!NEW! Opel at Moscow Motor Show: Three New Cars and Two Custom Mokkas

• New on Russian market: Opel ADAM, ADAM ROCKS and Insignia OPC
• Homage to capital city: Concept Car Opel Mokka ‘Moscow Edition’
• Full throttle through the desert: Opel Mokka ‘Dakar’ for toughest rallye in the world

Opel ADAM 

Opel ADAM ROCKS

Opel is expanding its model line-up for the Russian market. At the Moscow International Motor Show (MIMS), the brand presents three vehicles with strong emotional appeal that will go on sale in early 2015. The first is the individualization champion from Opel, the ADAM. The stylish small car makes its Russia premiere next to its wild sibling ADAM ROCKS, which features an off-road look and electric canvas roof. From January, the Opel ADAM family will initially be available in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar. Also new in the line-up is the most powerful Opel, the all-wheel drive sports star Insignia OPC with a 2.8 V6 Turbo engine pumping out 325 hp and a meaty 435 Nm maximum torque.

 Opel Insignia OPC

Opel Mokka ‘Moscow Edition’ study shows exciting design concept

Concept car Opel Mokka ‘Moscow Edition’

The sub-compact SUV from Rüsselsheim is presented in homage to the Russian capital. The design study carries a customized graphic inspired by the Moscow city map: the ‘o’ in the stylized Mokka name, on the hood, roof, rear and inside, represents the city center, its inner circle. The headliner in finest Alcantara adorned with this motif perfectly complements the stylish interior made of premium quality materials. The Mokka’s signature cladding on the nose, front and wheel-arches features a unique very dark-blue tone, perfectly contrasting with the dominant orange body color to give Opel’s bestseller strong off-road appeal.

Opel Mokka 'Moscow Edition': The stylish interior is made of premium quality materials

Opel Mokka ‘Dakar’ racing through South America

In early 2015, a real international endeavor is being launched: the Hungarian Opel-Team Balázs Szalay/László Bunkoczi is again preparing a very special Mokka to take part in the legendary Dakar Rallye. This tough desert race, to be held from January 3 – 17, moved to South America in 2009 and runs through Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. The Mokka ‘Dakar’ is well-equipped for this endurance test with long, 25 cm suspension travel, a huge 520-liter safety fuel tank, body components made from feather-light, high-strength carbon fiber composite material, a sequential, six-speed transmission and a 6.2 liter V8 engine from GM’s motorsport division pumping out 340 hp and massive torque of 660 Nm. Visitors to the motor show can experience this rallye star first hand in Moscow.

50 years of Opel compact sedans: Getting better all the time

• New Astra sedan after half-a-century notchback tradition
• World premiere at the Moscow Auto Salon (August 29 – September 9)
• Success story starts 1962 with Kadett A
  
  
  
  
  In 1962 the Opel Kadett A is launched. It lays the foundations for the modern compact segment of Germany during its economic boom years. It also makes mobility affordable to a growing middle class. There are three variants: one of them is the two-door sedan which marks the beginning of the Opel’s success story of compact notchbacks with a separate trunk. Fifty years later, the new Astra sedan is celebrating its world premiere at the Auto Salon in Moscow (August 29 – September 9, 2012). In that sense, it is also a milestone, marking a half-a-century tradition of Opel sedans in the compact segment. It is also an anniversary within an even bigger anniversary: Opel is this year celebrating its 150^th birthday as a company. There are very few other car makers that have such a long tradition. Opel’s first ever compact car was already born 76 years ago with the arrival of the 1936 Kadett. So far Opel has sold ten generations of compact vehicles, equivalent to 22 million cars.
  
  

  

  Opel Kadett B (1965 – 1973)

  Opel compact cars often served as icons in their segment. Take for example this iconic advertising slogan from 1969.

  From the 1962 Kadett A to the Kadett B (1965 – 1973) that was famed for its avant-garde advertising slogan “Opel Kadett. Das Auto.” through to the current new Astra line-up, there has always been a sedan variant in the Opel compact segment. The only exception is the Kadett D line (1979 – 1984) which was the first front-wheel drive car at Opel but was launched without a notchback variant. However, this gap was filled in 1985 with the arrival of the next model generation. Since then, Opel has maintained this body style as a four door variant in its portfolio.
  
  An overview of Opel’s compact sedans:
  
  
  Kadett A (1962 – 1965): Two doors
  Kadett B (1965 – 1973): Two and four doors
  Kadett C (1973 – 1979): Two and four doors
  Kadett E (1984 – 1991): Comeback of four door sedan in 1985.
  
  
  Astra F (1991 – 1997): Four door starting early 1992
  Astra G (1998 – 2004): Four door from fall 1998
  Astra H (since 2004): Four door from fall 2007
  Astra J (since 2009): Four door complements new Astra line-up starting fall 2012
  
  
  
  

Opel celebrates Four Moscow World Premieres

• Highlight of Moscow Auto Salon: The new Astra J sedan
• Additional  debuts for updated five door and Sports Tourer
• Opel launches powertrain renewal with New Generation SIDI gasoline engine
• Strengthened commitment to Russia as high growth market
  
  

  

  
  
  Opel is for the first time celebrating an automotive world premiere in Russia. At the Moscow International Auto Salon (August 29 - September 9), the unveiling of the all-new four door Astra J sedan is the undisputed highlight of Opel’s show.
  

  Never before has the Opel stand, which is located in Hall 14 and covers an area of 1,750 square meters, been so vast. This is also the place where visitors can see a further two world premieres. For the first time, the Astra five door and the Astra Sports Tourer are being unveiled with their updated and fresh design cues. Added to that is the world debut of the new mid size gasoline engine generation.
  
  
  

  More than a million visitors are expected at the Auto Salon. They will have the chance to see a further two premieres for the Russian market: the Astra OPC with its 206 kW/280 hp engine and the Mokka with which Opel is entering the SUV-B segment as the first German manufacturer. 
  
  
  Astra J sedan as key component of growth strategy
  The sedan is an important addition to the Astra J line-up which is now even more diverse and offers new powertrains and driver assistance systems combined with fresh, sporty design. With its elegant appearance, typical Astra qualities and a large array of technological highlights – some are unique, some are unusual for the segment - Opel´s new compact four-door notchback (length/width/height: 4,658/1,814/1,476 mm) targets customers with high expectations. It has a wheelbase of 2,685 mm and provides generous interior space. The separate trunk offers 460 liters of volume - 90 liters more than the five door model. By folding the 60:40 split rear bench flat the luggage volume can be increased up to a maximum of 1,010 liters.
  
  
  Start of powertrain renewal with High Torque 1.6 liter Turbocharged gasoline engine
  Opel has announced that it is fundamentally renewing its engine range and the first phase of this plan is starting now. Three completely new engine families are in the pipeline. The gasoline turbocharged four cylinder with a displacement of 1598 cc, central direct injection and Start/Stop technology is now the first such engine to be unveiled when it makes its debut in Moscow.
  
  

  

  The new SIDI (Spark Ignition Direct Injection) ECOTEC engine provides an extraordinarily high maximum torque of up to 300 Nm. The production start is scheduled for the end of the year; Russia is expected to be one its biggest markets.
  

  
  

  Russia is third biggest Astra market, high demand for compact sedans

  Russia is of great importance to Opel. After Germany, it is currently the second biggest automotive market in Europe. Last year around 70,000 Opel cars were sold there. This year, from January to July, the Opel brand grew by 29 percent – more than twice as fast as the market. According to predictions Russia is expected to become Europe´s main market with up to 3.4 million total vehicle sales in 2014. Its high growth potential is down to the low average of vehicles per capita. For example, Russia has half as many vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants as Germany. More than half of all cars on Russian roads are more than ten years old. In this high growth market, four door sedans and SUVs are in high demand. Across all segments, more than 60 percent of all sedans sold in Europe are sold in Russia. Last year, in the compact segment 51 percent of customers there opted for a notchback version. As Russia is the third biggest market for the Astra in Europe after Germany and the UK, the Moscow Auto Salon was a natural choice for Opel as the venue to celebrate the world premiere of the all-new sedan as well as the five door and Sports Tourer variants of the new Astra model line-up.

  
  

  The Astra is by far the most successful Opel model in Russia. In the first half of 2012 alone, it managed to increase its compact segment share from 4.4 to six percent.