Opel Birthday Celebrations: 160 Years of Innovations for Millions

• 1862-2022: Opel democratises innovations for 160 years
• For all: From sewing machines and bicycles to today’s electric vehicles
• 1899: Opel starts producing cars and quickly makes mobility affordable
• Emotional bestseller: From Opel GT and Manta to Corsa and Mokka
• Opel success in motorsport: From Kadett Rallye to all-electric Corsa-e Rally
• New drivetrains: From RAK and HYDROGEN to pioneering electric brand

In 2022, Opel is celebrating a very special anniversary. For 160 years, the brand with the lightning bolt emblem has been making innovations affordable for a wide audience. This was ensured by Adam Opel himself when he founded the company in August 1862 – and later by his five sons and his wife Sophie, who energetically participated in the further development of the company and can therefore be considered the first female manager of a sewing machine, bicycle and automobile brand.

Offering customers innovations paired with emotion and tradition – the automobile manufacturer has remained true to this commitment to this day. There are numerous models from the legendary 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch”, Kadett and Kapitän to current bestsellers such as the Astra, Mokka and the Corsa, which is celebrating its 40th birthday this year. Just as Opel was a pioneer in the 1920s with the introduction of assembly line technology, the car manufacturer is now on the way to becoming a sustainable mobility brand that will rely entirely on electric vehicles in Europe from 2028.

“Opel has been moving people for 160 years. Today we are driven by the same spirit as the company founder Adam Opel: technology and innovations for everyone – whether sewing machines, bicycles or cars. All this with a clear view of the future, always ready to face new challenges. Many bestsellers from Opel's rich history stand for this, as do our current models, most of which are already electrified. From 2028, Opel will be a purely electric brand in Europe. We are therefore well prepared for the next 160 years,” says Opel CEO Uwe Hochschurtz.

Beginnings: From sewing machines to the biggest bicycle maker in the world

Success story began at the end of August 1862. Adam Opel assembled his first sewing machine in Rüsselsheim, laying the foundation stone for the young Opel company. Production figures quickly rose – not least because Opel accommodated individual customer wishes and designed special sewing machines for special requirements. As early as 1868, Adam Opel and his employees moved into a new factory. Company soon developed into one of the largest sewing machine manufacturers in Germany and exported to the whole of Europe.

After the sewing machines, Opel built up its next successful pillar with the bicycle. In 1886 the first penny-farthing bicycle was built in Rüsselsheim - making Opel one of the first bicycle manufacturers in Germany. Soon the range of models expanded to include tricycles and “Sicherheits-Niederräder” (“safety bicycle” with “low wheels”), and in 1888 the first factory building was inaugurated, reserved solely for the production of bicycles. Opel was quick to adopt modern technology such as pneumatic tyres, ball bearings and free-wheel hubs for its bicycles. From 1894 onwards, Opel introduced bicycles specially designed for women. Success story continued through the decades. In the 1920s, Opel advanced to become the world's largest bicycle manufacturer.

Start 1899: Affordable mobility with advanced technology and production

Decisive developmental step in the history of the company – driven forward by the five sons after Adam Opel's death – was the start of automobile production in 1899. Opel is thus one of the pioneers in this industry and one of the most traditional car manufacturers in the world. Automobile production in Rüsselsheim started with the Opel “Patent-Motorwagen System Lutzmann”.

1899: Opel Patent-Motorwagen System Lutzmann

In 1906 the 1,000th vehicle was built. Final breakthrough came in 1909 with the legendary 4/8 PS “Doktorwagen”. At 3,950 marks, it cost half as much as luxurious competitors and paved the way for a broader section of the population to own their own car. Introduction of the modular system in 1910 also made a significant contribution.

1909: Opel Doktorwagen

Opel was the first German manufacturer to introduce large-scale production using assembly line technology. First car to roll off the assembly line in Germany in 1924 was the 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch”, always painted green. Just three years later, the Opel 4 PS, with a base price of only 2,980 marks, was no longer an expensive luxury item for the well-heeled, but developed into a reliable means of transport for many. At the same time, thanks to rational production, the car became more affordable from year to year - and with continuously increasing performance. Demand for Opel continued to grow, and in 1931 the 1.2 litre became the first true “people's car”.

1924: Opel Laubfrosch

Next revolution in production followed soon after. In 1935, new Olympia model became the first German mass-produced vehicle with a unitary all-steel body, which, thanks to its low weight, ensured improved driving performance and low fuel consumption. For the first time, the new design enabled the so-called “marriage” between the body and the power units. Entire production process was thus faster and more efficient, paving the way for the construction method to enter large-scale production.

1935: Opel Olympia

With heart and mind: Innovative bestsellers and new car classes

Over the decades, Opel has repeatedly set trends with new models and vehicle variants and created true bestsellers. Most enduring and traditional model line was the Opel Kadett, the first version of which saw the light of day in 1936. 

1936: Opel Kadett

1962: Opel Kadett A

In 1962, Opel Kadett A became a million-seller: as a compact car, it was the driving force behind the German “economic miracle”, and in the 12th generation – since 1991 under the name Astra – it continues to ensure that innovations find their way into the compact class. Opel remains conscious of its tradition. For example, the side “gill”-look in the all-new Opel Astra hatchback is reminiscent of earlier Kadett generations.

2021: All-New Opel Astra

What is now known as Opel Astra and Insignia Sports Tourer rolled off the production line a few decades ago as the Caravan. Here, too, Opel played a pioneering role. In 1953, carmaker launched Olympia Rekord Caravan, a mixture of “car and van”, first large-series station wagon from a German manufacturer. But Opel was also an early player among the “big stuff”. 

1953: Opel Olympia Rekord CarAVan

2021: All-New Opel Astra Sports Tourer

First post-war Opel, a 1.5 tonne Blitz truck, left the factory in 1946. Today, the light commercial vehicles Combo, Vivaro and Movano, all of which have already been electrified, are practical, have a large load volume and are fully up to date – the latter even comes in two CO2-free versions: the battery-electric Vivaro-e and the hydrogen fuel cell transporter Vivaro-e HYDROGEN.

Opel Vivaro-e HYDROGEN

Opel has also enjoyed great success with smaller models over the decades. First and foremost, the Corsa small car, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Right from the start, it quickly became the best-selling vehicle in its segment and continues to be a success. In the current generation, electrified for the first time, it is once again a bestseller in its class.

Opel also established a new vehicle class in 1991 - Frontera, an “all-wheel drive recreational vehicle”, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Compact Opel Frontera Sport was the first to demonstrate what is now widely known as an SUV, and the five-door Frontera with a long wheelbase became the forerunner of the modern off-road vehicle. Around 30 years ago, it immediately became the market leader and triggered a four-wheel drive boom throughout Europe.

In 1999, Opel once again demonstrated how it combines heart and mind with innovative solutions. With Zafira and its highly variable Flex7 concept, Opel defined the new segment of seven-seater compact vans. For the first time, a seven-seater could be transformed into a two-seater with a large load area in the blink of an eye - without having to remove any seats.

Safety and comfort for all: Airbags, IntelliLux LED Pixel Light and AGR seats

Safety and comfort across all vehicle classes have always been Opel's top priorities. From the 1930s onwards, the self-supporting unitary body made the Olympia, Kadett and Kapitän more stable and lighter. Opel Rekord C was also an innovator for the brand. When it was launched in 1967, it was the first Opel car to have coil springs on the rear axle. It also set standards in its class with front disc brakes and a brake booster. In addition, the telescoping safety steering column became standard in Opel models as early as 1968.

In 1991, the Astra was fitted with the Opel Safety System with side impact protection, anti-submarining ramps in the seats and seat belt tensioners. And in 1995, Opel was the first German car manufacturer to introduce full-size airbags for driver and front passenger as standard on all new cars.

Opel also democratises lighting technologies in the medium, compact and small car classes that were previously only available in much higher-priced vehicles. In 2003, Opel was the first vehicle manufacturer to introduce AFL (Adaptive Forward Lighting), dynamic cornering lights and 90-degree cornering lights in the mid-size class; in 2008, the next generation of lights, AFL+, also made its debut with the introduction of the first Opel Insignia. 

And in 2015, the Opel Astra was the first to feature the adaptive IntelliLux LED Matrix Light, the latest generation of which, as Pixel Light with a total of 168 LED elements, now provides situation-specific, precise illumination in the Insignia, Grandland and the new Astra without dazzling other road users.

IntelliLux LED Pixel Light

In addition to safety, Opel drivers can also count on comfort. Ergonomic seats available in many models are not only adjustable in many ways and offer options including ventilation and massage functions – they have also been certified by the Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (Healthy Back Campaign).

“Only flying is nicer”: Sporty cars that arouse the emotions

Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD

Emotions that extraordinary cars can arouse were recently demonstrated by the Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD - electrified homage to the Opel Manta sports coupé that became a cult car in the 1970s and 1980s. Even back then, Opel Manta A inspired with its design and characteristic front "visor", which today adorns all new Opel models from the current Mokka to the Grandland as the Opel Vizor.

However, the company had already underlined its reputation as a manufacturer of particularly dynamic series-produced models. In 1965, Opel presented the Experimental GT, the first concept car from a European car manufacturer, at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt. The two-seater broke the mould of conventional European car design. Only three years later, the first series-produced Opel GT rolled off the production line. Its performance, unique design and attractive price made the GT a hit with buyers, and it is still a real dream car today.

In 1990, Opel Calibra seamlessly joined this line-up. With its streamlined wedge shape, the sleek model scored points with customers and set a world record drag coefficient of 0.26. The optimum aerodynamics combined with powerful engines producing up to 150 kW/204 hp pushed the maximum speed to 245 km/h.

Sporty cars in search of records - that has always been part of Opel. Most spectacular example from the early days was set on 23 May 1928 by Fritz von Opel, Adam Opel's eldest grandson. With the RAK 2 rocket car, he reached a speed of 238 km/h on the Berlin Avus.

Almost five decades ago, Walter Röhrl put Opel front and centre in motorsport. In 1974, he and co-driver Jochen Berger became European Rally Champions in an Ascona SR, and in 1982, together with Christian Geistdörfer, he won the Monte Carlo Rally in an Ascona 400 against strong four-wheel drive competition, and at the end of the season claimed the World Rally Championship title.

Opel Ascona 400

Opel Corsa-e Rally is currently proving that top performance and environmental compatibility are not mutually exclusive. With the emission-free small car, Opel is the first manufacturer to develop a battery-electric rally car that has been competing in the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, the first electric rally one-make cup worldwide, since 2021 and thus demonstrates the future of rallying.

Opel Corsa-e Rally

For the environment: From catalytic converter as standard to electric pioneer

Opel is aware of its responsibility towards the environment and acts accordingly - then as now. As early as 1985, Opel presented the Corsa 1.3i, first European small car with a three-way catalytic converter. And in spring 1989, the brand with the lightning bolt emblem was the first European manufacturer to equip all models from small cars to large limousines with the exhaust gas after-treatment system as standard. To further increase the sustainability of the vehicles and the materials used, Opel is the first car manufacturer to have implemented a recycling cycle for synthetic materials just one year later.

Opel was already on the road electrically at an early stage - and at a “record pace”. As early as 1971, the Elektro GT set six sensational electric car world records on the Hockenheim racetrack. 

Opel Elektro GT

Opel continued its role as electric pioneer in series production vehicles as well. With the electrified Opel Ampera, Europe's “Car of the Year 2012", the traditional brand established a new segment in the European automotive market. With its range extender, the coupé-like four-seater was the first electrically driven vehicle suitable for everyday use with a range of around 500 kilometres. Opel Ampera-e, a purely battery-electric compact car, followed in 2016. A single charge of the 60 kWh lithium-ion battery provides a driving range of up to 520 kilometres (according to NEDC). And in 2019, Opel launched the Corsa-e, the brand's first all-electric compact car, affordable e-mobility accessible to many customers across Europe. 

Opel Corsa-e

Range of electric models – as plug-in hybrids as well as battery-electric – has continued to grow ever since, so that by 2024 all Opel models will also be available in electrified variants.

Latest addition to the zero-emission range is the new Vivaro-e HYDROGEN fuel cell van. It is no coincidence that an Opel Vivaro-e serves as the technology carrier for the innovative drive concept. Stellantis and Opel have gained a lot of experience in more than two decades of developing hydrogen fuel-cell-drive – from the HydroGen1 feasibility study to the HydroGen4 test fleet in customer use – and have expertise in this field that covers all areas of the system.

!NEW! Opel at Techno Classica 2015 – Design as a Brand Value

• Exciting: Ten rare Opel models at vintage car show in Essen
• Innovative: Opel Design Studio first of its kind in Europe
• Ground-breaking: Style icon Experimental GT celebrates 50^th birthday
• Opel design philosophy: “Sculptural artistry meets German precision“ 

Exciting curves. Opel Experimental GT was shown on a slightly slanted platform at the IAA in 1965 to emphasize the two-seater’s dynamic shape.

Opel showcases ten design icons and concept cars at this year’s Techno Classica in Essen (15.-19.04.). The rare models on display range from the Experimental GT, the Diplomat A coupé and the Genève Study to the GTC Concept, and – as an example of Opel’s current design language – the new Corsa. The exhibit demonstrates that exciting design is one of Opel’s core brand values, a message underlined back in 1964, when Opel opened the first design studio owned by a European automaker. It was there that, for the first time, professionally trained designers and modelers – not just design draftsmen and model makers as had been the norm until then – began creating and developing the design of future vehicles. Opel welcomes all the friends of the brand, as well as all those interested in automotive history, to its 650 m2 stand in Hall 2 at Essen.

Originally, the Opel Genéve Concept that made its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in 1975 was to be powered by a Wankel engine. But the oil crisis in the early 1970s and the engine’s high fuel consumption halted this project. 

The beginnings of automobile design

Opel’s classic collection comprises about 500 cars that embody more than 150 years of the brand’s engineering expertise and embrace various style and design eras. Opel entered the automotive world in 1899 with the Patent Motor Car “System Lutzmann”. While horse-drawn carriages initially served as the starting point for motor car engineering for all manufacturers, immediately after the turn of the century the first approaches to developing specific automotive design characteristics quickly took shape.

Opel engineers were already experimenting with the streamlined shape back then and Opel models from this era often carried the sobriquet “Torpedo”, highlighting their streamlined frontal design. The influence of such design on the shape of future cars was continually growing.

Pioneer of forms. The Design Studio opened in 1964, called N10 internally, set standards for progressive work and quickly turned into a hothouse of creativity for European designers.

In 1964, Rüsselsheim-based Opel was the first European automaker to open its own design center, still called “styling studios” back then. It accommodated the first design organization owned by an automaker outside North America. Just one year after operations began, the first product from the team of Opel designers and modelers made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in 1965. Their stunning Opel Experimental GT was the first true concept car from a European automaker. Hardly anyone had expected such a sporty concept car from Opel. And even less expected was that the Rüsselsheim carmaker would bring such a trend-setting vision to the road: in 1968, Opel presented the production-ready GT sports car. Today, the Opel GT is one of the most coveted Opel cars on the classic car market.

Showpiece. Opel Experimental GT was first shown at the IAA in 1965, causing quite a sensation.

The premium-class models from Rüsselsheim’s KAD series are now just as sought after as the Opel GT. Within this model range, the 1965 Diplomat A Coupé occupies a very special place. Like the Experimental GT, it is celebrating its 50th birthday this year and it is a true rarity. Just 347 of these coupés, based on the Diplomat V8 sedan, were built by the Osnabrück coachbuilders Karmann between 1964 and 1968.

The Diplomat A V8 Coupé was not just luxurious, it was one of the fastest grand touring cars of its time

Opel again caused a sensation with another study at the 1969 IAA in Frankfurt. The Opel CD (Coupé Diplomat) thrilled industry experts with its striking, tapered form. The fiberglass body was based on a platform about 30 centimeters shorter than the Diplomat B, together with a wheelbase of 2.5 meters. For demonstration purposes, the glass dome that served as the cabin roof could be folded back as a whole with the windshield. The lattice model displayed at the Techno Classica gives an insight into what was at the time highly innovative technology in the Opel CD.

In 1975 another breath-taking concept study made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show – the aptly named Genève Concept. Designers in Advanced Engineering again created a two-seat sports coupé, this time adopting a mid-engine principle. The shape was even more tapered and streamlined and it was, of course, again fitted with pop-up headlamps.

Opel has continued presenting exciting studies in the small-car segment. At the Geneva Motor Show in 1982, the Corsa Spider, a small two-seat roadster penned by Opel designer Hideo Kodama, was unveiled. It was the forerunner of a completely new small-car range below the Kadett, which debuted in the fall of 1982 as the Corsa. With sales totaling more than 12.4 million units, this model range is today one of the most popular in the small car segment.

With the Opel Insignia study in 2003 and above all with the unveiling of the Opel GTC Concept in 2007, a new design era began at Opel, summed up by the phrase: “Sculptural artistry meets German precision”. Sculpted body surfacing and 3D headlamps are signature styling motifs of the studies created by Chief Designer Mark Adams.

As the latest example of this new design language, the fifth generation Opel Corsa will be displayed at the Rüsselsheim automaker’s stand. The new Corsa shares similarities with the successful lifestyle-oriented Opel ADAM, such as its low grille. And with its wing-shaped headlamps and that signature Opel, ‘blade’ body side, it represents the current, further evolution of Opel design.

!NEW! Shanghai GM Reveals All-New Buick Excelle GT

Mainstream mid-range sedan has new design, interior and powertrains

The all-new Buick Excelle GT exterior

Shanghai GM has revealed photos of the exterior and interior of the all-new Buick Excelle GT in advance of its upcoming domestic launch. It will strengthen the presence of Buick – Shanghai GM’s most popular brand – in China’s mid-range mainstream sedan segment.

The all-new Excelle GT reflects Buick's efficiency-oriented philosophy that caters to the preferences of local consumers. Inspired by the Buick Riviera II concept car, the all-new Excelle GT carries forward Buick's "dynamic and sleek" design language, with styling that projects an image of simplicity and sportiness.

The sedan’s interior boasts Buick's iconic 360-degree wraparound cabin layout, with exquisitely crafted and high-quality materials. It offers significantly more head and knee room than its predecessor, segment-leading room in back courtesy of short front and rear overhangs, and an ergonomic design.

The all-new Buick Excelle GT interior

Two new-generation 18T and 15N powertrain combinations will be offered. The 18T includes a 1.4T DVVT engine and an intelligent seven-speed DCG transmission, while the 15N offers a 1.5L DVVT in-line four-cylinder engine and a new six-speed DSS transmission. Both provide strong, seamless power output and segment-leading fuel economy thanks to the standard start/stop feature.

The all-new Excelle GT’s independent rear suspension ensures agile handling. Its lightweight body consists of over 65 percent high-strength steel. It comes standard with Bosch's latest ESC 9.1 system, ensuring maximum protection for occupants.

The model is also packed with segment-leading and exclusive user-friendly technology such as rear-seat air vents, LED daytime running lights and a nanometer-grade PM2.5 air filter.

The all-new Buick Excelle GT will be manufactured at Shanghai GM's new plant in Wuhan, which has adopted world-class manufacturing processes and technologies.

!NEW! 50 Years of Innovation: Opel Design Studio First of its Kind in Europe

• Advanced Studio started its creative work at Opel in Rüsselsheim in 1964
• Architecture and concept was modeled after GM studio in Warren, Michigan
• Design icons from Opel GT to Opel Monza Concept

1964 was a year of Olympic Games – the XI Winter Games were opened in Innsbruck, and just a few months later, the Olympic flame burned at the XVIII Summer Games in Tokyo. And Rüsselsheim also extended an invitation to a special celebration. For the first time, guests were able to visit the new Opel Design Studio in building N10. For many of them it was also the last time, because after the grand opening, the futuristic-looking facilities were again closed to the public. From June 1964, forms, colors and functions of the brand’s cars were developed and decided here. “It’s easier to get into Fort Knox than into N10,” said an insider back then.

The new, ultra-modern Opel Styling facility that opened in 1964 in the N10 building was directly inspired by GM Styling in Detroit. This new set-up propelled Opel to the leading edge of automotive design in Europe.

The formal opening of the building marked a milestone in European automotive history. It was the largest design studio owned by an automaker in Europe. Up until then, most European car manufacturers often commissioned external specialists for the development of new concept cars. Northern Italy, in particular the area around the capital of the Piedmont region, Turin, was regarded as the mecca of automobile design. Pietro Frua, Guiseppe “Nuccio” Bertone and Pininfarina had all set up their coachbuilding enterprises between the Alps and the Apennines. They were responsible for the design of many of the car manufacturers’ new models and concepts.

First studies from European car manufacturers

The idea for Opel’s own design studio came from US parent company GM. In Warren, Michigan, near company headquarters in Detroit, GM Styling had already been working on the future of the automobile since the late 1950s. The first attention-getting concept car had been presented even earlier: after the Art & Color Section established in 1927 and headed by Harley Earl was re-named GM Styling in 1937, just one year later GM presented the Buick Y-Job – the first genuine concept vehicle in automotive history. The goal had been to develop a new, large convertible for the Buick brand to present to the public. The building in Warren was now built on the Rüsselsheim premises, identical in form, layout and function, just on a smaller scale.

In the early 1960s, GM Styling was the biggest and most powerful design organization in the world. By 1956, GM Styling’s 1,200 staff members had settled into the brand new building designed by Eero Saarinen at GM’s Technical Center in Warren, near Detroit. Opel benefited considerably from GM’s power and vast expertise.

However, the Rüsselsheim design studio’s task was much more complex. It was to develop not only the design language of new model lines, but its sharp minds and visionaries were to reach out beyond the confines of daily business and research the design of future vehicles. Design was seen as strategic focus for future success, not as an end in itself. And this is exactly what made the difference. While others at best developed the shape of a new body, in Rüsselsheim thought was being put into design language and emotions, including aspects like what kind of statement, what character does the customer expect from the car of the future.

Clare M. MacKichan, founder of Opel Styling in Rüsselsheim, sits in the middle of his staff for one of their first meetings in their new building. They made Opel Styling the most advanced and powerful automotive design organization in Europe.

Advanced Studio was a department in N10, free from daily design work, charged not with working on what should be on the road tomorrow or the day after, but with developing possibilities and opportunities for products that would win over customers years down the road. This was a real challenge. Because as a designer back then said, if you are a step ahead of the mainstream’s taste, you are moving around on the precipice to boredom. Take a brave step further, and you have made yourself inaccessible to most people. Or to put it more bluntly: had someone entered the king’s palace in the 19th century with a tablet PC, that person would have had to reckon with being thrown in jail for subversive behavior. Maybe that is why some automobile studies look boring and uninspired just a few years after their premiere.

Opel’s design team led by Erhard Schnell (standing right) try out the future Opel GT’s interior at Opel’s brand new Advanced Studio.

The Opel design studio’s task made it unique in Europe. It quickly turned into a European school for automobile design that had a magical attraction for the best in the industry. The studio’s personnel list from the past reads like a Who’s Who of the automotive design world: Anatole Lapine, Erhard Schnell, George Gallion, Charles M. ‘Chuck’ Jordan, Herbert Killmer, Chris Bangle, Murat Nasr and Hideo Kodama. And more than a few made their way to other manufacturers during their career after other brands had also established their own design studios years later. Many ideas, forms and design statements in automobiles originated in Rüsselsheim and reach back into the 1960s.

Following the stunning success of the Experimental GT at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Opel decided to put the car into production. While engineers were developing the chassis and powertrain of the future Opel GT, designers adapted its shape for production, which required creating new sketches and clay models.

Opel GT production started in 1968. But Opel designers had further ideas and the Advanced design team under Erhard Schnell (speaking with Hans Seer) prepared a proposal for an Aero GT with a targa roof, here as a clay model, for the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The list of design icons created by the Opel Advanced Design Studio in these 50 years can hardly be topped in its diversity. The Opel Experimental GT was the first masterpiece of work the young, committed team presented just one year after the new design studio was opened. The bold sports car already made its debut in 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). Thereafter in quick succession followed the Opel CD, a streamlined coupé with a V8 engine in 1969, the GT2 with sliding doors in 1975 and the extremely aerodynamically optimized Tech1, whose drag coefficient of Cd 0.235 was an absolute sensation in the early 1980s. The women and men from the Advanced Design Studio team presented their latest work at the last IAA in Frankfurt. The Opel Monza Concept shows design solutions and technical approaches that will appear in the brand’s model lines in the coming years.

Opel Monza Concept (2013)

!NEW! Extension of Opel GT ignition switch recall

In an extension of the previously announced recall concerning the ignition switch of the model year 2007 Opel GT, Opel will replace the ignition switch in all model year GT cars in Europe, since faulty switches may have been used to repair the vehicles. 

Opel GT

So far, around 2,300 units of the model year 2007 GT had been affected and the customers notified. Including the model years 2008 – 2010, this figure increases to 7,450 vehicles.

Opel is not aware of any incidents or injuries related to the ignition switch condition concerning the GT.

Other Opel models are not affected.

Until the condition is rectified, customers should only use the ignition key with nothing else on the key ring. 

Opel GT - Interior

Owners will be contacted a soon as possible. Opel dealers will replace their ignition switch free of charge.

!NEW! Buick Sets Global Sales Record Topping 1 Million in 2013

1,032,056 deliveries is best in brand’s 110 year history

Buick Encore 

Buick delivered 1,032,056 vehicles in China, the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2013, the most Buicks sold in a single year in the brand’s 110-year history. The previous record was 1,003,345 sold in 1984.

Strong growth in both China and North America accounted for the record-breaking year, with global sales up 15.4 percent over 2012. China posted a 15.7 percent sales gain, while the U.S. delivered a 13.9 percent sales increase. Canada also saw strong sales growth, with a 9.5 increase over 2012. In the U.S., 42 percent of Buick buyers were new to the brand and to General Motors.

Buick experienced strong global growth in both crossovers and sedans from a product lineup that is among the freshest in the industry and the strongest the brand has ever featured.

Buick Verano 

The new Encore small crossover ended 2013 with 97,311 sales globally, while the eight-passenger Enclave saw sales grow 6.5 percent in North America. Enclave recorded its best year of U.S. sales in 2013.  Exclusive to China, the GL8 posted an annual sales gain of 9.7 percent.

Buick Excelle GT

In the sedan segment, the China-exclusive compact Excelle again dominated in the compact sedan segment, delivering 6.9 percent sales growth. The Excelle GT and Verano compact sedans combined globally to deliver a 16.3 percent gain, while sales of the Excelle XT hatchback, sold only in China, were up 17.5 percent.

Buick Excelle XT 

Country	2013 Volume	2012 Volume	Percent Change
China	809,918	700,007	15.7
United States	205,509	180,408	13.9
Canada	14,310	13,068	9.5
Mexico	2,319	1,122	106.6
Total	1,032,056	894,605	15.4

!NEW! 25 Years Ago the First Opel Vectra Modernized the Mid-size Class

• Leading in technology, aerodynamics and design
• Over 20 national and international awards
• Market leader in highly competitive mid-size class

Opel Vectra A GL hatchback, 1988

Everything about the Opel Vectra was new when it hit the streets in the fall of 1988 – exactly 25 years ago: the name, the shape and the technology it encapsulated. Opel’s new mid-size model had a tough act to follow in replacing the successful Ascona, which was introduced in 1970 and had evolved through three model generations. The Vectra’s name and its aerodynamic design were inspired by the progressive looks of the Omega. Available as a notchback and hatchback, the Vectra introduced new technologies in series production: it was the first Opel model which could be ordered with all-wheel drive. And by the model change in the late summer of 1995, the Vectra A had won more than 20 national and international awards, provided the technical base for the Calibra sports coupé and achieved up to 20 percent market share at its peak. With 2.5 million units sold across Europe, the Vectra was the most successful mid-size model in Opel’s history until then.

Opel Vectra A GL notchback, 1988

Progressive in design, advanced in technology

More than 3.9 million Asconas had been sold during its 18 year production run, but when the Vectra arrived 25 years ago it was the future, consigning the Ascona to its place in history. Only its front-wheel drive layout and size was carried over, while space was dramatically increased. With five seats and 530 liters of trunk volume, the new Vectra rivaled Opel’s high-end Senator model. And when the rear seatbacks were folded down, load volume increased to 840 liters.

Opel invested over five million hours of development time in creating the Vectra, with 20,000 hours alone devoted to perfecting the aerodynamics of its slippery new body shape.  Boasting an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.29, the Vectra was one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class, just like its role model, the Omega, which had brought advanced design language and a new nomenclature into the Opel model portfolio in 1986. The Vectra, conceived for the European market of the 1990s, was “progressive in design, leading in aerodynamics and advanced in technology”, according to the press kit.

Opel Vectra A notchback 1.8 S 4x4

Changes in construction were numerous. In addition to an optional, newly developed, electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with three driving modes (economy, sport and winter), the Vectra was the first Opel passenger car available with a factory-fitted All-Wheel-Drive system (AWD). Developed in co-operation with Steyr-Daimler-Puch, the system featured a viscous coupling that enabled variable power distribution to the rear axle according to driving and road conditions, and a multi-disk clutch that decoupled the rear axle during braking, thus guaranteeing high directional stability. 

Vectra A 4x4 was the first Opel passenger car available with factory fitted All-Wheel Drive system.

Optional all-wheel drive was available for the Vectra with 1.8 or 2.0-liter engines. The top-of-the-line model was the four-door Vectra 2000 16V 4x4, with a 150 hp, 2.0 liter DOHC four-cylinder unit with four-valve technology, all-wheel drive, electronically controlled ABS, a semi-trailing-arm rear axle with independent rear suspension from the Omega, and disc brakes fitted all-round. The 215 km/h Vectra 2000 16V was also available only with front-wheel drive, and it occupied a special place in the Vectra range, with a sporty character similar to the Kadett GSi and Omega 3000 models.

Opel Vectra A 2000 16V

The Vectra came standard with a 75 hp, four-cylinder 1.6 liter OHC engine and a lambda-probe-equipped three-way catalyst. More powerful models were the four-cylinder with 1.8 liters and 88 hp and the 2.0 i CAT engine with 115 hp. The 1.7-liter diesel with 57 hp was new to the range. The Vectra was offered in two body styles – as a classic, four-door notchback and as a five-door hatchback model – and four equipment lines. The notchback was available as a GL, GLS or luxury CD, and the hatchback in GL and sporty GT versions. A dynamic lifestyle station wagon like the Voyage from the first Ascona generation was not offered.

Sporty Opel Vectra GT was offered in two body styles – as a classic, four-door notchback and as a five-door hatchback 

Market leader in the mid-size class

During the first model year, 364,000 units of the Opel Vectra and its British sister model Vauxhall Cavalier were built. In the late summer of 1989, the dynamically styled coupé version, the Calibra, was introduced. The Vectra served as the technical base for the sporty two-door coupé. After just 30 months, in April 1991, the one-millionth vehicle rolled off the assembly line.

The continuous further development of the model range, which at times was produced simultaneously in Germany, Belgium, the UK and Turkey, played a major role in this success. In 1990 the powertrain portfolio was expanded with a newly developed 1.8 liter four-cylinder with fuel injection and lambda-probe-equipped catalyst (90 hp) as well as a 1.7 liter turbo diesel (82 hp). From June 1992 the Vectra was the only car in its class in Europe to feature ABS as standard, and in August 1992 the bestseller was given a more modern look with a newly designed front, color-coded bumpers as well as optimized safety equipment with standard seat-belt pretensioners and side impact protection in the doors.

Opel Vectra A 2000 16V 4x4

In 1993 the model line got two completely new, innovative and very differently designed top models within just six months. In the spring of 1993 the luxurious Vectra V6 was introduced, the first Opel model in its class offered with a six-cylinder engine. The V6 power plant was also a premiere for the company: the 2.5-liter, 170 hp 24V ECOTEC unit was the first Opel engine with V-cylinder arrangement. The Vectra GT 16V with 150 hp replaced the Vectra 2000 as the model line’s sporty spearhead.

In the fall of 1993 the Vectra family grew again with the Vectra turbo. It featured the top Calibra model’s propulsion technology and combined the established all-wheel drive with a standard six-speed manual transmission and a supercharged 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine with 204 hp. The turbo was the only member of the first Vectra generation to reach a top speed of 240 km/h and come with 6 J x 16 light alloy wheels as standard.

Opel Vectra A 2.0 16V Turbo 4x4, 1993 

The last update already anticipated the future. In the spring of 1994 the Vectra CDX was presented with a newly-developed 2.0 liter 16 V four-cylinder engine with 136 hp that was also used in the successor Vectra B model. At this time in its seventh year of production, the Vectra A was number 2 in European registration statistics. When it was replaced in model year 1996, around 2.5 million units had been sold, making it the most successful car in the mid-size class at the time.