,000 square meters. The complex not only has a technology center and office space but also 45 latest generation test dynamometers.

Hessian Prime Minister Volker Bouffier and Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann put the first test dynamometer for propulsion systems into operation.

The €210 million invested in the new Global Propulsion Systems Center is the biggest single investment in buildings in Rüsselsheim since the inauguration of the new production plant in 2002.

“The future will quite literally be shaped in the new Global Propulsion Systems Center. Rüsselsheim is one of the most important centers of innovation in our state and it has become an internationally competence center, especially in the mobility sector. Products, concepts and solutions that are used around the glove are developed here. This importance is once emphasized by the new center. The investment made by Opel is a clear commitment to Rüsselsheim and I am happy that the company will continue to shape the future from here. Opel is a key part of Hesse and a piece of Hessian identity,” said Prime Minister Volker Bouffier.

Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann and Uwe Baum, Deputy Chairman of the Opel Works Council, welcomed Prime Minister Bouffier. Dan Nicholson, GM Vice President Global Propulsion Systems was also present to greet the guests.

“The new development center will make our work even faster and even more efficient. It not only strengthens Opel but also Rüsselsheim and the entire GM development network. Opel and its parent company General Motors want to remain one of the pioneers of clean propulsion systems as seen with the new groundbreaking Ampera-e electric car,” emphasized Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.

“This new center is a very important strategic investment. We will develop the propulsion systems of the future here by using ultra-modern tools and a total of 45 new dynamometers. GM decided to build this center in Rüsselsheim for good reason. It is a sign of appreciation for the performance and the know-how of our highly-qualified Opel engineers. The global network makes GM and Opel especially strong,” said Dan Nicholson.

Uwe Baum, Deputy Chairman of the Opel Works Council, added: “This investment is an important step for the future and proof of the growth and employment opportunities at Opel. The center for propulsion systems will help us secure work places and competences at the development center, as already agreed in the ITDC labor contract. Today is a good day for Opel and for Rüsselsheim.

This new construction is part of the €230 million investment in new testing and development facilities at the International Technical Development Center (ITDC) and at the Development Center in Rodgau-Dudenhofen announced two years ago, with most of the total amount being invested in Rüsselsheim.

The facility is integrated in the global development system of GM Global Propulsion Systems. The output can be optimally evaluated and implemented thanks to the internationally standardized testing procedures and software.

New Name for New Era: GM Powertrain Evolves to GM Global Propulsion Systems

• GM Powertrain becomes General Motors Global Propulsion Systems
• New propulsion diversity: Shaping the future of transportation and mobility

New Name: GM Powertrain becomes General Motors Global Propulsion Systems.

Opel parent company General Motors will officially rename GM Powertrain to GM Global Propulsion Systems, being the first OEM to formally transition to a new naming convention to reflect industry trends and its evolution over the years. The European engineering centers reside in Rüsselsheim and Turin. These sites will be named GM Global Propulsion Systems – Rüsselsheim Engineering Center and Turin Engineering Center accordingly.

“The new name is another step on our journey to redefine transportation and mobility,” said Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President, Global Product Development. “Global Propulsion Systems better conveys what we are developing and offering to our customers: an incredibly broad, diverse lineup – ranging from high-tech 3 cylinder gasoline engines to fuel cells, battery electric systems, and 6 and 8 speed transmissions.”

1.0 ECOTEC Turbo with Direct Injection is an all-aluminum engine powering the Opel ADAM, Corsa and Astra.

GM’s Global Propulsion Systems is collectively the group of more than 8,600 people that design, develop, engineer and manufacture all propulsion related equipment and controls for GM worldwide. Presently, some 2,500 experts are employed in this area at the European sites in Rüsselsheim and Turin.

All-aluminum: 1.4 ECOTEC Direct Injection Turbo with central direct fuel injection will be available in the new Opel Astra in two outputs, 92 kW/125 hp and 110 kW/150 hp

According to Christian Müller, Vice President, GM Global Propulsion Systems – Europe, “Gone are the days when a gasoline engine and a transmission are all a vehicle needs. Today mobility is key and the customer is demanding unprecedented technology integration that requires unprecedented engineering and supplier partnerships. The name change reflects the new and larger scope as we head into a future of propulsion systems such as electric drive.”

Nearly 50 percent of the Global Propulsion Systems engineering workforce is involved with alternative or electrified propulsion systems. GM’s expanding capabilities include the all-new Opel Ampera-e battery electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cells. Other notable systems include the new generation combustion engines currently being rolled out.

Other recent achievements include the Easytronic 3.0 automated manual transmission of the Opel ADAM, Corsa and Astra, the highly acclaimed drivetrain for the Astra and the new BiTurbo diesel engine which makes its world debut at the Geneva motor show in the new Astra Sports Tourer.