!NEW! Opel Strengthens Business in South Africa

• Fresh start: Unitrans Automotive to take over as importer as of January 1, 2018
• Fresh breeze: Market launch of the new Opel Crossland X crossover
• Bright prospects: Opel Grandland X, new generation Opel Corsa to follow

Off to new shores: Opel Crossland X will make its debut in South Africa in December.

Fresh start for Opel in South Africa: From January 1, 2018 onwards, the German carmaker will sell its vehicles with the help of Unitrans Automotive, a renowned name in the South African business landscape. The company already operates as a nationwide retailer for many brands and now adds the importer role for Opel. Opel retail in the country will be handled by via 35 dealerships, some of them owned by Unitrans, others by independent owners. As part of the new efforts, two flagship stores for the brand with the “Blitz” are under construction in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The new sales approach is accompanied by the market launch of the new Opel Crossland X – a B-segment CUV – in December.

Heading for new heights: Opel Crossland X will join the Opel Mokka X on the South African market in December.

Opel is in the midst of a sales offensive in South Africa. The new Grandland X, the big brother of the Opel Crossland X, will be introduced in the South African market in the first half of 2018. Subsequently, the brand will also offer the next generation of the Opel Corsa.

Also effective January 1, 2018, the Opel dealers will take on the aftersales business of GM brand Chevrolet. Chevrolet will no longer be offered in South Africa at the turn of the year.

The extension of the South African business is part of PACE!, Opel’s plan for the future presented on November 9. The brand aims to achieve a stronger international footprint and enter more than 20 new export markets by 2022.

“We view South Africa as an important market,” said Matthias Seidl, Opel’s Executive Director Sales Operations, at the presentation of the Opel Crossland X in Johannesburg. “South Africa is a strategic investment for Opel and our aim is to take the brand from strength to strength in South Africa and other key markets.”

Opel Mokka X, with total sales exceeding 800,000 units, is already available in South Africa. Therefore, the entire X-Family that also consists of the Opel Crossland X and the Opel Grandland X will be available on the most important African market in 2018.

Opel Crossland X: The stylish all-round for the city and the countryside

The Opel Mokka X, optionally available with all-wheel drive, is also suitable for off-road driving. The new Opel Crossland X – a real space wonder despite its compact dimensions – joins it in the B-segment. With a length of 4.21 metres, the new Opel Crossland X is 16 centimetres shorter than an Opel Astra while at the same time 10 centimetres higher. Occupants enjoy an elevated seating position and the excellent all-round view it provides. The newcomer offers outstanding innovations that make everyday driving safer, more comfortable and easier. These include innovative Full LED AFL headlights, Head Up Display (HUD) or the 180-degree Panoramic Rear View Camera.

Instrument panel and center stack are clearly structured and horizontally aligned to the driver. Soft touch materials and subtle chrome finishes around the cluster and air vents convey a message of high quality

Both the driver and the front seat passenger can take advantage of the award-winning and AGR-certified (Campaign for Healthier Backs) ergonomic seats with Opel being the only manufacturer to offer such comfort in the segment (in both the Crossland X and the Mokka X). Elsewhere, maximum boot volume of 520 litres – without folding the rear seats down – is class leading. In addition, passengers in the rear have the possibility to adjust their seating position by 150 millimetres in longitudinal direction, thus either increasing legroom or the capacity of the luggage compartment.

!NEW! Matthias Seidl is New Opel Executive Director Sales Central & Eastern Europe

Jürgen Keller appointed new Opel Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales in Germany

Matthias Seidl - New Opel Executive Director Sales Central & Eastern Europe

Opel Board Member for Sales, Peter Christian Küspert, is re-organizing his team. Effective January 1, Matthias Seidl (50) is appointed Executive Director Sales, Central & Eastern Europe & International Operations. Jürgen Keller (47) takes over the position from Matthias Seidl as Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales.

“Matthias Seidl is a sales professional with many years of international experience. This year in Germany, he and his team have successfully stabilized our market share. Now we want to utilize his international expertise to drive Opel forward in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as in our international growth markets,” says Peter Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales.

Seidl has been with Opel since December 2012. Prior to joining the company, he was

Vice President Global Sales & Aftersales at Saab Automobile in Trollhättan, Sweden. He also spent 20 years at Volkswagen, including spells as COO of Volkswagen America, Executive Director Sales American Region for VW and Audi, Managing Director of Audi Australia and Director Asia-Pacific, as well as Regional Manager Western Europe at Audi. Before beginning his professional career, Seidl trained as a banker and completed an MBA program at the University of Wales.

The position of Executive Director Sales Central & Eastern Europe & International Operations has been vacant since Andy Dunstan was promoted to manage the Russian operations of GM Europe on November 1.

Jürgen Keller has worked for Opel since 1993. A former competitive swimmer, he has led Opel Special Vehicles GmbH and was previously Sales Manager for Germany between 2010 and 2012 before taking up his current position as Director International Operations for Opel. The sales expert gets his new job in Peter Küspert’s team as something of a birthday present – on New Year’s Eve, Keller will celebrate both the New Year and his 48th birthday.

Jürgen Keller - New Opel Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales in Germany

“With Jürgen Keller’s appointment, a respected expert becomes Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales for the German market,” says Board Member Küspert. “This year, we have successfully stabilized our market share despite the very challenging economic environment in Europe. Consequently, we want to gain further market share in 2014. With his extensive experience and ability to act swiftly, Jürgen Keller will play a key role in achieving this goal on the important German market.”

Hilfsaktion: Opel hält Flutopfer mobil

Automobilhersteller stellt schnell und unbürokratisch Fahrzeuge zur Verfügung

Mit der Mobilitätsaktion „Ein kostenloses Ersatzfahrzeug für Flutgeschädigte“ unterstützt Opel die Flutopfer der aktuellen Hochwasserkatastrophe. Das Angebot, sich beim Opel-Händler ein Auto kostenlos für bis zu drei Wochen auszuleihen, gilt ab sofort.

„In diesen Tagen gilt es zusammenzurücken. Opel bringt ein, was wir am besten können: unsere Autos. Das Hochwasser ist für Zehntausende eine Katastrophe; sie müssen ihr Hab und Gut zurücklassen, um ihr Leben zu retten. Werte sind jetzt wichtiger als Geld. Diese Flutkatastrophe dürfen auch die Unternehmen nicht alleine der Regierung überlassen", sagt Opel-Vorstandsvorsitzender Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann.

Betroffene können sich über die kostenfreie Hotline des Opel Info Service (0800/1234678) oder bei einem der Opel-Händler in den betroffenen Regionen melden. Die Bereitstellung eines Ersatzwagens wird dann von den Opel-Partnern vor Ort organisiert. Es genügt eine Bestätigung, ausgestellt von den örtlichen Hilfsdiensten wie zum Beispiel THW, Polizei, Feuerwehr oder direkt von der Gemeinde, dass das eigene Fahrzeug aufgrund von Hochwassereinfluss nicht fahrbereit ist. „Viele Menschen in den Hochwassergebieten, vor allem in Süd- und Ostdeutschland, wurden durch die Flutkatastrophe schwer getroffen. Sie sind für den Weg zur Arbeit, den Transport der Kinder zur Schule und für ihre täglichen Besorgungen auf Mobilität angewiesen. Wir wollen die Menschen schnell und unbürokratisch unterstützen“, sagt Matthias Seidl, Exekutiv Direktor Deutschland für Verkauf, Marketing und Aftersales, Adam Opel AG.

Unbürokratische Hilfe und Bürgersinn sind für Opel nichts Neues. Bereits bei den Flutkatastrophen der Jahre 2002 und 2010 konnte Opel mit ähnlichen Aktionen mehr als 1.400 Haushalten unmittelbar und schnell unterstützen. 

!NEW! Opel Mokka SUV is "AWD car of the year 2013"

• Title collector climbs well behind in the Top Reader's Choice Titel
• Trendy SUV convinced away from paved roads

The new Opel Mokka is still on course title: "wheel car of the year 2013" is the latest accolade for the trendy subcompact SUV. By the readers of "Auto Bild allwheel", the largest four-magazine in Europe, the Rüsselsheim offroader climbed to the top. The vote of the 105,000 participants strong reader panel, who voted on the website autobild.de noticed unusually clearly: As the overall winner in the category "Off-road vehicles and SUVs up to 25,000 euros" had the Mokka with some 38 percent of the vote to the Honda CR-V (11,1 percent) and the Skoda Yeti (6.0 percent) against 15 other competitors in the courts. Similarly confident the trophy collectors of Opel recently showed at the "Design Trophy" of "Auto Zeitung" and "Feel Master" in "Auto Bild". Even in the reader poll for "Car of Reason 2013" ("Good Advice" / "SUPERillu") stood in front of Mokka.

 

"This election is a clear endorsement of the market," said Matthias Seidl, Opel Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, when he saw the price for the "wheel car of the year 2013" accepted it in Frankfurt. "We are proud that the best judges in the world - the car drivers and motorists - appreciate the mocha as a competent four-wheel drive. Our newcomer lives up to his appearance. "

The dynamic appearance of the compact SUV fit the comfortable, high seating position and high levels of functionality. A focus of development was on the chassis, which is made for use off-road. To further improve traction and handling of the Mokka can take with front-wheel drive and equipped with. The adaptive 4x4 system detects slippery when wet and when traction is needed on all four wheels. Then the electronically controlled center differential continuously and automatically redirects torque to the rear wheels. The force distribution, ranging from 100 percent to 50 percent front to front and rear axles, such as snow-covered roads. The wheel drive system weighs only 65 kilograms, so stay economically and environmentally protected.

Exclusive comfort and safety technologies
Generally, the Mokka offers a length of 4.28 meters, five people spaciousness. He also delivering on the promise of Opel to combine attractive design with innovative technologies and features from higher vehicle classes, placing them a wider range of customers to make it accessible. Opel leads the Mokka enter the Adpative Lighting system AFL +, Ergonomic seats with the seal of the Association and the Campaign for Healthier Backs, FlexFix integrated bicycle carrier into the SUV segment. The second-generation FlexFix can at Mokka transport up to three bikes.
 

Opel Mokka SUV - Adaptive Forward Lighting

These are numerous technologies available to improve ride comfort and increase safety, including the Electronic Stability Program ESP Plus including hill start and hill descent assist just like the Opel front camera of the second generation with Front Collision Alert (FCA) and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). The successful SUV, to the present already well over 90,000 orders is from from 18.990, - Euro (RRP including VAT in Germany).