!NEW! Opel ADAM as TTIP Example for US Ambassador Emerson

• Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann and John B. Emerson meet in Berlin
• State Secretary for Economy Machnig representative of the German government
• A unique ADAM shows how important TTIP is for the automotive industry

With the TTIP ADAM at the Brandenburg Gate: Kimberly Emerson, Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, US Ambassador to Germany John B. Emerson, Opel board members Katherine Worthen, Johan Willems, Michael Lohscheller, Tina Müller, Ulrich Schumacher, Charlie Klein, Peter Christian Küspert and Peter Thom along with Joachim Koschnicke, Opel Vice President Government Relations and Public Policy (from left to right)

Opel shows just how important the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is for the economy with a specially prepared Opel ADAM. The Opel board led by CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann presented the car to John B. Emerson, United States Ambassador to Germany, in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Matthias Machnig, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy joined the meeting as the representative of the German government.

Opel presented the TTIP ADAM at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin: Kimberly Emerson, Opel Group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, US Ambassador to Germany John B. Emerson, State Secretary Matthias Machnig and Joachim Koschnicke, Opel Vice President Government Relations and Public Policy (from left to right)

The unique Opel ADAM shows the challenges a carmaker faces when intending to export a European car to the United States. A huge investment for technical changes would be necessary to meet the various demands. These normally result in such projects no longer being profitable. For example, the front, roof and rear-end structures along with the airbag system and the lights of the Opel ADAM would all have to be changed. All of these modifications are visually highlighted on the body of the TTIP ADAM to make the technological effort plain to see.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann committed to the planned agreement during his meeting with John B. Emerson and Matthias Machnig. “This Opel ADAM shows exactly how many chances we are missing out on because of pointless obstacles. The different safety norms would mean us having to put in an enormous effort – even though the safety standards are already extremely high on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Dr. Neumann.

“TTIP offers the unique opportunity of taking the current transatlantic standards and norms and further developing these together,” he added.

!NEW! American Ambassador Visits Opel Eisenach Plant

• Plant Director Elvira Tölkes welcomes Ambassador John B. Emerson for informational visit
• Tour of flexible manufacturing facilities for Opel ADAM and Corsa

Visit to the Eisenach production area: Plant Director Elvira Tölkes, US-Ambassador John B. Emerson and US Consul General Scott R. Riedmann (from left).

The ambassador of the United States of America, John B. Emerson, visited the Opel plant in Eisenach today, where the successful small cars Corsa and ADAM are built. He was welcomed by Plant Director Elvira Tölkes: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to present our modern and extremely flexible plant to the ambassador.”

Meeting in Eisenach: Plant Director Elvira Tölkes, US-Ambassador John B. Emerson and US Consul General Scott R. Riedmann (from left) with the Opel Corsa E.

“I am pleased that General Motors is fully committed to Opel. This is also underscored by the strong economic ties between the USA and Germany. Here in the Eisenach plant, tradition and innovation come together. I was particularly impressed with the seemingly countless possibilities to individualize the vehicles – something like that is only successful with qualified employees and highest precision,” said Emerson, who was accompanied by U.S. Consul General Scott R. Riedmann.

Elvira Tölkes explained to the guests the important role that the Eisenach plant plays in Opel’s small car strategy. “Opel is the only manufacturer that not only developed two small cars in Germany, but that also builds them here. This gives our plant excellent prospects for the future and is also an acknowledgement of the employees who set standards in quality and productivity here in Eisenach.”  Due to high demand, a third shift will be added in Eisenach mid-year, for which more than 400 new employees will be hired.

The vehicles from Eisenach are an important part of Opel’s product offensive: to 2018 the brand will introduce 27 new cars and 17 new engines to the market. Thanks to its renewed portfolio, Opel aims to increase market share in Germany to ten percent by 2022 and to eight percent in Europe.