!NEW! Top Down, New Engine On: Opel Cascada Drives into Summer

• Stylish: Attractive convertible with premium roof and room for four adults
• Clean: New 2.0 CDTI Turbo Diesel with 125 kW/170 hp and just 4.9 liters consumption
• Purrs: Whisper diesel perfect for open-air driving

Seductive whirlwind: Opel gives the Cascada a brand-new 125 kW/170 hp two-liter Turbo diesel engine.

An elongated, elegant silhouette, state-of-the-art technology and extensive standard equipment – in one word: Cascada. With the large convertible, Opel offers a spacious four-seater with a high-quality soft-top otherwise only seen in selected premium brand vehicles. It features superior acoustic and thermal insulation for first-class, all-season driving comfort. The Opel Cascada is a seductive whirlwind with its top down and a quiet Gran Turismo when the top is up. It is a year-round cabriolet thanks to its sophisticated soft-top that opens in just 17 seconds while driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h. And now Opel gives the Cascada the brand-new two-liter turbo diesel engine recently introduced in the Insignia and Zafira Tourer, as well as the three new colors True Blue, Rocky Coast and Coconut. The new 125 kW/170 hp four-cylinder unit with 400 Nm torque meets all the important demands on modern diesel engines and replaces the 121 kW/165 hp engine.

Purrs: Whisper diesel 2.0 CDTI perfect for open-air driving.

Compared to its predecessor, the new powerhouse boasts three percent more power and 14 percent more torque, yet has even more economical consumption. With the new two-liter turbo diesel under the hood and six-speed manual transmission, the open-air cruiser consumes just 4.9 liters per 100 km in the combined cycle and emits 129 g/km CO2. Thus, the Euro 6 - 2.0 CDTI boasts improvements of six percent. The powerful engine is a perfect fit to the comfortable and lively Cascada: the Opel convertible accelerates to 100 km/h in 10.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 218 km/h. It makes the sprint from 80 to 120 km/h in fifth gear in just 9.3 seconds – seven-tenths faster than with the predecessor engine. The elegant convertible with the new 2.0 CDTI engine is available from 30,500 euros (RRP incl. VAT in Germany).

Stylish Opel Cascada: Attractive convertible with premium roof and room for four adults.

“The Opel Cascada is a mid-size cabriolet with premium features and quality for an extremely attractive price. With the new engine that is part of our extensive powertrain offensive, cabriolet fans now get an engine that sets standards in this class in terms of refinement, power development and consumption,” says Peter Christian Küspert, Vice President Sales and Aftersales at Opel Group.

Highest efficiency for low consumption

Clean: New 2.0 CDTI Turbo diesel with 125 kW/170 hp and just 4.9 liters consumption.

The engineers managed to achieve the efficiency improvements by redesigning the combustion chamber, optimizing the re-profiled intake ports and looking to a new fuel injection system with 2,000 bar and up to 10 injections per cylinder cycle. These measures not only improve the efficiency of the engine, the improved fuel atomization also benefits refinement. Impressive maximum torque of 400 Nm is available from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. For the first time the VGT (variable geometry turbine) turbocharger features an electrical actuator instead of a vacuum actuator resulting in 20 percent faster boost response and even more driving fun. The exceptionally compact packaging of the turbocharger and the intercooler also minimizes the air volume between the turbocharger and the engine, further contributing to an especially fast boost pressure build up. For durability, the turbocharger is water-cooled and has an oil filter fitted at the oil inlet point to help further reduce wear in the bearing system.

Impressive: Maximum torque of 400 Nm is available from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm.

Smooth running for pure cabriolet feeling

A consistent improvement in NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) characteristics under all operating conditions was a key requirement for the new engine right from the outset of its design. Architectural improvements focused on two high noise emitting areas: the top and bottom of the engine. A new aluminum cylinder head design, including the addition of a decoupled, plastic cam cover with isolated fixings and a sealing gasket, improves noise attenuation. At the bottom of the engine, a new balancer shaft module is fitted, made of high pressure die-cast aluminum. It houses two counter-rotating shafts which offset up to 83 percent of secondary order engine vibrations. As a result of all these and numerous other design features, the new 2.0 CDTI unit emits less noise than its predecessor throughout its operating range, and with 74 decibels at idle it is even three decibels quieter than before. This takes the open-air driving fun in the Opel Cascada to new heights.

Clean running with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

The new 2.0 CDTI runs almost as clean as a gasoline engine with Opel’s BlueInjection selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. BlueInjection is an after-treatment which removes nitrogen oxide (NOx) from the engine’s exhaust gases. Tiny quantities of AdBlue®, a harmless fluid consisting of urea and water, are injected into the exhaust gas flow ahead of the SCR catalyst and downstream of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The solution is immediately converted into ammonia (NH3), which is absorbed by the SCR catalyst. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) in the passing exhaust gas is then selectively reduced to harmless nitrogen and water vapor in a chemical reaction with the ammonia. The AdBlue solution, available at filling stations and Opel dealerships, is stored in a tank, which can be topped up as required via a nozzle adjacent to the vehicle’s fuel filler cap.

OnStar: The all-round carefree package for the Opel Cascada

Ultra-modern technology is not only under the Opel Cascada’s hood: from late summer, the mid-size convertible will also be available with the personal connectivity and service assistant Opel OnStar. The built-in 4G LTE connection enables mobile data speeds up to 10 times faster than with 3G technologies. The system offers increased responsiveness and can support simultaneous voice and data connections. Opel OnStar raises in-vehicle communications and on-board entertainment capabilities to a new level. Thanks to the powerful Wi-Fi hotspot, up to seven mobile devices can be connected to the system simultaneously.

!NEW! ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team Maintains ERC Lead

• Opel works driver Emil Bergkvist solidifies his FIA ERC Junior lead in the Azores
• Defect at end of race robs Marijan Griebel of deserved result for top performance
• ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team confident for next FIA ERC Junior rounds

Lead defended: Opel factory driver Emil Bergkvist finished fourth in his ADAM R2 on the Azores and defended his overall FIA ERC Junior lead.

Motorsport can be ruthless. This proved all too true for the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team drivers on the last day of the SATA Rallye Acores. First, Emil Bergkvist (20, from Torsåker) and co-driver Joakim Sjöberg (29, from Ösmo) ran into trouble. At the third-to-last stage of the third round of the FIA ERC Junior, the Swedes were in an excellent second place when suddenly their Opel ADAM R2 was left with only the first and second gears. This was the end of all podium-finish dreams for the two-time season winners and ERC leaders, and their new goal was now to limit the extent of the damage.

And Bergkvist/Sjöberg achieved this goal, bringing the Opel ADAM R2 through the last two stages and across the finish line in Ponta Delgada in spite of a flat tire during the last kilometers. This landed the two Scandinavians in fourth place, consolidating their overall lead at the mid-way point of the FIA ERC Junior 2015 season. Heading to the next round in three weeks in Ypern, Belgium, their lead over the Azores winner Chris Ingram is now 24 points. And as only the best four of the six FIA ERC Junior rounds results count while the two weakest are discounted, the current rankings are only of temporary significance.

“I have mixed feelings about the rallye,” said Bergkvist. “Even under these difficult conditions, we were again very fast with our Opel ADAM R2. Of course we would have liked to take second place, but that wasn’t meant to be. That is motorsport. But at least we made it over the finish line and scored valuable points with fourth place. We are still leading the FIA ERC Junior with a solid advantage over our closest competitor. Now we will focus on what’s ahead and will again go into the next FIA ERC Junior races in full attack mode.“

Teammates Marijan Griebel (26, from Hahnweiler) and his co-driver Stefan Clemens (28, from Weiskirchen) had even worse luck. Following a great performance that put them in fourth place going into the final stage of the challenging gravel rallye on the Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, they had to deal with a defect on their Opel ADAM R2. Because they were able to cross the finish line but not get back to the parc fermé in Ponta Delgada on their own, Griebel and Clemens were excluded from classification. A highlight and small consolation was their impressive best time in the over 20-kilometer long stage 13.

Thwarted: Marijan Griebel and his co-pilot Stefan Clemens put on a strong display but a defect prevented them from reaping the rewards. 

Griebel also had very mixed feelings about the rallye: “Yesterday everything went really well and in today’s rankings we even reached second - with one of the few cars that didn’t have any visible exterior damage. We had a lot of fun, we were full of confidence, up until then the Opel ADAM R2 was fantastic. Everything would have been perfect. And then two kilometers before the finish line of the final stage, we lost power. We knew right away that we wouldn’t be able to make the 60 kilometers back to Ponta Delgada. So now we have to shake it off and keep fighting. We have a fast car that can compete on all surfaces and we have good drivers. This is what we want to prove again in Ypern.”

The ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team drivers don’t have a lot of time to relax. This Saturday (June 13), Griebel/Clemens and Bergkvist/Sjöberg are racing in the Rallye Wervik in Belgium with their Opel ADAM R2s. They are using this test run to prepare for the fourth round of the FIA ERC Junior, the Kenotek Ypres Rallye from June 25 - 27. The event around Ypern in West Flanders takes place on asphalt.

!NEW! Lifesaver Opel OnStar: Opel at INTERSCHUTZ 2015

• June 8 – 13: Leading international exhibition for rescue and fire prevention in Hanover
• Insignia with Opel OnStar: Connectivity and service assistant for faster on-site help
• International event: Teams from 16 countries run rescue drills with Opel vehicles

Saving lives quickly and effectively – the INTERSCHUTZ in Hannover shows how to do this from today to Saturday, June 13. The leading international exhibition for rescue, fire prevention, disaster relief and safety takes place every five years and is considered the world’s most important event in this industry. Some 140,000 visitors and trade experts are expected to attend this year. Opel is also participating: as a partner of Holmatro Rescue Equipment, the Rüsselsheim automaker is presenting specially equipped vehicles in the open-air demonstration area. Opel is also supporting rescue tools specialist Holmatro’s Rescue Challenge, in which international teams are taking part.

Lifesaving equipment: Emergency rescue vehicle Opel Mokka and Opel OnStar in Insignia

Opel Mokka SUV - Emergency vehicle for technical accident assistance and on-site first aid

After its recent debut as an Opel emergency vehicle at the RETTmobil, it is now on stage for INTERSCHUTZ visitors: the Opel Mokka as an agile utility vehicle for technical accident assistance and on-site first aid. The compact SUV converted by Opel Special Vehicles and Sortimo is a real eye-catcher with its LED special signaling system, the LED front flashers and rear warning lights along with its blazing red foliation. The huge advantage of the all-terrain Mokka, which has a preliminary set-up for analogue and digital networks including a combined roof antenna, is that it can take technical equipment to accident sites that cannot be reached by vans or trucks. The Mokka carries an emergency backpack on board so that its crew can also provide vital first aid.

 Opel Insignia Sports Tourer with OnStar 

But rescue crews first must find the accident site, which can be difficult in dense woods or mountainous regions. The Opel Insignia Sports Tourer exhibited in Hanover shows how precious seconds can be saved in this situation. It has Opel OnStar on board, the new personal connectivity and service assistant. Opel OnStar offers drivers a 24-hour emergency service hotline: at the push of a button or automatically, a request for help is sent to the Opel OnStar service center, which then contacts the rescue coordination center responsible for the area of the accident site. The Opel OnStar advisor gives the rescue service team the exact GPS coordinates as well as other important vehicle information such as airbag status, impact speed and type of drivetrain. But the system also works in the other direction. If the rescue team does not immediately find the vehicle involved in the accident, it can call back Opel OnStar. Then the service center assistant can activate the car’s horn, blinkers or headlamps to help the rescue crew find it. In this way, the groundbreaking new system can make a lifesaving difference.

Holmatro Rescue Experience: Opel vehicles for rescue exercises

Another INTERSCHUTZ exhibition highlight is Holmatro’s Rescue Challenge that takes place in a 1,500 m2 outdoor area five times every day. 29 rescue teams from 16 countries compete in various rounds to see who can expertly free people from a staged accident situation the fastest. As Holmatro’s cooperation partner, Opel provides 28 vehicles for the drills. With sometimes heavy machinery, the interior of the “accident” cars is accessed to reach victims as quickly as possible. The entire exercise is conducted according to stringent regulations.

Experts are on site to answer all questions about the Opel models on exhibit at the INTERSCHUTZ and Opel OnStar. The show is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and runs until Saturday, June 13.