Opel Celebrates “60 Years of Opel Design Studio”

• First of its kind: Advanced Studio started its creative work at Opel in 1964
• Visionary concept cars: From 1965 Opel Experimental GT to 2023 Opel Experimental
• Two reasons to celebrate: “125 years of automotive production at Opel” and “60 Years Design Center”

1965 Opel Experimental GT

2024 is an extraordinary anniversary year for Opel: The German brand has been producing automobiles for 125 years. Since 1899, the carmaker has made mobility affordable for millions of people – and at the same time continuously inspired the public with innovative models. Today, the Blitz emblem stands for the progressive electrification as well as the emotional, electrifying side of the brand. The design is primarily responsible for how a car can delight at first glance. And here Opel laid the pioneering foundations exactly 60 years ago: in 1964, Opel Design Studio in Rüsselsheim, the first automobile design centre of its kind in Europe, was opened. Since then, it has not only been responsible for the constantly evolving design philosophy of the Opel production models. The designers have also created groundbreaking concept vehicles that provide a glimpse of the brand's future – from the legendary Opel Experimental GT in 1965 to the most recent breathtaking Opel Experimental brand study, which had its sensational world premiere last year. And so, on Saturday, June 8, 2024, Opel celebrated two anniversaries with customers, employees and other high-ranking guests: 125 years of automobile production at Opel and 60 years of Opel Design Center.

2023 Opel Experimental

“Our production models delight our customers with their Bold and Pure design. From Experimental GT, Opel has revealed iconic concepts that have shown our automotive future, with Opel Design Center as the home of this creativity. Our designers have been bringing automotive dreams to life and making them real for a wide audience for six decades now,” said Mark Adams, Vice President Design of Opel/Vauxhall.

Mark Adams, Vice President Design of Opel/Vauxhall

Visionary Design Center: Three design departments under one roof

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, colours 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.

 Opel Design Studio (1964)

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. 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.

In Rüsselsheim, three new department were housed in the building known as N10. The Interior Design department determined the forms and materials inside the car, and designed seats, instrument panels and trim panelling. The second department was concerned with bodywork. It worked on the face, the silhouette and the proportions of the car, giving each model its own character. While the bundling and emphasis on design work was a novelty in the European automotive industry, the third department at N10 was simply tasked with pioneering work. For the first time in Europe, Opel had created a team of high-calibre designers who were now reaching out beyond the confines of daily business and the further development of familiar model series to focus their sights much further into the future. While others at best developed the shape of a new body, in Rüsselsheim thought was being put into design language and emotions. Advanced Design dedicated its work primarily to completely new concepts for automobiles – the ideas for mobility and the car customers of the future being central.

First concept car from a European manufacturer: Opel Experimental GT

To be at the forefront of future development, Opel built its own Advanced Studio as an integral part of its operation. In 1965, barely one year after work began at N10, the first project of this department of thinkers and visionaries around Erhard Schnell was exhibited at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA): the Opel Experimental GT, the first completely new concept car developed by a European manufacturer. For the first time a reputable car manufacturer in Europe had developed a vehicle whose only purpose was to demonstrate the possibilities of new, creative forms. At no stage during its development was it planned as a series production vehicle.

IAA 1965

But things turned out differently: the feedback from the media and the public for the high-performance study with the characteristic “Coke Bottle Shape” was overwhelming. One would never have expected such an extravagant sports car from Opel. And thus, the decision was quickly made to bring the Opel GT into series production. Just three years after the initial spark at the IAA, the GT prototype matured into a production car in record time.

The visionary approach of the Opel Design Studio was unique in Europe in the 1960s. 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.

Traditionally innovative: Exciting concepts including recent Opel Experimental

The list of design icons created by the Opel Advanced Design Studio in these 60 years can hardly be topped in its diversity. Opel Experimental GT was quickly followed by Opel CD, a streamlined coupé with a V8 engine in 1969, GT2 with sliding doors in 1975 and the extremely aerodynamically optimised Tech1, whose drag coefficient of 0.235 was an absolute sensation in the early 1980s.

1969 Opel CD

1977 Opel GT2

1981 Opel Tech1

2013 Opel Monza Concept

Opel Monza Concept, presented in 2013, already provided a first taste of the bold and pure design language of the current Opel design, for which the team led by Vice President Design Mark Adams was responsible. In 2018, Opel GT X Experimental was the first study to show the future Opel Vizor – which shortly afterwards celebrated its premiere in a series model as Opel Mokka. To this day the Vizor is the central element of the front design across the entire Opel portfolio. In addition, Pure Panel, which offers wide touchscreens and reduces all other control elements to the essentials, was also seen for the first time – today it too can be experienced in every new series production Opel.

2018 Opel GT X Experimental 

Advanced Design delivered its most recent “hit” with the breathtaking Opel Experimental. The study presented last year provides a glimpse of the future of the brand. With impressive proportions, intelligent aerodynamic solutions, highly efficient use of space as well as the latest lighting technology and electrochromic materials, the battery-electric Experimental represents Opel's resource-saving automotive future. At the same time, 60 years after opening the first design centre of a manufacturer in Europe, the designers at Opel are already working on automotive designs for the coming decades – exciting ideas and concepts guaranteed!

“125 years of Automobile Production”: Opel Invites Employees and Public to Anniversary Celebration with Numerous Highlights

• Saturday, June 8, 2024: Open day at Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim
• Experience live: New Opel Frontera and Grandland celebrate their public premieres
• “Forever forward since 1899”: Varied program with plant tours, pop-up exhibition, design icons and many other highlights from 10:30 a.m.
• On-track excitement: Opel Corsa Rally Electric and Rocks Electric test drives
• Livestream of ceremony at 11:00 a.m. with Federal Chancellor and other guests of honour here

Opel has been producing automobiles for 125 years. 125 years in which brand has made millions of people mobile and inspired them with many innovations. Opel is celebrating anniversary this Saturday, June 8, with an open day at Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim. In keeping with anniversary motto “Forever forward since 1899”, customers, employees and public, as well as guests of honour from politics and Stellantis, can discover automotive milestones in Opel's history. On factory tour, for example, visitors can take a look behind the scenes or experience Opel feeling up close on a motorsport or Opel Rocks Electric test drive. “125 years of automobile manufacturing at Opel” is not only anniversary being celebrated on this occasion: in 1964 – exactly 60 years ago – “Opel Design Studio” began work as first design center of a manufacturer in Europe. Visitors on Saturday can therefore also admire icons of automobile design from six decades. Those not able to attend in person can see highlights on Facebook.

Opel CEO Florian Huettl: “125 years of automobile production at Opel – we not only want to celebrate this anniversary with our visitors, but also show how Opel has always helped shape constant change in automotive industry and is now positioned for future. This Saturday, new Opel Frontera 1 and new Opel Grandland 1 will have their public premieres here at headquarters. With these cars, we will offer our customers one fully electric variant of every Opel model from this year onwards. All this reflects our anniversary motto 'Forever forward since 1899'.”

Lots to see: Public premieres and unusual pop-up exhibits

Opel will open its doors to public at 10:30 a.m. during official ceremony with invited guests in Adam Opel House. Visitors will then be able to take a first look at design exhibition in building N10. Journey through decades of design extends from 1965 Opel Experimental GT and groundbreaking Opel studies from 1980s, to innovative concepts from more recent past such as Opel GT X Experimental, sensational Opel Manta GSe and visionary Opel Experimental.

Pop-up exhibition in building N50, bathed in a variety of colours, also opens at 11:30 a.m. Here, visitors can view exhibits from first Opel – Opel-Patent-Motorwagen System Lutzmann – to bestsellers and legends such as Opel Kapitän, GT, Manta and Calibra, and even electric models such as Opel Ampera. On plant tours beginning at 1:30 p.m., which start behind Adam Opel House throughout afternoon, Opel will proudly present current Astra production at Rüsselsheim site. In addition, general public can experience all-new Opel Frontera 1 and Opel Grandland 1, which will soon be available to order, up close for first time.

Lots to experience: Electrifying motorsport and vintage Opel cars

From midday onwards, Opel Corsa Rally Electric from world's first electric one-make rally cup will be doing laps in car park behind Adam Opel House. A limited number of motorsport fans can sign up for a ride in the co-driver’s seat. Nearby, on another test track special set up by Opel, visitors aged 15 and over can experience for themselves what individual mobility feels like behind wheel of an Opel Rocks Electric 2.

Youngest visitors will find plenty of entertainment in the “Kids Corner”, which is located in the immediate vicinity of large catering area, also behind Adam Opel House. There are numerous other activities for young and old throughout outdoor area.

As an additional attraction, an area reserved exclusively for Opel vintage cars opposite Adam Opel House on Rugbyring will enrich anniversary celebrations. Visitors and guests who arrive in a vintage Opel vehicle with an H license plate can park their car in "An der Feuerwache" parking lot, turning the area into a spontaneous open-air pop-up exhibition of historic Opel cars.

Registration for various activities takes place on site; advance reservations are not possible. Detailed program including additional information can be found here:

[1] Vehicle not available yet

[2] Applies to four-wheeled light motor vehicles with a rated continuous/utilised power not exceeding 6 kW, with no more than two seats and a maximum speed not exceeding 45 km/h.

Opel Experimental: German Brand Reveals Name of Next Visionary Concept Car

• World Premiere: Opel Experimental on display at IAA Mobility in Munich
• Clear vision: Concept car will influence future production vehicles
• New emblem: New concept car first vehicle to proudly sport new Opel ‘Blitz’

Opel has teased its newest concept car by revealing the name as the Opel Experimental. The German brand will release further details in the coming weeks before presenting the Opel Experimental to an international audience at the IAA Mobility in Munich (September 5 to 10, 2023).

Opel CEO Florian Huettl said: “As the name indicates, the Opel Experimental will give a clear vision for the brand and not just for a carline. It shows where our brand is heading in the coming years – and will influence all our next generation production vehicles. It is a symbol for what we want to achieve with the Opel brand.”

Opel Experimental also represents the next stage in the evolution of the critically acclaimed Bold and Pure design philosophy first seen in the GT X Experimental. The new concept car embodies the further sharpening of the brand within Stellantis by bringing additional life to the brand pillars Detox, Modern German, and Greenovation.

In addition, the latest creation from the Rüsselsheim Design Centre will be the first Opel to proudly sport the recently revealed new Opel ‘Blitz’. The sharper, confident new ‘Blitz’ is positioned prominently at the centre of the compass, which is Opel’s key graphic design principle and the backbone of front, rear and interior design elements.

Opel Experimental continues the long and successful tradition of concept cars “made in Rüsselsheim”, a tradition that started in 1965 when Opel became the first European brand to present a design study in the form of the legendary Experimental GT.

New Corporate Identity: Opel with New Image

• “New Opel“: Modern elements underline brand’s strength for innovation
• New Logo: Legendary Opel Blitz in fresh design
• New font: “Opel Next” is modern, expressive and consistent
• New colour: Neon Opel-yellow stands out and electrifies

Opel has a new look. Brand logo, which is now more finely drawn, the new "Opel Next" font and the bright Opel yellow signal the brand's innovative strength. The goal: to be even more modern and courageous in appearance. Opel has always stood for the democratization of innovation and mobility. "New Opel" now expresses this spirit with its fresh corporate identity.

Opel GT X Experimental

Journey into the future began with the Opel GT X Experimental. Study already showed the new Opel Blitz as the emblem on the vehicle. Distinctive signature line was in bright neon yellow – this has now become the Opel yellow of the renewed corporate identity. With the Opel Mokka, the Rüsselsheim-based manufacturer then presented the first production car with the new Opel face – the Vizor – and the upcoming cockpit design – Pure Panel.

Opel is now presenting further elements of its new appearance in detail: new logo, new font, new colour – "New Opel". In the first half of 2021, everyone will be able to experience the new look around the new Opel Crossland and the all-new Opel Mokka. They will be the first production cars in the new design. With their modernity, they fit perfectly into the world of today and tomorrow.

“We are confident, young-minded and inclusive. In this new era Opel is taking inspiration from progressive, ‘cold to cool’ Modern German culture and re-emerges bold, pure and contemporary. This is the expression of our new brand identity and absolutely represents our exciting new product line-up,” says Xavier Duchemin, Managing Director Marketing, Sales & Aftersales at Opel.

New Opel design focuses on the essentials, dispensing with frills and distracting elements. It thus reflects the precise German design philosophy of the brand – bold and pure. With the focus on the Blitz, the ring in the new brand logo is slim. A word mark serves as a strong basis for the logo. The new font with the name “Opel Next” is also light, powerful, modern and clear. It contains three different versions: light, regular and bold. These fonts harmonize perfectly and ensure a consistent message. The new Opel yellow symbolizes electricity, the new fuel in the electric age. Colour electrifies, imprints itself and thus creates an unmistakable identity.

“A new era needs modern brands and modern brands need a clear design. With the new brand elements, we are expressing our claim to be distinctive, progressive, open to the new and open to the future,” explains the global Head of Marketing at Opel/Vauxhall, Patrick Fourniol.

New appearance will be reflected in all areas – from products to marketing and sales. It will be rolled out across all communication channels and areas.

New image was developed in collaboration with the VELOCITY McCANN agency, and the new “Opel Next” font together with Monotype.

Absolute Precision: All-New Opel Mokka Shows New Face of Opel

• Central design feature: Vizor organises fascia elements and stretches across front
• Bold and pure: New face consistent with future Design philosophy
• New family look: All future Opel models will feature Opel Vizor

Vizor of the all-new Opel Mokka extends in one single sweep across the front of the vehicle underneath the bonnet, visually stretching its width and organising the fascia with a reduced amount of elements.

Next Opel Mokka will be the first model to show the new face of the German brand. Team around Opel Design Vice President, Mark Adams has created a new, unmistakable front – Opel Vizor. Like a full-face helmet, a protective vizor that organically integrates the grille, the headlights and the brand logo in one single module covers the new Opel face.

Opel GT X Experimental (2018) - Opel Vizor 

Legendary first generation Opel Manta inspired the initial concept of this elegant feature: for the all-new Opel Mokka, the designers literally reinvented the Manta’s grille with twin headlight-modules on a black surface, framed by a thin chrome bar.

Opel Manta GT/E (1974)

Vizor of the all-new Opel Mokka extends in one single sweep across the front of the vehicle underneath the bonnet, visually stretching its width and organising the fascia with a reduced amount of elements. No superfluous decoration disturbs the focus on a pure, flush surface that perfectly integrates the headlights. Legendary Opel lightning-flash emblem proudly dominates the centre. It looks pure, precise and technical, a perfect match to the all-new Opel Mokka that will only have high-quality LED lamps as well as the latest generation of IntelliLux LED Matrix headlights – a true highlight in this market segment. Opel Vizor will become a hallmark of all Opel models in the course of the 2020s with the idea of further clustering top technologies

“It was very important for us to create a fresh new face for the brand that was true to our future design philosophy of being both bold and pure. Our new Vizor that makes its debut in the next generation Opel Mokka is very clear and distinctive, while being true to its German roots of form follows function. There is no need for a classic grille in electric cars like the Opel Mokka, so the Vizor creates a seamless integration of future lighting and other technologies, all within a high-tech protective surface” explained Mark Adams .

New brand face follows the compass philosophy of Opel. Next-generation Opel Mokka will show for the first time the new template for the front and rear view of future Opel models. In the design compass, two axes intersect with the Opel lightning flash in the middle, so that the brand emblem is increasingly becoming the central feature. Now sharper and clearer crease in the hood, which is typical of the latest Opel vehicles, continues below the flash and determines the vertical axis. Characteristic wing-shaped graphic of the LED daytime running lights, which all future Opel models will also retain, symbolizes the horizontal axis.

Premiere of O-Team Zafira Life in Oschersleben

• Spectacular appearance: cool looks, finely honed technology, high-class interior
• Opel becomes O-Team: 1980s US TV series is source of inspiration
• Imitating allowed: all modifications approved by TÜV

O-Team Zafira Life 

Tens of thousands of Opel fans will once again descend on Oschersleben this weekend to celebrate the iconic Rüsselsheim brand. In addition to beautiful vintage cars and the 120 Years special models, Opel will also present a very special vehicle: the Opel Zafira Life, the fourth generation of the flexible multi-purpose van, will make its German premiere in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. But that’s not all. Opel will also bring another version to the racetrack, which has even more to offer: the “O-Team Zafira Life” concept car. As the name suggests, the car is inspired by the van that transported the crew in the cult US TV action and adventure series of the 1980s.

“O-Team Zafira Life” – the “O”, of course, stands for Opel – rivals the TV-original in every way: it features big wheels, the front bars and the big aerofoil, while the special colour scheme is bright neon-yellow instead of red. “O-Team Zafira Life” also makes an acoustic statement: the roaring V8 sound leaves no doubt about this car’s confident attitude. The fans of the iconic brand are likely to be just as enthusiastic as the fans of the TV series.

Spectacular “action” in design, interior layout and technology

Team from Opel Special Vehicles, that usually builds promotional vehicles and show cars, selected the six-seat Zafira Life “medium” with long wheelbase and full equipment as the basis for the “O” version. Its powerful 2.0-litre diesel engine delivers 130 kW (177hp) and 400 Nm maximum torque (NEDC fuel consumption1: urban 6.5-6.2 l/100 km, extra-urban 5.4-5.0 l/100 km, combined 5.8-5.4 l/100 km, 151-143 g/km CO2; WLTP fuel consumption2: combined 8.1-7.0 l/100 km, 213-183 g/km CO2). The power is transmitted to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, guaranteeing lots of driving fun! Exterior colour scheme of dark blue, white and neon-yellow (which also sets the tone for the interior) is derived from the much-acclaimed Opel GT X Experimental. Spectacular appearance is rounded off by the matching window decals, the unique, specially made roof spoiler, the front bars and the side-sill extensions.

Sound of the “O Team Zafira Life” is really spine-tingling, as the technical team has built in a sound module with the vocal chords of a V8 petrol engine. A tailpipe in OPC-design was also added underneath the vehicle. An additional amplifier and high-performance loudspeakers transform the interior into a concert hall with 800 watts of system power.

In the action sequences of the TV series, the tough team mastered even the most spectacular stunts and jumps with their vehicle. Of course, the chassis of the “O-Team Zafira Life” concept vehicle is also designed to handle difficult jobs with maximum precision and at top speed: lowered bodywork, air suspension (can be lowered to parking position via remote control), four-piston brakes with 380-millimetre discs in front and 20-inch light-alloy wheels from BBS plus Michelin Cup 2 tyres ensure that the crew has perfect control and optimum traction when on the road.

Thanks to the high-quality interior of Rüsselsheim’s “O-Team Zafira Life”, passengers are relaxed when they arrive at the scene of action: driver and co-driver enjoy the unmistakable performance sports seats from the Insignia GSi (NEDC fuel consumption Opel Insignia GSi 2.0 BiTurbo Diesel with 154 kW/210 hp and eight-speed automatic transmission1: urban 9.6 l/100 km, extra-urban 5.6 l/100 km, combined 7.1 l/100 km, 187-186 g/km CO2; WLTP fuel consumption2: combined 7.8-7.4 l/100 km, 204-193 g/km CO2), in both the second and third rows the crew members will find two rotating “Captain's Chairs”, all upholstered in fine leather and Alcantara.

As spectacular as the show talent of the “O-Team Zafira Life” is – it is not just a show car. All technical changes have been approved by TÜV – so it's quite possible that more “O-Team“ versions will soon be on Germany’s roads. What is certain is that at the sight of this modern version, the boss of the TV series team would light up a big cigar and say: “I love it when a plan comes together“.

Opel Zafira Life Celebrates World Premiere at Brussels Show

• Press conference held by head of Opel sales and marketing, Xavier Duchemin
• World premiere of new Zafira Life continues Opel’s model offensive
• Opel GT X Experimental future concept makes public debut
• Opel’s 120th year of automotive production and democratization of mobility begins
• PACE! plan works, Opel goes electric and global, returning to sustainable profitability

Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing Xavier Duchemin with New Opel Zafira Life

Opel plays a starring role at this year’s Brussels Motor Show, with a major world premiere. The new Opel Zafira Life was revealed today by Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing, Xavier Duchemin, during the press conference on the Opel stand 09-10 in hall 4. “Attractive as well as practical, the new Zafira Life makes travelling much more enjoyable, comfortable and adaptable, for drivers and passengers”, said Duchemin.

The public debut of the Opel GT X Experimental is another major attraction in Brussels. The concept represents the future of Opel and shows what customers can expect from the brand in future. Duchemin referred to the PACE! strategic plan to show Opel is electrifying its model range and investing in growing market segments, thus becoming a sustainably profitable and global brand.

New Opel Zafira Life: Practical and versatile van for up to nine occupants

“Brussels is the first European motor show of 2019 and therefore the perfect opportunity for Opel to celebrate the first of several product premieres this year,” said Opel’s head of sales and marketing. The model making its world premiere in Brussels is just right for Opel’s anniversary year. The German carmaker has been producing practical vehicles with innovative technology for everyone for 120 years. These are exactly the qualities displayed by the new Opel Zafira Life. The Opel Zafira Life is a fun-to-drive as well as comfortable multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that the German carmaker will offer in three lengths, tailor-made to customer requirements: the 4.60 metre “Small”, the 4.95m “Medium” and the 5.30m “Large” – each of which comes with up to nine seats. “The Zafira Life meets all demands,” said Duchemin, “from the versatile interiors and high comfort, to state-of-the-art infotainment and intelligent driver assistance systems.” A Zafira Life 4x4 will also be available to order from the start of sales. Opel will offer a purely electric version in early 2021, another milestone on the journey to electrifying the brand.

GT X Experimental: Opel’s vision of the future

Presenting the Opel GT X Experimental - a compact, electric SUV full of innovative ideas - for the first time in public, Duchemin said, “Opel has offered innovation, high-tech and mobility for all for 120 years. This ambition is stronger than ever today and nothing demonstrates it better than the car up here on the stage with me – the Opel GT X Experimental.”

Managing Director Sales, Aftersales and Marketing Xavier Duchemin with Opel GT X Experimental

The GT X Experimental shows how Opel sees mobility of the future: electric, and fully connected. The concept, which is making its first public appearance at the Brussels show, also gives a preview of the future for Opel as the exciting, approachable, German brand.

The signature design cues – such as the “Opel Vizor” front fascia and the “Opel Compass” – will become the hallmark of Opel cars in the mid-2020s. “The GT X Experimental embodies the vision of our brand defined in PACE!” said Duchemin.

120 years of Opel automobile production, targeting sustainable success with PACE!

But PACE! is not only a roadmap to the future, it is also a plan for the present, said Duchemin. As examples he named the new Opel Combo Cargo, which has been voted International Van Of The Year 2019, and the Opel Combo Life passenger car, which was named “AUTOBEST Best-buy-car of Europe 2019”! “Since the start of sales last September, we have already taken more than 36,000 orders for the new Opel Combo, more than all the registrations of the previous model in Europe in whole 2017. We have received almost 200,000 orders for the new Opel Insignia and the Grandland X and well over 130,000 for the Crossland X”, added Duchemin.

A key role in this success is played by Rüsselsheim R&D centre, which has taken over responsibility for the development of a new generation of large vans as well as a new engine family and 15 competence centres for the entire Groupe PSA.

Opel is therefore set for a strong performance in its 2019 anniversary year, as well as successful implementation of its ongoing product offensive. In addition to the new Opel Vivaro and the Grandland X plug-in hybrid, an important role is played here by the next-generation Corsa. “The new Corsa will also be available as a fully battery electric vehicle”, said Duchemin. “The Corsa will offer electro-mobility to more customers than ever before and make a significant contribution to Opel becoming a fully electrified brand by 2024.”

The Opel product portfolio is additionally complemented by “120 Years” model variants. These special editions of the Opel ADAM, KARL, Corsa, Astra, Insignia, Zafira, Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X offer a wealth of high-tech equipment as well as design and comfort features.

Opel GT X Experimental: Bold Vision of Opel’s Future

• The next PACE! milestone: Brand Concept vehicle previews future of Opel models

• Expressing Opel values: German, approachable, exciting

• Opel Vizor: Hallmark design for the new face of all future models

• Visual and digital detox: “Pure Panel” redefines interior design

• Electric Power: GT X Experimental stands for electrification of all Opel models by 2024

• Opel concept vehicles: Designing the future for over 50 years

New Opel GT X Experimental

Opel is giving a preview of the exciting future of the brand with a new Brand Concept. Its name: the Opel GT X Experimental – a bold, 4.06-metre, 5-door, all-electric compact SUV with coupé appeal and brimming with innovative ideas. The GT X Experimental embodies Opel’s values and vision along with providing a glimpse of what the future holds for Opel models. The company had already announced that it would further sharpen its profile during the presentation of the strategic PACE! plan last November. Opel GT X Experimental is the first tangible result of this process.

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller

“With our PACE! plan, we have a very clear vision of how we want to create a successful future for Opel. Focus on a strong brand identity defined by our values – German, approachable, exciting – plays an integral role in our return to sustainable success. Our Brand Concept shows how these values will come to life in our products in the future. Our engineering and design teams have put this into effect brilliantly in the Opel GT X Experimental. It gives a clear idea of how we at Opel see the mobility of the future,” said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller.

Passion for democratising technical innovations fuels Opel’s pioneering spirit

During the concept phase, Opel started a wide-ranging and intense process of reflection about itself and its values. Opel can look back on 156 years of industrial existence starting with precision mechanics and almost 120 years of automobile engineering fuelled by the constant commitment to make exciting and relevant innovative technologies accessible to all. Throughout its history, the specific “Opel way” can be summarised with these three values: German, approachable and exciting. As for its future, the brand wants to remain anchored in the most modern and positive expression of its German roots: Opel’s “New Germanness” takes the best of Germany’s traditional values – engineering excellence, a genuine fascination for well-executed machines, an intense focus on functionality, quality and reliability – and enriches them with warmth and open-mindedness. Inspired by Opel’s innovative spirit, the new GT X Experimental captures the essence of the company’s rich heritage and promises an exciting future. It blends German engineering, precision and quality with visionary innovations to give a preview of what Opel cars will be in the mid-2020s: bold, pure in appearance yet extremely approachable and customer-centric.

Compact SUV: Opel GT X Experimental

Opel decided to embody its vision for its future automobiles in a compact SUV of just 4,063 millimetres in length (wheelbase: 2,625 mm; width: 1,830 mm; height including antenna: 1,528 mm): SUVs are currently the most popular vehicles on the market and Opel is driven by the desire to make such even more attractive for a wide public. But to do so, SUVs must also become more efficient than ever before. This is why the Opel GT X Experimental is built on a lightweight architecture, has a reduced footprint and drives on 17-inch wheels that visually look much larger, so as to maximise road comfort but also look stunning. True to the PACE! plan promise of offering an electrified version of each Opel model by 2024, the GT X Experimental is a fully electric car with power delivered by a 50 kWh, compact next-generation lithium-ion battery with inductive charging. The GT X Experimental does not pretend to offer full autonomous driving. However, it does have Level 3 autonomous driving functions – meaning it can handle all aspects of driving but the driver must be able to respond to a request to intervene.

Pure and bold: This is future Opel design

The GT X Experimental presents innovative technology with sophisticated simplicity. Vice President Design Mark Adams and his team have developed a whole philosophy for Opel’s specific, German design, blending purity with emotional boldness. In the GT X Experimental, each usual function, each module of an automobile has been questioned with the aim of achieving purity of design by removing all unnecessary design elements. This is something the design team calls “visual detox”.

The Opel GT X Experimental body shows bold proportions coupled with beautifully structured, pure flowing surfaces. Its strong silhouette is accentuated by the bold graphic identity separating the upper and lower areas. The lower section is painted in a luminous light grey, and the whole upper part including the bonnet, glass and roof are in an almost black, night blue. Between these is a bold Opel yellow signature accent that flows through the car to give it structure and dynamism. This colour scheme re-visits Opel’s traditional grey/black/yellow colour but reconfigures it to create a fresh modern feel. The GT X Experimental welcomes passengers with spacious, unobstructed access thanks to rear-hinged rear doors and all four doors opening wide to 90 degrees to give the concept an approachable character. The sweeping panoramic windscreen/roof reaches far back to the rear seats, enhancing the SUV’s light and open sense of spaciousness.

Opel designers have also reduced the traditional, so-called “cut lines” in the bodywork – made necessary by the different openings such as doors and bonnet – to an absolute minimum. The upper cutline of all doors is hidden in the yellow accent and the one of the rear doors coincides with the opening of the boot. Forgoing conventional elements such as door handles and exterior mirrors, the body is a smooth canvas that wraps around surprising details such as small cameras embedded in the yellow graphic lining the sides of the bonnet pop out, replacing the exterior mirrors.

To counterbalance this visual detox, rare graphical details energise the appearance of the Opel GT X Experimental. Cropped triangles are engraved along the sill under the driver’s side rear door: one of them contains a small, hexagonal LED screen that shows the electric charge level of the battery.

Opel GT X Experimental - Hexagonal LED screen shows electric charge level of the battery

The 17-inch wheels look much bigger thanks to robust rubber covers that flow over the rim to visually enlarge the size of the dark blue tyres. Yellow graphic lines on the rim echo the yellow signature accent of the body and surround the electronic Blitz emblem that stands still as the wheels rotate. And to underline the SUV character of the car, protective cladding wraps around the lower body, giving the GT X Experimental’s solid, robust stance a rugged look.

Opel GT X Experimental - 17-inch wheels with yellow graphic lines

“The Opel GT X Experimental embodies the spirit of our core brand values – German, approachable, exciting. It’s an “approachable” concept that people can identify with. It confidently combines a pure and bold design execution with progressive technology that makes life easier. Clearly, this vehicle signals a very exciting future for the brand,” said Mark Adams.

Opel Compass and Opel Vizor give new visual identity to future Opel models

The GT X Experimental also reveals the new theme for the front and the rear fascia of future models for the first time. The “Opel Compass” organises the design elements along two strong axes that intersect the Blitz. The legendary brand emblem is now the focus point more than ever before. In a crisper and purer execution, the centre-crease line on the bonnet represents the vertical axis, which is prolonged under the Blitz. The horizontal axis is symbolised by the Opel-typical wing-shaped daytime running light signature, which will continue to feature on all future Opel vehicles. The rear echoes the front fascia and shows the Opel Compass in its purity, with the Blitz solidly anchoring the horizontal line of the wing-shaped rear lights and the vertical line from the roof fin antenna to the accentuated crease in the bumper.

Opel GT X Experimental - Wing-shaped rear LED lights

Following the theme of the Opel Compass and in line with the approach of creating the purest possible design, Opel designers have also created a new Opel face that expresses the company’s pioneering spirit: the “Opel Vizor”. The Opel Vizor is a full, single module that frames all of the high-tech and brand elements such as the LED Blitz emblem that shows the car’s operation state by lighting up in different colours, the LED Matrix headlights, the wing-shaped daytime running lights as well as all cameras and sensors of the assistance systems and autonomous driving functions under darkly tinted Plexiglas. The elegant module boldly stretches across the front of the car right under the bonnet. The new, distinctive Opel Vizor is set to be a hallmark design element for all Opel models later in the 2020s.

Interior around Pure Panel: Visual and digital detox for a relaxing oasis

The airy interior of the Opel GT X Experimental follows the same principles and opts for visual and digital detox. Surrounded by the panoramic windscreen/roof and uninterrupted side-window, the cabin’s sleekness masks the innovations it holds in store. The interior’s standout feature is the instrument panel encased in a module that mimics the Opel Vizor – the Opel “Pure Panel”. One wide, single screen welcomes drivers and shows that the multitude of screens, buttons and controls often seen in current-day production vehicles could become obsolete. The Pure Panel enables drivers to have access to the latest technology and get the information they need while eliminating all visually distracting elements. The purity of the interior design can also be seen in the clever positioning of the air vents. They have been hidden behind the screens, allowing all-round pure, clean surfaces. The Pure Panel also shows how Opel allows technology to simplify customers’ lives. Two screens on the far left and right of the front panel display the side views captured by the small pop-out cameras. Elsewhere, the design of the steering wheel has been simplified while its centre module repeats the shape of the Opel Vizor. And, like its counterparts on the wheels, the LED Opel Blitz on its centre remains upright whatever the steering position.

Opel GT X Experimental - Interior with Pure Panel

This clean high-tech approach flows throughout the interior. For example, the four seats look like they are floating while removable speakers nestled under the headrests also allow an out-of-car sound experience. Graphic details also highlight the strict purity of the design in the interior: the cropped triangle theme is repeated on the seat backs and the accelerator and brake pedals.

Opel concept cars have showcased Opel’s future for more than 50 years 

The name of the GT X Experimental is reminiscent of Opel’s pioneering concept car, the 1965 Experimental GT – an accessible coupé that was also the first concept car ever produced by a car manufacturer in Europe.

The additional X underlines Opel’s plan to further develop its footprint in the SUV market: 40 per cent of all Opel cars sold in 2021 are to be SUVs.

Over decades, Opel has used concept cars to shape its future. Most concepts were never meant to ever be produced but they allowed the brand to set guiding principles for its upcoming models. In this regard, the three latest concept cars from Opel display a clear coherence with the development of the brand. The 2013 Monza concept reflected Opel’s quest for more efficiency (lightweight, packaging, powertrain) and the expression of this efficiency in a sleek design. 

The 2016 GT Concept took efficiency to the next level, with a design around the core ideas of approachability, simplicity and purity. This has now been taken to the next level by the GT X Experimental and its philosophy based on the brand values – German, approachable, exciting – is expressed in a pure and bold design.

New Face of the Brand: First Glimpse of the Opel GT X Experimental

• Clear language: Concept emphasises Opel brand values German, approachable and exciting
• Clear direction: Front view of future Opel models with typical “Vizor”
• Clear approach: New Opel GT X Experimental to be revealed later this year
• Clear statement: Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller names brand identity as important part of PACE! plan

Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller with New Opel GT X Experimental

Opel has now been part of Groupe PSA for exactly one year. Now the Opel GT X Experimental gives a preview of the future of the brand and upcoming models. In this context, terms such as German, approachable and exciting are more paramount than ever before. These three brand values characterise all models and define all activities at Opel – today and in the future.

“We need to strictly follow our brand values in everything we do. This is valid from the idea right up to the development and implementation of new vehicles and it is a key element of our PACE! plan. The identity of our brand is our future,” said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. “That is why I charged our design and engineering teams with visualising these values by means of a concept car. The Opel GT X Experimental, which will celebrate its world premiere before the end of the year, is the result.”

The Opel GT X Experimental gives a first impression of what the future holds and what Opel models will look like by the mid-2020s. It is the first vehicle to feature the new Opel face. The brand concept follows the new “Opel Compass”, which clearly structures the front design of future models and is simply unmistakeable. The main feature of the compass is two prominent axes that insect the brand emblem. On the one hand, this is the characteristic centre crease on the bonnet and on the other, the wing-shaped daytime running light signature. The legendary “Blitz” forms the focus point of the design.

The headlights, daytime running lights, the cameras and sensors of the assistance systems, along with the Blitz are framed by a unique design element. This element is reminiscent of the eye slot of a motorbike helmet and is therefore called “Vizor”. The Opel “Vizor” makes its debut on the GT X Experimental and will give future Opel models a new, distinctive, bold and pure face.

Opel Vizor

“It is becoming ever clearer, Opel is unleashing new potentials. After only one year of being part of Groupe PSA and only nine months since announcing our PACE! strategic plan, we have become a lot more efficient and can look to the future with great confidence. We were recently able to announce a profit of €502 million¹, a margin² of 5 percent and an operational free cash flow of around €1.2 billion for the first half of the year. Now, I am very proud to give a first glimpse of the GT X Experimental. Our brand concept confidently illustrates our brand values. Traditional characteristics such as German engineering, precision and quality will be joined by exciting and innovative ideas for thrilling automotive experiences. The GT X Experimental embodies all of this,” explained Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller.

The new Opel GT X Experimental will be revealed later this year and its name emphasises a long tradition of trendsetting concept cars at Opel. The Rüsselsheim-based carmaker was the first European manufacturer to show a design study with the sporty Experimental GT in 1965. The Monza Concept (2013) and the GT Concept (2016) were already milestones en route to the GT X Experimental: They both refined the Opel values and highlighted topics such as efficiency and a pure design aesthetic – without portraying an unattainable image.

The Opel Design team looked at building from its great heritage and landmark concepts, toward a distinctive new design execution for its future exterior and interior designs. “We are a brand that is proud of its German heritage but also wanted to capture the bold new spirit of today’s modern Germany. This led to us establishing a core foundational design philosophy for Opel, being both ‘bold’ and ‘pure’. We want to create exciting designs that stand out but which also have a purity of execution. This brand concept captures those values perfectly and highlights the framework for our future vehicles,” explained Vice President Design Mark Adams.

^[1] recurring operating income

^[2] recurring operating margin