ADAM, Ampera and Zafira Tourer – Opel Delivers Thrills from A to Z

-Awards in 2012: ’Car of the Year’ and ’Auto Trophy’ for Ampera, ’Golden Steering Wheel’ for Zafira Tourer and ‘Auto Trophy’ for ADAM
-Sporty: Opel active in German Football League and motor sport
-Open: Athletic, mid-size Cascada convertible coming in the spring
-Ground-breaking: New turbo diesel/gasoline engines and infotainment systems in 2013

Rüsselsheim. Opel delivers thrills – the Rüsselsheim automaker proved this repeatedly in 2012 by introducing a string of new products which have collected more than 40 national and international awards across Europe. The latest accolades are: the Auto Trophy for the Ampera - for a third time - and the brand-new lifestyle car ADAM, as well as the Golden Steering Wheel in the van class for the Opel Zafira Tourer. These awards crown the long list of accolades won by Opel in 2012 which began with the European Car of the Year for the electric Ampera introduced in the spring.

In addition to launching the first electric vehicle suitable for everyday use, Opel also turned heads with arrival of the new, sub-compact SUV Mokka and the new Astra family, including a four-door sedan and the high-performance Astra OPC. Opel’s passenger and light commercial vehicle portfolio is complemented by the next Combo generation with its wide variety of variants. Next year the chic urban lifestyle car ADAM and the elegant, mid-size Cascada convertible will also be introduced.

“With our new products and state-of-the-art comfort and assistance systems normally found only in higher vehicle classes, Opel is giving customers exactly what they want,” says Opel Management Board Member for Operations, Business Development & Corporate Strategies Thomas Sedran following positive reactions to Opel models in 2012 from buyers and experts alike. “We are going to maintain the fast pace of vehicle and technology introductions,” he adds. “This means we will continue meeting diverse customer wishes during the coming year – offering the youngest, freshest and broadest model portfolio we’ve ever had.”

Ground-breaking technologies: Environmentally friendly Opel models with spirit

At the beginning of 2012, the automotive future took to the road. With the launch of the Ampera, an electric vehicle suitable for everyday use, Opel established a new segment in the European automotive industry. For the first time, drivers of an electric car no longer need to worry about being stranded with a depleted battery. The Ampera’s revolutionary propulsion concept makes this possible with an electric motor and extended-range engine capable of providing over 500 kilometers of driving without having to stop at a filling station. The concept is a major success: at the Geneva Motor Show, the Ampera was chosen as the “most popular car newcomer in Europe” and won the prestigious ’Car of the Year 2012’ award. It was just one of almost 30 awards the Ampera received in Europe during 2012 as it became the most successful electric vehicle on the market.

The Opel Mokka and powerful Astra OPC also made their debuts at Geneva. With a top speed of 250 km/h and a 206 kW/280 hp two-liter turbo engine, the high-performance version of the Astra GTC is the fastest and most powerful Astra ever.

The Opel Mokka is a new arrival in the sub-compact SUV segment. With an overall length of 4.28 meters, it packs all the strengths of a traditional, large SUV in an up-to-date format. The Mokka which has just been awarded the maximum five stars by the independent consumer organization Euro NCAP is also one of only a handful of cars to achieve a 100 percent score in the safety assist category. It fulfills Opel’s promise to combine attractive design with innovative technologies and upmarket functionalities. These include adaptive all-wheel drive and ESP®Plus, with Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control, and the second generation Opel Eye front camera, with Forward Collision Alert, enhanced Traffic Sign Recognition and Lane Departure Warning, as well as AFL+.

The second-generation FlexFix bicycle carrier in the Mokka also holds up to three bicycles, and even up to four in the Zafira Tourer.

A new dynamic and economical BiTurbo diesel engine, with an innovative cooling concept, is opening a new chapter for the Insignia range, over half a million of which have rolled off the assembly line in Rüsselsheim. This 2.0-liter unit delivers 143 kW/195 hp and 400 Nm of torque and, in the four-door sedan with front-wheel drive, consumes just 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers (129 g/km CO2). This makes the Insignia 2.0 BiTurbo one of the most economical cars in the mid-size class. Highlights of the four-cylinder common rail engine include a sequential, double turbo system with two charging stages, as well as two intercoolers.

In the summer, the enhanced Astra family made its premiere at the Moscow International Motor Show, featuring a new sedan model, radar-based assistance systems and fresh design. It was Opel’s first vehicle world premiere on the important Russian growth market. The BiTurbo also becomes the new top-of-the-line diesel for Astra.

With individualization champion ADAM to sporty success

In its 150th year of business, the Rüsselsheim brand has returned to the German Football League. Since the beginning of the season, Opel has been the ‘Official Premium Partner’ for League One clubs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Mainz 05 and SC Freiburg, as well as the current German champion Borussia Dortmund.

Opel is also active in motor sport. In 2013, the race-tuned Astra OPC and the new rallye ADAM will demonstrate Opel’s in-house motor sport expertise. The Astra OPC will, for example, compete in the annual 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and the ADAM will take part in the European ADAC Opel Rallye Cup, created in cooperation with Germany’s renowned automobile club.

Less than 3.70 meters long and just 1.72 meters wide (excluding mirrors), the Opel ADAM was a major attraction when it premiered at the Paris Motor Show in September. The urban trendsetter offers virtually unlimited potential for individualization, including a wide choice of stylish headliners, indirect lights that illuminate the center console and color trim clips for the wheels. The new IntelliLink onboard infotainment system, which integrates the owner’s smartphone into the car (Android and Apple iOS) makes the ADAM the best-connected small car on the market. Next year the system will also be available in modified form for other Opel models.

Opel is also updating its powertrain portfolio. In the first step next year, a new mid-size gasoline engine family, with turbocharging and direct fuel injection, will be introduced. This will be followed by an all-new generation of mid-size turbo-diesel engines.

Athletic mid-size convertible Cascada coming in spring 2013

Opel’s athletic, mid-size Cascada convertible is a stylish and classy four-seater, featuring an elegant, stretched silhouette and a high-quality soft top. The highlight of the Cascada’s powertrain line-up will be a 1.6 SIDI Turbo ECOTEC gasoline engine with 125 kW/170 hp. This first arrival in the new mid-size gasoline engine family is engineered to combine an exceptionally smooth torque delivery with great fuel economy. Scheduled for market launch in early 2013, the Cascada is able to make convertible dreams come true all the year round.