OPEL
Showing posts with label Opel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opel. Show all posts
OPEL
Posted by bangJack
OPEL
2012 Opel Astra GTC Sport Hatch is…Virtually Here: First Official Images and Video of Production Model
Posted by bangJack
Opel division of General Motors' is preparing to take the wraps off the Astra GTC, the company has released the first official and render the video-production model of the virtual landscape.
The new high in the search, the three-door version of the Astra will be unveiled in the flesh and in detail in the time just six weeks, June 7, away from its world premiere at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, Sept. 15. Both Opel and its sister company in Britain, Vauxhall, will begin accepting orders in the summer with the first deliveries are expected this fall.
2012 Opel Astra GTC Astra GTCThe was seen as a thinly disguised concept model View recent years Mondial de l'Automobile. From what we can tell by looking at these images, the production model has remained close to the concept study with the only visible changes in the design of the front bumper lower than the round fog lights of houses rather than thin strips of LED, and rear apron, which incorporates conventional tail pipe.
Astra GTC three-door is available in the configuration of the engine is a five-door model, which provides buyers of petrol and turbo diesel units. Intensified the OPC model more than 250 horses, and particularly in tune with the start is expected in the near future.
The new high in the search, the three-door version of the Astra will be unveiled in the flesh and in detail in the time just six weeks, June 7, away from its world premiere at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, Sept. 15. Both Opel and its sister company in Britain, Vauxhall, will begin accepting orders in the summer with the first deliveries are expected this fall.
2012 Opel Astra GTC Astra GTCThe was seen as a thinly disguised concept model View recent years Mondial de l'Automobile. From what we can tell by looking at these images, the production model has remained close to the concept study with the only visible changes in the design of the front bumper lower than the round fog lights of houses rather than thin strips of LED, and rear apron, which incorporates conventional tail pipe.
Astra GTC three-door is available in the configuration of the engine is a five-door model, which provides buyers of petrol and turbo diesel units. Intensified the OPC model more than 250 horses, and particularly in tune with the start is expected in the near future.
OPEL AMPERA TO DEBUT IN 2011
Posted by bangJack
Electric car with 500 km extended range
Geneva/Rüsselsheim. The revolutionary Opel Ampera today celebrated its world premiere at the 79th Geneva Motor Show. General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, unveiled the extended-range electric vehicle and announced plans to put the car into production in late 2011.
The Ampera will also be offered with right-hand drive in the United Kingdom by Opel’s sister-brand, Vauxhall.
“The Opel Ampera further demonstrates GM’s leadership in the electrification of the automobile,” said Carl-Peter Forster. “Its ground-breaking Voltec electric propulsion system is the kind of game-changing technology the automotive industry needs to respond to energy and environmental challenges.”
The five-door, four-seat Ampera is influenced by Opel’s award-winning design language of sculptural artistry meets German precision, incorporating several styling cues from the innovative Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars
“There could not be a more fitting way to celebrate Opel’s 110 years of innovation in the car industry than by revealing the Ampera,” said Alain Visser, GME Vice President Opel.
The Ampera’s wheels are turned electrically at all times and speeds. For journeys up to 60 km (MVEG), it runs on electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery, and emits zero CO2. When the battery’s energy is depleted, electricity from an engine-generator extends the Ampera’s range to more than 500 km.
The Ampera can be plugged into any household 230v outlet for charging. GM Europe is analyzing the requirements of a recharging infrastructure for plug-in electric cars with energy companies, including Iberdrola of Spain.
Geneva/Rüsselsheim. The revolutionary Opel Ampera today celebrated its world premiere at the 79th Geneva Motor Show. General Motors Europe president, Carl-Peter Forster, unveiled the extended-range electric vehicle and announced plans to put the car into production in late 2011.
The Ampera will also be offered with right-hand drive in the United Kingdom by Opel’s sister-brand, Vauxhall.
“The Opel Ampera further demonstrates GM’s leadership in the electrification of the automobile,” said Carl-Peter Forster. “Its ground-breaking Voltec electric propulsion system is the kind of game-changing technology the automotive industry needs to respond to energy and environmental challenges.”
The five-door, four-seat Ampera is influenced by Opel’s award-winning design language of sculptural artistry meets German precision, incorporating several styling cues from the innovative Flextreme and GTC Concept show cars
“There could not be a more fitting way to celebrate Opel’s 110 years of innovation in the car industry than by revealing the Ampera,” said Alain Visser, GME Vice President Opel.
The Ampera’s wheels are turned electrically at all times and speeds. For journeys up to 60 km (MVEG), it runs on electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery, and emits zero CO2. When the battery’s energy is depleted, electricity from an engine-generator extends the Ampera’s range to more than 500 km.
The Ampera can be plugged into any household 230v outlet for charging. GM Europe is analyzing the requirements of a recharging infrastructure for plug-in electric cars with energy companies, including Iberdrola of Spain.
INSIGNIA SPORTS TOURER
Posted by bangJack
The new Opel Insignia Sports Tourer showcases the dynamic look of the new Opel midsize class in the station wagon segment and reflects this in its name. Two new engines for the entire Opel Insignia class also make their world premiere at the Paris Motor Show (October 4 - 19). The innovative 2.0-liter BiTurbo diesel with clean tech combustion system has 190 hp, and the downsized 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine reaches 180 hp. The Opel Insignia Sports Tourer offers the same state-of-the-art technology as the Insignia, including the Opel Eye camera system, AFL+ headlamps, Adaptive 4x4 all-wheel-drive and the FlexRide chassis. This is complemented by station-wagon-specific equipment such as a power tailgate with programmable opening height, a leveling system and the FlexOrganizer cargo management system. The completely flat luggage compartment has a capacity of 540 to 1,510 liters. With a cD of just below 0.30, the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer is the most aerodynamic station wagon Opel has ever built.
The Opel Insignia Sports Tourer addresses a younger target group than the sedan. It is the ideal choice for families and sporty, active people who desire a wagon for their leisure activities and sports equipment, but who don't want to give up the elegant style, superb driving characteristics and low fuel consumption of a midsize car.
The new Opel Insignia Sports Tourer will be introduced to European markets in spring 2009. Opel expects the Sports Tourer to take a high share of sales in strong station wagon markets like Italy and Germany. Like the sedan models, the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer was developed in GM Europe's Design and Engineering Center in Rüsselsheim. It will also be built in the Rüsselsheim plant, one of the most modern and efficient plants in the world.
Sporty design, unprecedented aerodynamics for maximum efficiency
While designers carried forward the sporty, elegant design of the Insignia to the Sports Tourer, they spared no effort in giving the largest Insignia its own unique look. Mark Adams, Vice President of GM Europe Design, says, "This vehicle has its own very unique personality, while still remaining consistent to the new design language that we have developed for Opel, where Sculptural artistry meets German precision. It combines the perfect balance of a practical package wrapped in a dynamic, sporty design."
The result is a dynamic, sporty station wagon that elegantly conceals its high utility value. To achieve this, the designers reinterpreted a number of elements. They pulled the "wraparound" tailgate far into the flanks and accentuated it with large, distinctive, fully integrated tail lights. The chrome strip holding the prominent Opel logo gives the car a note of added confidence.
The rear sweeps down into a rounded bumper, emphasizing the aerodynamic framework that underpins the car's design. The roof spoiler has the same effect, elongating the dynamic sloping roofline that is accentuated by roof rails and thus helping to ensure that the Insignia sedan's sporty proportions are retained with the Sports Tourer. Also, the air is guided longer along the roof reducing the drag. Two vertical fins that bridge the roof spoiler and the rear lights have the same effect. The air flow is sharply cut off which also reduces rear end lift.
As in the Insignia sedan, GM Europe engineers fine-tuned the subtlest details to ensure excellent aerodynamic performance. These include rounding the front bumper corners and adding a flexible spoiler lip to its bottom end, giving the A-pillar a rounder shape, changing the exterior mirror to a wing form, and profiling the lower control arm in the rear suspension. Two underbody spoilers direct air over the rear axle to reduce drag and lift even more, while the three front air inlets have been optimized for efficiency. With a cD of just below 0.30, the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer is the most aerodynamic station wagon Opel has ever built. With a drag area of 0.69 m², it is better than many smaller cars.
Interior: Plenty of space and practical features like the FlexOrganizer system
The new station wagon's dynamic look encloses an interior that offers ample space for five occupants and a highly competitive luggage compartment that offers a volume of 540 liters. The Sports Tourer has retained an identical wheelbase of 2.74 meters as the sedan models and added around eight centimeters to its rear cargo length for an overall 4.91 meters. The load area length up to the front seats is 1.91 meters and when fully loaded, the sporty station wagon has a maximum capacity of 1,510 liters.
The Sports Tourer combines sporty looks with the space and functionality of conventional wagons. The automatic leveling system is just as practical as the closing support for the manual tailgate which pulls the tailgate into the lock when closing; both items are fitted as standard. Also available is a tailgate that can be electrically opened and closed and features a programmable opening height that helps prevent damage to the tailgate even in garages with low ceilings. Added to that are clever ideas such as the familiar FlexOrganizer system that separates and secures cargo loads: A flexible system of nets and foldaway dividers can be fixed to two horizontal rails running along each side of the load area. The host of stowage possibilities in the passenger cell, that are also a feature of the sedan, include molded-in pockets in the front doors that can each hold a 1.5-liter bottle.
With the new Sports Tourer comes a new seat material that is an automotive industry first: It uses "TopTec" nano-technology to help textile upholstery resist staining and prevent liquids from penetrating it, therefore is up to 50 percent easier to clean that conventional upholstery. TopTec material, available with the beige interior, is as breathable as conventional material and makes it easier for families with small children to choose interior trim with friendly, light-colored upholstery.
Nine Engines Available
Two new engines make their premiere in the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer, and join the seven engines already available for the sedan models. The 2.0-liter BiTurbo diesel with 190 hp and the 1.6-liter gasoline turbo with 180 hp will then also be available in the sedan versions. Both engines are part of Opel's rightsizing strategy. This strategy aims to achieve higher performance not through higher displacement, but rather to increase the efficiency of smaller engines with the help of state-of-the-art technology to such a point that they at least rival larger engines in terms of performance, torque and drivability while at the same time consuming considerably less fuel. In addition to these nine engines, an ecoFLEX variant with remarkably low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will also be introduced in the course of next year.
Strong and innovative: The new 2.0 CDTI BiTurbo
The new 2.0-liter CDTI BiTurbo will top the diesel engine family available in the Insignia. With two-stage turbo-charging and clean tech combustion control, it produces 140 kW/190 hp at 4,000 rpm, which corresponds to an excellent power output per liter of 70 kW/95 hp. The maximum torque is 400 Nm at an exceptionally low 1,500 rpm.
The innovative clean tech technology that controls combustion via an electronic closed loop system makes its debut in the common-rail four-cylinder engine. Pressure sensors integrated in the glow plugs are used to measure combustion pressures as high as 180 bar in each individual cylinder up to one million times per minute, within an accuracy of 98 percent. The data is sent to the central engine control system and the fuel injection continuously adjusted. This closed loop system ensures the engine always operates within an optimum range for maximum power output and minimum exhaust emissions, improving efficiency and lowering combustion noise. Long-term stability of the combustion process is another advantage of pressure measurement with the piezo-resistive sensors. Over the service life of the engine, it compensates for wear factors such as inaccuracies in the fuel metering, component tolerances, varying fuel qualities and operating conditions.
The two-phase turbocharging concept ensures a good response at low engine speeds, as well as maximum power output values. Two turbochargers, one small and one large, are connected in series and controlled by a combined throttle system. Up to 1,500 rpm, the exhaust gases only pass over the turbine in the small, low-inertia turbocharger, which forces air into the cylinders at up to 3.3 bars pressure. When engine speed increases, part of the exhaust gas flow is diverted to the large turbine so that both turbochargers become active. Pre-compressed in the large turbocharger, the air is led into the small turbocharger via an intercooler and then forced into the cylinders in a highly compressed state. At engine speeds above 3,000 rpm, the entire exhaust gas flow is directed to the larger turbo, from where the compressed air is forced into the cylinders via the intercooler.
A third generation, common-rail injection system - working at pressures up to 2,000 bars - is another special engine feature. In hydraulic cutting technology, for example, 2,000 bars is sufficient pressure to cut stainless steel blocks up to a thickness of 15 centimeters. In the Opel diesel engine, the high-pressure rail system delivers fuel through high-precision, piezo electrically-controlled injector nozzles which allow up to eight injections per stroke, enabling extremely precise combustion control in terms of noise and exhaust emissions.
An oxidation catalyst, located close to the engine and a standard particulate filter provide after-treatment of the exhaust gas. As with all Insignia engines, the new, highly efficient diesel unit is Euro 5 certified.
Efficient and sporty: The new 1.6 Turbo with 180 hp
The new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine in the ECOTEC series also uses turbocharging. It delivers maximum power of 132 kW/180 hp and generates peak torque of 230 Nm from just 2,200 rpm all the way to 5,400 rpm. On top, the standard overboost system delivers a temporary 15 percent torque increase, up to 266 Nm, as required. Electronic control allows a maximum charge pressure of 2.5 bars for up to five seconds, compared to 2.1 bars in normal running. The overboost function is activated when the accelerator pedal is rapidly pressed down all the way.
The cylinder head, oil sump and intake manifold, with a laterally-mounted throttle valve, are all in aluminum. The integration of the turbocharger housing in the cast exhaust manifold - a typical Opel feature - optimizes weight-saving and ensures a rapid response. The turbocharger is water cooled and was developed by Opel in collaboration with specialists from BorgWarner Turbo Systems. It is distinguished by refined flow geometries, improved materials and increased durability.
The compact 1.6 turbo engine is only 15 kg heavier than its naturally-aspirated counterpart, tipping the scales at just 131 kg. It has a bore/stroke ratio of 79/81.5 mm and displacement of 1598 cm3, top values in power-to-weight ratio (1 kg per 1 kW), specific power output (82.5 kW/112.5 hp per liter displacement) and specific consumption: At 2,000 rpm and a charge pressure of two bars, it consumes only 406 grams of fuel per kilowatt hour. This engine also is certified according to the stringent Euro 5 emissions standard.
Typical Opel: Affordable innovations also in Sports Tourer
"Along with leading technologies and high safety standards, the elegant Opel Insignia Sports Tourer clearly expresses Opel's strategy to make innovation and attractive design accessible," says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer for GM Europe. All of the details designed for the Insignia can also be found in the Sports Tourer.
Developed for front and all-wheel-drive, the chassis is designed to offer a high level of safety and comfort. It can even be enhanced with the innovative, integrated FlexRide mechatronic chassis system which improves stability and provides real time, electronically controlled damping. FlexRide also gives the driver the choice between three driving modes. In addition to the standard adaptive mode, the driver can either opt for a comfort-oriented mode Tour or Sport setting. The Sport mode makes the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer driving experience more active, as it changes the set-up of interlinked functions such as the steering, throttle control and even the ambient lighting of the dashboard. Furthermore, Insignia customers can order the new, sophisticated Adaptive 4x4 system that proactively distributes torque to ensure superb stability while providing optimal traction and enhancing handling performance on all road conditions.
The "Opel Eye" camera, which reads and memorizes traffic signs and warns drivers when they unintentionally veer out of their lane, also increases safety in the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer. Other innovative features are the new-generation AFL+ headlamps that adjust to prevailing traffic conditions with nine different lighting functions and the particularly back-friendly, orthopedic Ergonomic Sport Seats that are offered at a very affordable price.
The Opel Insignia Sports Tourer addresses a younger target group than the sedan. It is the ideal choice for families and sporty, active people who desire a wagon for their leisure activities and sports equipment, but who don't want to give up the elegant style, superb driving characteristics and low fuel consumption of a midsize car.
The new Opel Insignia Sports Tourer will be introduced to European markets in spring 2009. Opel expects the Sports Tourer to take a high share of sales in strong station wagon markets like Italy and Germany. Like the sedan models, the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer was developed in GM Europe's Design and Engineering Center in Rüsselsheim. It will also be built in the Rüsselsheim plant, one of the most modern and efficient plants in the world.
Sporty design, unprecedented aerodynamics for maximum efficiency
While designers carried forward the sporty, elegant design of the Insignia to the Sports Tourer, they spared no effort in giving the largest Insignia its own unique look. Mark Adams, Vice President of GM Europe Design, says, "This vehicle has its own very unique personality, while still remaining consistent to the new design language that we have developed for Opel, where Sculptural artistry meets German precision. It combines the perfect balance of a practical package wrapped in a dynamic, sporty design."
The result is a dynamic, sporty station wagon that elegantly conceals its high utility value. To achieve this, the designers reinterpreted a number of elements. They pulled the "wraparound" tailgate far into the flanks and accentuated it with large, distinctive, fully integrated tail lights. The chrome strip holding the prominent Opel logo gives the car a note of added confidence.
The rear sweeps down into a rounded bumper, emphasizing the aerodynamic framework that underpins the car's design. The roof spoiler has the same effect, elongating the dynamic sloping roofline that is accentuated by roof rails and thus helping to ensure that the Insignia sedan's sporty proportions are retained with the Sports Tourer. Also, the air is guided longer along the roof reducing the drag. Two vertical fins that bridge the roof spoiler and the rear lights have the same effect. The air flow is sharply cut off which also reduces rear end lift.
As in the Insignia sedan, GM Europe engineers fine-tuned the subtlest details to ensure excellent aerodynamic performance. These include rounding the front bumper corners and adding a flexible spoiler lip to its bottom end, giving the A-pillar a rounder shape, changing the exterior mirror to a wing form, and profiling the lower control arm in the rear suspension. Two underbody spoilers direct air over the rear axle to reduce drag and lift even more, while the three front air inlets have been optimized for efficiency. With a cD of just below 0.30, the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer is the most aerodynamic station wagon Opel has ever built. With a drag area of 0.69 m², it is better than many smaller cars.
Interior: Plenty of space and practical features like the FlexOrganizer system
The new station wagon's dynamic look encloses an interior that offers ample space for five occupants and a highly competitive luggage compartment that offers a volume of 540 liters. The Sports Tourer has retained an identical wheelbase of 2.74 meters as the sedan models and added around eight centimeters to its rear cargo length for an overall 4.91 meters. The load area length up to the front seats is 1.91 meters and when fully loaded, the sporty station wagon has a maximum capacity of 1,510 liters.
The Sports Tourer combines sporty looks with the space and functionality of conventional wagons. The automatic leveling system is just as practical as the closing support for the manual tailgate which pulls the tailgate into the lock when closing; both items are fitted as standard. Also available is a tailgate that can be electrically opened and closed and features a programmable opening height that helps prevent damage to the tailgate even in garages with low ceilings. Added to that are clever ideas such as the familiar FlexOrganizer system that separates and secures cargo loads: A flexible system of nets and foldaway dividers can be fixed to two horizontal rails running along each side of the load area. The host of stowage possibilities in the passenger cell, that are also a feature of the sedan, include molded-in pockets in the front doors that can each hold a 1.5-liter bottle.
With the new Sports Tourer comes a new seat material that is an automotive industry first: It uses "TopTec" nano-technology to help textile upholstery resist staining and prevent liquids from penetrating it, therefore is up to 50 percent easier to clean that conventional upholstery. TopTec material, available with the beige interior, is as breathable as conventional material and makes it easier for families with small children to choose interior trim with friendly, light-colored upholstery.
Nine Engines Available
Two new engines make their premiere in the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer, and join the seven engines already available for the sedan models. The 2.0-liter BiTurbo diesel with 190 hp and the 1.6-liter gasoline turbo with 180 hp will then also be available in the sedan versions. Both engines are part of Opel's rightsizing strategy. This strategy aims to achieve higher performance not through higher displacement, but rather to increase the efficiency of smaller engines with the help of state-of-the-art technology to such a point that they at least rival larger engines in terms of performance, torque and drivability while at the same time consuming considerably less fuel. In addition to these nine engines, an ecoFLEX variant with remarkably low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will also be introduced in the course of next year.
Strong and innovative: The new 2.0 CDTI BiTurbo
The new 2.0-liter CDTI BiTurbo will top the diesel engine family available in the Insignia. With two-stage turbo-charging and clean tech combustion control, it produces 140 kW/190 hp at 4,000 rpm, which corresponds to an excellent power output per liter of 70 kW/95 hp. The maximum torque is 400 Nm at an exceptionally low 1,500 rpm.
The innovative clean tech technology that controls combustion via an electronic closed loop system makes its debut in the common-rail four-cylinder engine. Pressure sensors integrated in the glow plugs are used to measure combustion pressures as high as 180 bar in each individual cylinder up to one million times per minute, within an accuracy of 98 percent. The data is sent to the central engine control system and the fuel injection continuously adjusted. This closed loop system ensures the engine always operates within an optimum range for maximum power output and minimum exhaust emissions, improving efficiency and lowering combustion noise. Long-term stability of the combustion process is another advantage of pressure measurement with the piezo-resistive sensors. Over the service life of the engine, it compensates for wear factors such as inaccuracies in the fuel metering, component tolerances, varying fuel qualities and operating conditions.
The two-phase turbocharging concept ensures a good response at low engine speeds, as well as maximum power output values. Two turbochargers, one small and one large, are connected in series and controlled by a combined throttle system. Up to 1,500 rpm, the exhaust gases only pass over the turbine in the small, low-inertia turbocharger, which forces air into the cylinders at up to 3.3 bars pressure. When engine speed increases, part of the exhaust gas flow is diverted to the large turbine so that both turbochargers become active. Pre-compressed in the large turbocharger, the air is led into the small turbocharger via an intercooler and then forced into the cylinders in a highly compressed state. At engine speeds above 3,000 rpm, the entire exhaust gas flow is directed to the larger turbo, from where the compressed air is forced into the cylinders via the intercooler.
A third generation, common-rail injection system - working at pressures up to 2,000 bars - is another special engine feature. In hydraulic cutting technology, for example, 2,000 bars is sufficient pressure to cut stainless steel blocks up to a thickness of 15 centimeters. In the Opel diesel engine, the high-pressure rail system delivers fuel through high-precision, piezo electrically-controlled injector nozzles which allow up to eight injections per stroke, enabling extremely precise combustion control in terms of noise and exhaust emissions.
An oxidation catalyst, located close to the engine and a standard particulate filter provide after-treatment of the exhaust gas. As with all Insignia engines, the new, highly efficient diesel unit is Euro 5 certified.
Efficient and sporty: The new 1.6 Turbo with 180 hp
The new 1.6-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine in the ECOTEC series also uses turbocharging. It delivers maximum power of 132 kW/180 hp and generates peak torque of 230 Nm from just 2,200 rpm all the way to 5,400 rpm. On top, the standard overboost system delivers a temporary 15 percent torque increase, up to 266 Nm, as required. Electronic control allows a maximum charge pressure of 2.5 bars for up to five seconds, compared to 2.1 bars in normal running. The overboost function is activated when the accelerator pedal is rapidly pressed down all the way.
The cylinder head, oil sump and intake manifold, with a laterally-mounted throttle valve, are all in aluminum. The integration of the turbocharger housing in the cast exhaust manifold - a typical Opel feature - optimizes weight-saving and ensures a rapid response. The turbocharger is water cooled and was developed by Opel in collaboration with specialists from BorgWarner Turbo Systems. It is distinguished by refined flow geometries, improved materials and increased durability.
The compact 1.6 turbo engine is only 15 kg heavier than its naturally-aspirated counterpart, tipping the scales at just 131 kg. It has a bore/stroke ratio of 79/81.5 mm and displacement of 1598 cm3, top values in power-to-weight ratio (1 kg per 1 kW), specific power output (82.5 kW/112.5 hp per liter displacement) and specific consumption: At 2,000 rpm and a charge pressure of two bars, it consumes only 406 grams of fuel per kilowatt hour. This engine also is certified according to the stringent Euro 5 emissions standard.
Typical Opel: Affordable innovations also in Sports Tourer
"Along with leading technologies and high safety standards, the elegant Opel Insignia Sports Tourer clearly expresses Opel's strategy to make innovation and attractive design accessible," says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer for GM Europe. All of the details designed for the Insignia can also be found in the Sports Tourer.
Developed for front and all-wheel-drive, the chassis is designed to offer a high level of safety and comfort. It can even be enhanced with the innovative, integrated FlexRide mechatronic chassis system which improves stability and provides real time, electronically controlled damping. FlexRide also gives the driver the choice between three driving modes. In addition to the standard adaptive mode, the driver can either opt for a comfort-oriented mode Tour or Sport setting. The Sport mode makes the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer driving experience more active, as it changes the set-up of interlinked functions such as the steering, throttle control and even the ambient lighting of the dashboard. Furthermore, Insignia customers can order the new, sophisticated Adaptive 4x4 system that proactively distributes torque to ensure superb stability while providing optimal traction and enhancing handling performance on all road conditions.
The "Opel Eye" camera, which reads and memorizes traffic signs and warns drivers when they unintentionally veer out of their lane, also increases safety in the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer. Other innovative features are the new-generation AFL+ headlamps that adjust to prevailing traffic conditions with nine different lighting functions and the particularly back-friendly, orthopedic Ergonomic Sport Seats that are offered at a very affordable price.
OPEL ASTRA: THE FIRST CLASS COMPACT
Posted by bangJack
- Upscale: Exceptional technologies and innovations in the compact class
- Spirited: Athletic sculptured design promises a thrilling driving experience
- Agile: New mechatronic chassis raises bar in class for handling and comfort
Rüsselsheim. Integrating German engineering excellence, fluid sculptural design and accessible innovative technologies, the new Opel Astra captures the philosophy which quickly made the Insignia Europe's best-selling mid-sized sedan. Opel's new compact will premiere September 17 in Frankfurt at the IAA as a dynamic five-door hatchback with elegant touches that profits from the best of Opel engineering for a thrilling driving experience.
The next generation Astra brings many comfort and safety features to the compact class that the Insignia first introduced to mid-sized cars. Exceptional technologies like an all-new mechatronic chassis, the most advanced lighting system, a front camera that recognizes traffic signs and seat technology with the best ergonomics will be available.
“Opel's unique expertise of making new technologies accessible in compact cars is really highlighted with this tenth generation. In addition, the new Astra carries the spirit of the Insignia into the compact segment with unprecedented passion and commitment to excellence,” says Alain Visser, Vice President of Opel.
At 4.42 meters, the new Astra offers increased passenger space and wellness in both the front and rear thanks to a 71 mm longer wheel base. Its slim and sleek body is designed for maximum efficiency in close collaboration between the designers and aerodynamic engineers who put the car through 600 hours of testing in a wind tunnel.
Elegant proportions give it a strong, cab-forward silhouette, with a steeply-raked windshield and falling rear roofline, adding visual excitement to the traditional hatchback format. The brand's new design language – sculptural artistry combined with German precision – is now seen in a different way.
“The design themes introduced in the Insignia, like the wing and the blade, have been given a fresh interpretation in the Astra, because it's important that each Opel model has its own personality,” says Mark Adams, Vice President of Design, General Motors Europe. “This is why you see double wings in each of the rear lights and a dynamic inverted blade on the flank that visually connects to the powerful movement of the rear window and C-pillar.”
The interior uses the same wing and blade design cues as the exterior, creating harmony inside and out. A special effort, too, has been made to add multiple flexible storage solutions.
“Opel's mission to make high tech innovations accessible has proven to be successful in the Insignia. We've set ourselves an even more ambitious goal in bringing most of these features to the compact segment with the new Astra,” says Hans Demant, Managing Director of Opel.
Developed in Rüsselsheim , Germany , the Opel Astra also comes with an all-new chassis. Its longer wheelbase combines with wider tracks and a new rear axle construction to further enhance agility and stability with no compromise to comfort.
The Opel Astra's chassis has been developed as a mechatronic system that fully integrates mechanical functions and electronic controls. Like the Insignia, it can come with the clever Opel FlexRide electronic driving system, a rarity in this class, which offers the driver three settings – standard, Sport and Tour – while being fully and continuously adaptive to changes in driving style and cornering speed.
Other innovative technical features introduced to the compact class by the new Astra:
A new generation of bi-xenon Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL+) that changes its intensity and reach to suit prevailing drive and road conditions using nine different lighting functions.
The Opel Eye front camera system, which recognizes road signs and warns the driver when the car inadvertently departs from its lane.
Ergonomic front seats, developed for optimal back support and safety.
The powertrain line-up focuses on efficient performance and features eight Euro 5 compliant engines. All except the lowest powered units are equipped with six-speed transmissions. One new compact automatic gear box with Active Select function, for a clutch-free selection, will debut.
The CDTI turbo diesel line-up includes four common-rail, multiple injection units from 1.3 to 2.0 liter with outputs ranging from 70 kW/95 hp to 118 kW/160 hp. All are equipped with a Diesel Particulate Filter. An ecoFLEX version with particularly low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will naturally be part of the program.
The four gasoline engines with 1.4 and 1.6 liter give a power bandwidth from 74 kW/100 hp to 132 kW/180 hp. A new, downsized 103 kW/140 hp 1.4 Turbo replaces the current naturally-aspirated 1.8. Thanks to exceptional high-tech features in this displacement range, the 1.4 Turbo develops 14 percent more torque yet maintains sensibly lower fuel consumption.
Grounded in the compact class tradition Opel initiated in 1936 with the first Kadett, the Astra has consistently made the top-three list of Europe's best-selling compacts – a segment which accounts for 27 percent of the total car market. Astra sales make up a third of all Opel/Vauxhall purchases, for an average volume of nearly 500,000 units per year.
- Spirited: Athletic sculptured design promises a thrilling driving experience
- Agile: New mechatronic chassis raises bar in class for handling and comfort
Rüsselsheim. Integrating German engineering excellence, fluid sculptural design and accessible innovative technologies, the new Opel Astra captures the philosophy which quickly made the Insignia Europe's best-selling mid-sized sedan. Opel's new compact will premiere September 17 in Frankfurt at the IAA as a dynamic five-door hatchback with elegant touches that profits from the best of Opel engineering for a thrilling driving experience.
The next generation Astra brings many comfort and safety features to the compact class that the Insignia first introduced to mid-sized cars. Exceptional technologies like an all-new mechatronic chassis, the most advanced lighting system, a front camera that recognizes traffic signs and seat technology with the best ergonomics will be available.
“Opel's unique expertise of making new technologies accessible in compact cars is really highlighted with this tenth generation. In addition, the new Astra carries the spirit of the Insignia into the compact segment with unprecedented passion and commitment to excellence,” says Alain Visser, Vice President of Opel.
At 4.42 meters, the new Astra offers increased passenger space and wellness in both the front and rear thanks to a 71 mm longer wheel base. Its slim and sleek body is designed for maximum efficiency in close collaboration between the designers and aerodynamic engineers who put the car through 600 hours of testing in a wind tunnel.
Elegant proportions give it a strong, cab-forward silhouette, with a steeply-raked windshield and falling rear roofline, adding visual excitement to the traditional hatchback format. The brand's new design language – sculptural artistry combined with German precision – is now seen in a different way.
“The design themes introduced in the Insignia, like the wing and the blade, have been given a fresh interpretation in the Astra, because it's important that each Opel model has its own personality,” says Mark Adams, Vice President of Design, General Motors Europe. “This is why you see double wings in each of the rear lights and a dynamic inverted blade on the flank that visually connects to the powerful movement of the rear window and C-pillar.”
The interior uses the same wing and blade design cues as the exterior, creating harmony inside and out. A special effort, too, has been made to add multiple flexible storage solutions.
“Opel's mission to make high tech innovations accessible has proven to be successful in the Insignia. We've set ourselves an even more ambitious goal in bringing most of these features to the compact segment with the new Astra,” says Hans Demant, Managing Director of Opel.
Developed in Rüsselsheim , Germany , the Opel Astra also comes with an all-new chassis. Its longer wheelbase combines with wider tracks and a new rear axle construction to further enhance agility and stability with no compromise to comfort.
The Opel Astra's chassis has been developed as a mechatronic system that fully integrates mechanical functions and electronic controls. Like the Insignia, it can come with the clever Opel FlexRide electronic driving system, a rarity in this class, which offers the driver three settings – standard, Sport and Tour – while being fully and continuously adaptive to changes in driving style and cornering speed.
Other innovative technical features introduced to the compact class by the new Astra:
A new generation of bi-xenon Advanced Forward Lighting (AFL+) that changes its intensity and reach to suit prevailing drive and road conditions using nine different lighting functions.
The Opel Eye front camera system, which recognizes road signs and warns the driver when the car inadvertently departs from its lane.
Ergonomic front seats, developed for optimal back support and safety.
The powertrain line-up focuses on efficient performance and features eight Euro 5 compliant engines. All except the lowest powered units are equipped with six-speed transmissions. One new compact automatic gear box with Active Select function, for a clutch-free selection, will debut.
The CDTI turbo diesel line-up includes four common-rail, multiple injection units from 1.3 to 2.0 liter with outputs ranging from 70 kW/95 hp to 118 kW/160 hp. All are equipped with a Diesel Particulate Filter. An ecoFLEX version with particularly low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will naturally be part of the program.
The four gasoline engines with 1.4 and 1.6 liter give a power bandwidth from 74 kW/100 hp to 132 kW/180 hp. A new, downsized 103 kW/140 hp 1.4 Turbo replaces the current naturally-aspirated 1.8. Thanks to exceptional high-tech features in this displacement range, the 1.4 Turbo develops 14 percent more torque yet maintains sensibly lower fuel consumption.
Grounded in the compact class tradition Opel initiated in 1936 with the first Kadett, the Astra has consistently made the top-three list of Europe's best-selling compacts – a segment which accounts for 27 percent of the total car market. Astra sales make up a third of all Opel/Vauxhall purchases, for an average volume of nearly 500,000 units per year.
INSIGNIA OPC SPORTS TOURER
Posted by bangJack
- Top power: High performance station wagon must complete 10,000 km on Nürburgring
- Top package: 325 hp, 435 Nm, Adaptive 4x4 and 1530 liters load capacity
- Top points: Insignia OPC sedan testing passed with flying colors
Rüsselsheim/Nürburgring. The Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will hit dealerships later this year, but first it has to go through hell – the Green Hell of the Nürgurgring's Nordschleife, considered the toughest, most demanding and dangerous race track in the world.
Opel engineers insist that all vehicles in their OPC range complete a rigorous 10,000 kilometer testing around the 20.8 km Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, dubbed the Green Hell by legendary race car driver Jackie Stewart. Just a few days ago, the Insignia OPC sedan finished the challenge with no problems.
“The Insignia OPC sedan raced 487 laps for 12 days at some top speeds flawlessly. This kind of performance and quality is what we expect from all our Opel cars,” says Hans Demant, Managing Director of Opel.
The Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer boasts a 325 hp/239 kW, 435 Nm 2.8-liter V6 Turbo engine for maximum power. It features high-tech elements, like a lower, reworked mechatronic chassis with FlexRide, an Adaptive 4x4 transmission with an electronic rear limited slip differential (eLSD) and purpose-built Brembo brakes – all complemented by spacious station wagon functionality with 1530 liters of load capacity.
Automotive technology at its best
Like the Insignia OPC sedan, the Sports Tourer is full of technological highlights. The OPC engine is 25 percent more powerful than the 260 hp version of the 2.8 V6 Turbo in the Insignia Sport and Cosmo. The increase in power was obtained by reworking the exhaust, significantly reducing the counter pressure, with special mufflers contributing to a sporty, deep sound. The unit comes with a six-speed manual transmission, enabling acceleration from zero to 100 in 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (restricted).
The management unit of the Adaptive 4x4 with eLSD has been recalibrated to adapt torque distribution to the sporty philosophy of the OPC. Engineers at the Opel Performance Center developed a specific high-performance front axle called HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut) for the chassis, which is 10 mm lower than the AWD Insignia Sport version. Benefits include reduced steering disturbances and an improved handling feel for the driver.
The OPC's standard electronic FlexRide suspension has been adjusted for extra performance and caters to those enjoying a sportier ride. It offers three different sporty choices: The standard mode provides its most comfortable ride, a Sport mode is stiffer and a new OPC setting brings optimal fun.
Tough Track: 12 days, 27,000 gear shifts, 35,551 curves and 487 laps
Before it hits the roads in the fall, the new Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will take its turn against the Green Hell: 10,000 fast kilometers on the Nordschleife translates to around 180,000 kilometers on the road. Modified tuning accommodates the station wagon's shifted center of gravity, which is why the Sports Tourer suspension will be tested separately on the Ring.
Even though the 20.8 kilometer, extremely demanding track is part of the standard OPC program, this extra validation is always something special for Volker Strycek and his team. The ex-German Car Championship driver and Manager of the Opel Performance Center sums up: Twelve drivers, Opel design engineers and Nordschleife connoisseurs trade off behind the wheel of a production Insignia OPC for 12 days, rain or shine. “It really can take a toll on a those 12 days add up to 27,000 gear shifts along 35,551 curves during a total of 487 laps.”
Validation Coordinator Jens Hornischer, who drives a major part of the endurance test distance, says, “We push the car to give a constant 90 percent or so – and that is really a tough test for any car. And there is next to no preparation work.”
An Arden Blue Insignia OPC sedan completed its rite of passage earlier in May, confirming the high quality standard that Opel customers expect.
Opel's long tradition of sport station wagons offers best of both worlds
The Insignia OPC Sports Tourer is the latest chapter in a long station wagon success story. As a pioneer in this segment, Opel brought the Olympia Rekord Car-A-Van, a combination of car and van, to Europe in 1953. In 1970 Opel built the Ascona Voyage, the first lifestyle station wagon.
The next innovation in this segment followed in 1991, when Opel presented the most powerful production station wagon in the world, the Omega Caravan 24V, a 3-liter, straight-six cylinder with 204 hp. The Vectra OPC continued the Opel tradition of powerful station wagons. It was available from 2005, ultimately as a high-performance front-wheel drive model with 280 hp.
The new 325 hp Opel Insignia OPC takes a huge step forward in terms of driving dynamics with even more power and the Adaptive 4x4 system. And the dynamic Sports Tourer version is also bound to turn heads.
OPC: At home on the Nordschleife
Opel testing on Nürburgring's Nordschleife has a long tradition dating back to the 1960s and sealed when the German brand signed a partner contract with the legendary race track in 2006. It was then that the Rüsselsheim automaker opened its own test center directly at the Ring. The venue offers ideal testing conditions, particularly for Opel's OPC models.
The current high-performance model portfolio includes the Corsa OPC, Astra OPC, Meriva OPC and Zafira OPC in addition to the Insignia OPC notchback, hatchback and Sports Tourer. While the special “Nürburgring Edition” model of the Astra OPC honors the demanding race track, the Astra “OPC Race Camp” pays tribute to the second season of a wildly successful race driver casting.
The OPC Race Camp offer ambitious drivers with no motorsport experience the opportunity to discover their motor racing talents through a rigorous talent scouting process and numerous qualification stages. Those who have the necessary abilities then receive professional instruction to hone their skills and prepare them for competitive motor racing. Opel provides the professional training, cars and necessary organizational support for the Race Camp. Currently 750 candidates from a total of 22,000 applicants are undergoing the training and elimination process led by former race drivers and Opel brand ambassadors Manuel Reuter and Joachim Winkelhock. All hope to land one of the 10 coveted spots on the driver team for the two Astra racing cars that participate in the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring next year.
- Top package: 325 hp, 435 Nm, Adaptive 4x4 and 1530 liters load capacity
- Top points: Insignia OPC sedan testing passed with flying colors
Rüsselsheim/Nürburgring. The Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will hit dealerships later this year, but first it has to go through hell – the Green Hell of the Nürgurgring's Nordschleife, considered the toughest, most demanding and dangerous race track in the world.
Opel engineers insist that all vehicles in their OPC range complete a rigorous 10,000 kilometer testing around the 20.8 km Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, dubbed the Green Hell by legendary race car driver Jackie Stewart. Just a few days ago, the Insignia OPC sedan finished the challenge with no problems.
“The Insignia OPC sedan raced 487 laps for 12 days at some top speeds flawlessly. This kind of performance and quality is what we expect from all our Opel cars,” says Hans Demant, Managing Director of Opel.
The Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer boasts a 325 hp/239 kW, 435 Nm 2.8-liter V6 Turbo engine for maximum power. It features high-tech elements, like a lower, reworked mechatronic chassis with FlexRide, an Adaptive 4x4 transmission with an electronic rear limited slip differential (eLSD) and purpose-built Brembo brakes – all complemented by spacious station wagon functionality with 1530 liters of load capacity.
Automotive technology at its best
Like the Insignia OPC sedan, the Sports Tourer is full of technological highlights. The OPC engine is 25 percent more powerful than the 260 hp version of the 2.8 V6 Turbo in the Insignia Sport and Cosmo. The increase in power was obtained by reworking the exhaust, significantly reducing the counter pressure, with special mufflers contributing to a sporty, deep sound. The unit comes with a six-speed manual transmission, enabling acceleration from zero to 100 in 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (restricted).
The management unit of the Adaptive 4x4 with eLSD has been recalibrated to adapt torque distribution to the sporty philosophy of the OPC. Engineers at the Opel Performance Center developed a specific high-performance front axle called HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut) for the chassis, which is 10 mm lower than the AWD Insignia Sport version. Benefits include reduced steering disturbances and an improved handling feel for the driver.
The OPC's standard electronic FlexRide suspension has been adjusted for extra performance and caters to those enjoying a sportier ride. It offers three different sporty choices: The standard mode provides its most comfortable ride, a Sport mode is stiffer and a new OPC setting brings optimal fun.
Tough Track: 12 days, 27,000 gear shifts, 35,551 curves and 487 laps
Before it hits the roads in the fall, the new Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer will take its turn against the Green Hell: 10,000 fast kilometers on the Nordschleife translates to around 180,000 kilometers on the road. Modified tuning accommodates the station wagon's shifted center of gravity, which is why the Sports Tourer suspension will be tested separately on the Ring.
Even though the 20.8 kilometer, extremely demanding track is part of the standard OPC program, this extra validation is always something special for Volker Strycek and his team. The ex-German Car Championship driver and Manager of the Opel Performance Center sums up: Twelve drivers, Opel design engineers and Nordschleife connoisseurs trade off behind the wheel of a production Insignia OPC for 12 days, rain or shine. “It really can take a toll on a those 12 days add up to 27,000 gear shifts along 35,551 curves during a total of 487 laps.”
Validation Coordinator Jens Hornischer, who drives a major part of the endurance test distance, says, “We push the car to give a constant 90 percent or so – and that is really a tough test for any car. And there is next to no preparation work.”
An Arden Blue Insignia OPC sedan completed its rite of passage earlier in May, confirming the high quality standard that Opel customers expect.
Opel's long tradition of sport station wagons offers best of both worlds
The Insignia OPC Sports Tourer is the latest chapter in a long station wagon success story. As a pioneer in this segment, Opel brought the Olympia Rekord Car-A-Van, a combination of car and van, to Europe in 1953. In 1970 Opel built the Ascona Voyage, the first lifestyle station wagon.
The next innovation in this segment followed in 1991, when Opel presented the most powerful production station wagon in the world, the Omega Caravan 24V, a 3-liter, straight-six cylinder with 204 hp. The Vectra OPC continued the Opel tradition of powerful station wagons. It was available from 2005, ultimately as a high-performance front-wheel drive model with 280 hp.
The new 325 hp Opel Insignia OPC takes a huge step forward in terms of driving dynamics with even more power and the Adaptive 4x4 system. And the dynamic Sports Tourer version is also bound to turn heads.
OPC: At home on the Nordschleife
Opel testing on Nürburgring's Nordschleife has a long tradition dating back to the 1960s and sealed when the German brand signed a partner contract with the legendary race track in 2006. It was then that the Rüsselsheim automaker opened its own test center directly at the Ring. The venue offers ideal testing conditions, particularly for Opel's OPC models.
The current high-performance model portfolio includes the Corsa OPC, Astra OPC, Meriva OPC and Zafira OPC in addition to the Insignia OPC notchback, hatchback and Sports Tourer. While the special “Nürburgring Edition” model of the Astra OPC honors the demanding race track, the Astra “OPC Race Camp” pays tribute to the second season of a wildly successful race driver casting.
The OPC Race Camp offer ambitious drivers with no motorsport experience the opportunity to discover their motor racing talents through a rigorous talent scouting process and numerous qualification stages. Those who have the necessary abilities then receive professional instruction to hone their skills and prepare them for competitive motor racing. Opel provides the professional training, cars and necessary organizational support for the Race Camp. Currently 750 candidates from a total of 22,000 applicants are undergoing the training and elimination process led by former race drivers and Opel brand ambassadors Manuel Reuter and Joachim Winkelhock. All hope to land one of the 10 coveted spots on the driver team for the two Astra racing cars that participate in the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring next year.
2010 OPEL MERIVA
Posted by bangJack
Innovative, versatile and elegant: The second generation Opel Meriva, to premiere at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, will set the new standard for automotive versatility with a multitude of innovative features engineered to optimize the flexible use of space. And it is all packed in a distinctive, contemporary design.
After pioneering automobile on-board versatility with the compact seven-seater Zafira in 1999, Opel created a new market segment for small, affordable monocabs when it launched the first generation Opel Meriva in 2003. With its revolutionary FlexSpace rear-seating concept, high seating position and roomy cabin, the Opel Meriva was big on flexibility yet small in size. This popular formula has enabled it to consistently lead the small monocab segment, with sales in Europe totaling more than 1 million units.
Now, the second generation Opel Meriva again raises the bar for affordable, on-board flexibility. Its FlexSpace system has been further developed to become even more intuitive and easier to use. It also introduces FlexDoors, innovative rear-hinged rear doors that facilitate access to its cabin - a premiere for a volume manufacturer. Moreover, the new Meriva features great interior storage space enhanced by a revolutionary concept of flexible center console, as well as the Opel-exclusive FlexFix system - the integrated rear bicycle carrier that is stored like a drawer under the luggage compartment.
The Opel Meriva's flexibility trademark is enhanced by expressive exterior and interior styling that carries forward Opel's award-winning new sculptural design language. Its monocab silhouette is fluid, elegant and dynamic. The rear window graphic features a distinctive wave accentuating the rear-hinged FlexDoors, improving the view for rear seated passengers, particularly children.
The new reference in on-board versatility
"With the Opel Zafira Flex 7 and the Meriva's FlexSpace seating concepts, we invented a new kind of fully integrated, on-board flexibility," says Alain Visser, Vice President Sales, Marketing and Aftersales Opel/Vauxhall. "With the new Meriva, we wanted to engineer the new versatility champion in the automotive industry. I don't see any other car offering so many ideas that make one's life easier."
Increased flexibility is extended to all areas in the new Opel Meriva. In the cabin, the innovative FlexSpace rear seating system introduced in the first Opel Meriva has been further developed: It requires even less effort to move the seats in their different positions or to fold them down.
Throughout the cabin, storage space is considerably increased with convenient locations provided for items commonly carried inside a car. The revolutionary FlexRail console system consisting of exchangeable storage units that can slide on rails located between the front seats provides convenient and adaptable storage for any kind of use.
Up front, the generously proportioned seats are similar to those of the new Opel Astra and Insignia. They offer a class-leading range of adjustment - 240 mm forwards/backwards and 65 mm in height - allowing people of all size and age to find optimal comfort for their journeys. Also new for Opel Meriva is the availability of Opel's unique FlexFix integrated rear bicycle carrier.
Entering into a new era of doors
Opel Meriva opens up a new dimension in rear seat access with unique rear-hinged rear doors. The FlexDoors concept is a first from a volume manufacturer in the industry. Unlike the few well-known rear-hinged doors systems available, FlexDoors features full-sized doors which open independently without the need for a clamshell overlap by the front doors. A conventional B-pillar makes this independent opening possible, while ensuring good body rigidity and side impact protection. In addition, it has a handle that further facilitates entry and exit.
FlexDoors provide great functionality by making it easy to get into and out of the rear seat. Locating the door hinges on the C-pillar also allows more clearance for passengers' feet to swing past the B-pillar flange. The FlexDoors also open up to 84 degrees, much wider than conventional doors, for which 68-70 degrees is the usual standard. Front passengers also benefit from the same 84 degrees opening angle. FlexDoors are also more ergonomic and convenient for the front passengers to open FlexDoors when stowing a jacket, a briefcase or an umbrella behind the front seat.
FlexDoors also provide greater safety, especially for young families. Parents can reach into the rear seat more easily to help with buckling up, and children can be more safely guided when getting in and out of the vehicle. For example, when both the front and rear doors are open at the same time, a safety zone is created as both child and parent can get out of the car without a door separating them, reducing the risk of children stepping out into traffic.
FlexDoors add style to increased functionality. Stepping in and out of the vehicle not only feels much more natural, it looks cool and elegant. It's no longer necessary to twist or slide out of the rear seat.
The FlexDoors concept has been successfully market tested and evaluated with Opel Meriva customers since 2006. It s supported by an array of patented locking systems designed to optimize safety.
Monocab expression of new Opel design
Inside and out, the Opel Meriva moves forward Opel's new, expressive design language - sculptural artistry meets German precision - and adheres to the same focus on quality already seen on Insignia and the new Astra.
Opel designers created a dynamic and elegant monocab. A lower, sweeping roof-line combined with Opel's signature blade side-body motif and the wave rear window line give the Opel Meriva a fresh, distinctive character and look.
The FlexDoors invite you to an interior landscape of harmoniously flowing lines and surfaces. The wraparound wing shaped instrument panel enhances the feeling of width and roominess. The forward leaning center stack contributes to this and adds a notion of sportiness and sculpture.
The interior is appointed with six different levels of colour and trim. The widest choice ever offered on an Opel. The high standard of fit and finish of the chosen textures and materials as well as the layout and decoration of the controls is typical of more expensive cars.
Opel Meriva to launch with six environmentally friendly engines
The new Meriva benefits from a longer wheelbase, wider front and rear tracks, all contributing to improved handling and greater ride comfort.
The range of powertrains features economical and efficient turbocharged engines offering a power bandwidth from 75 to 140 hp. A particularly economical ecoFLEX version will also be offered. The Opel Meriva will offer a choice of 5 and 6-speed manual transmissions as well as a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Designed and developed at Opel's engineering center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new Opel Meriva will be built in Zaragoza, Spain and is scheduled to go on sale in the summer of 2010.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: OPEL FLEXTREME GT/E CONCEPT
Posted by bangJack
Opel will unveil its Flextreme GT/E concept car at the 80th Geneva Motor Show (March 4 – 14), that will boost the company’s credentials as a leader in green technologies, offering expressive design with efficient environmental performance – and engineered with German precision.
In Opel’s strategy for achieving more independence from fossil fuels, electricity plays a key role. The 4.7-meter long Flextreme GT/E concept illustrates how extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be plugged into large or mid-size vehicles, as well as compact cars such as the upcoming Ampera.
Opel calls this strategy e-mobility unlimited: adapting the highly efficient E-REV drive system – which removes the limitations of battery-only power – to vehicles across all market segments. To enjoy zero CO2 driving emissions Opel-style, the Flextreme GT/E concept shows that size doesn’t matter.
The purposeful design also enables the Flextreme GT/E to achieve a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22, which helps it reach a 200 km/h-plus top speed as well as conserve energy and extend its driving range. Stand-out visual features include a low and wide stance, wing-shaped lights front and rear, a distinctive nose and grille, floating C-pillars and muscular, sculptured bodywork.
“The Flextreme GT/E concept shows the shape of things to come from Opel,” says Frank Weber, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning. “Bold, expressive and highly efficient, it represents the product strategy we will apply to all our future vehicles, large and small, across all market segments.”
Exterior design: expressing efficiency with emotion
The low, coupé-like proportions of the Flextreme GT/E explore the potential for evolving Opel’s new design language – sculptural artistry meets German precision – within an envelope optimized for aerodynamic efficiency.
The clean, frontal styling features a low hood line and an extended nose section, which is clasped by wing-shaped, signature LED headlamps. These are deeply carved into the front fenders and across the hood line. The new trapezoidal grille execution is slim but bold. The prominent wing-shaped chrome bar carries a large Opel emblem, which doubles as a socket for charging the Flextreme GT/E’s battery pack.
The upper section of the grille is used to admit cooling air, the lower portion being covered by a translucent panel. The absence of additional air intakes allows a low frontal area for aerodynamic efficiency and also enables the Flextreme GT/E to meet future pedestrian protection requirements.
The sculpted hood, with an Opel signature central crease line, features narrow longitudinal vents on either side to draw air out of the engine compartment. The muscular fenders and wheel-arches sweep back into the side-body.
In profile, the Flextreme GT/E is distinguished by innovative, stubbed C-pillars. This floating design allows the glasshouse to be extended rearwards under the arching roofline, emphasizing the flowing lines of the side body. The car’s dynamic character is further underlined by a fresh expression of Opel’s signature blade motif, now a swooping swage line from the base of the C-pillar into the lower front fender.
Access to the cabin is enhanced by the adoption of rear-hinged rear doors, an evolution of the Opel FlexDoors concept from the new generation Meriva monocab. To preserve the clean exterior looks, all door handles are replaced by light sensors. These trigger the doors open when covered by the driver’s or passenger’s hand. To reduce air turbulence, exterior front door mirrors are also absent, replaced by small camera pods in the base of the A-pillars.
At the rear, a strong shoulder line embraces sculpted wheel-arches that further emphasize the Flextreme GT/E’s wide, ground-hugging stance. The coupé look is completed by a steeply raked tailgate, carrying wing-shaped LED light units which echo the form of the front headlamps. Like that of the Insignia Sports Tourer, the tailgate has a wraparound design for improved trunk access. Its deep glass screen is slightly convex to improve airflow.
The translucency of the fixed glass panel in the center of the roof is adaptive, allowing sunlight to warm the interior in the cold of winter, but darkening for coolness in summer. A duct at the rear edge of the roof is for additional cooling of the battery and electronic components.
Managing airflow and saving weight
Integral to the Flextreme GT/E’s expressive looks is the efficiency of the design execution. The small frontal area, low roof height (1308 mm) and a flat, enclosed underbody all enable the car to cleave the air with a minimum of disturbance.
A series of measures optimize airflow management. The 21-inch alloy wheels are relatively narrow, to reduce wind resistance, and fitted with 195/45, low rolling resistance tires. Clear, flush-mounted trim inserts also minimize air turbulence.
The minimal front intake improves airflow around the nose of the car and the underbody sweeps up, venturi-like, at the rear to further reduce drag.
The Flextreme GT/E also explores the potential for active shape shifting. At speeds above 50 km/h, a vertical panel extends along the body from the air extraction slot behind each rear wheel-arch. These 350 mm-long side spoilers guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.
Mass reduction measures for the body include the use of lightweight, carbon composite outer panels, polycarbonate window glazing and aluminum alloy structural components. Compared to conventional materials, these offer a 40 percent weight saving which further contributes to reduced energy consumption and an increased driving range.
Innovative propulsion
The efficient concept also includes GM’s ground-breaking E-REV drive system, already developed for the Opel Ampera. The Flextreme GT/E shows the versatility of this technology by displaying it in a larger, mid-size vehicle format.
Despite its greater size and a maximum speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour, the Flextreme GT/E is projected to offer performance similar to that of the Ampera: a battery-powered driving range of up to 60 km – with zero CO2 tailpipe emissions – and a total range of more than 500 km. Average fuel consumption is estimated at 1.6 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of less than 40 g/km.
Unlike a hybrid vehicle, the wheels of the Flextreme GT/E are powered at all times by electricity. For typical journeys up to 60 km, energy is supplied by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack located under the floor and rear seat.
However, unlike a battery-only electric vehicle, the Flextreme GT/E eliminates any possibility of range anxiety through fear of being stranded without power. The small gasoline engine/generator is seamlessly engaged to provide electricity whenever the battery’s supply becomes depleted. In this mode, the driving range is extended to more than 500 km, until the plug-in battery pack can be recharged or the car is refueled.
The motor in the electric drive unit delivers a substantial 370 Nm of instant torque, giving lively performance and projected zero to 100 km/h acceleration in less than nine seconds.
The Flextreme GT/E concept is a further step in Opel’s unfolding strategy for the electrification of the automobile, which includes a wide portfolio of products using battery, extended-range, hybrid and fuel cell technologies.
Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept: Technical Data
Body style
Type 5-door coupé, 4-seat upper mid-size concept vehicle
Co-efficient of drag 0.22
Exterior dimensions
Overall length (mm) 4762
Height (mm) 1308
Width (mm) 1871
Wheelbase (mm) 2900
Front track (mm) 1600
Rear track (mm) 1600
Wheels/Tires
Wheel size 21 inch
Tires 195/45 R 21; extra low-rolling resistance
Powertrain
Type Electric drive, front-wheel-drive
Battery system:
Type Advanced lithium-ion (manganese spinel)
Energy 16 kWh
Nominal voltage 350 volts
On-board charger 3.3 kW
100% recharge time (230V outlet) < 3.0 hours
Electric drive unit:
Max. power 120 kW
Torque 370 Nm
Generator:
Power 53 kW peak output
Engine type 4-cyl. 1.4l gasoline-fueled combustion engine
Performance
Pure electric mode range 60 km
Full range, range extender engaged > 500 km
CO2 emissions, combined cycle (est.) < 40 g/km
0 – 100 km/h acceleration < 9.0 seconds
Maximum speed > 200 km/h
In Opel’s strategy for achieving more independence from fossil fuels, electricity plays a key role. The 4.7-meter long Flextreme GT/E concept illustrates how extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be plugged into large or mid-size vehicles, as well as compact cars such as the upcoming Ampera.
Opel calls this strategy e-mobility unlimited: adapting the highly efficient E-REV drive system – which removes the limitations of battery-only power – to vehicles across all market segments. To enjoy zero CO2 driving emissions Opel-style, the Flextreme GT/E concept shows that size doesn’t matter.
The purposeful design also enables the Flextreme GT/E to achieve a projected drag co-efficient of just 0.22, which helps it reach a 200 km/h-plus top speed as well as conserve energy and extend its driving range. Stand-out visual features include a low and wide stance, wing-shaped lights front and rear, a distinctive nose and grille, floating C-pillars and muscular, sculptured bodywork.
“The Flextreme GT/E concept shows the shape of things to come from Opel,” says Frank Weber, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning. “Bold, expressive and highly efficient, it represents the product strategy we will apply to all our future vehicles, large and small, across all market segments.”
Exterior design: expressing efficiency with emotion
The low, coupé-like proportions of the Flextreme GT/E explore the potential for evolving Opel’s new design language – sculptural artistry meets German precision – within an envelope optimized for aerodynamic efficiency.
The clean, frontal styling features a low hood line and an extended nose section, which is clasped by wing-shaped, signature LED headlamps. These are deeply carved into the front fenders and across the hood line. The new trapezoidal grille execution is slim but bold. The prominent wing-shaped chrome bar carries a large Opel emblem, which doubles as a socket for charging the Flextreme GT/E’s battery pack.
The upper section of the grille is used to admit cooling air, the lower portion being covered by a translucent panel. The absence of additional air intakes allows a low frontal area for aerodynamic efficiency and also enables the Flextreme GT/E to meet future pedestrian protection requirements.
The sculpted hood, with an Opel signature central crease line, features narrow longitudinal vents on either side to draw air out of the engine compartment. The muscular fenders and wheel-arches sweep back into the side-body.
In profile, the Flextreme GT/E is distinguished by innovative, stubbed C-pillars. This floating design allows the glasshouse to be extended rearwards under the arching roofline, emphasizing the flowing lines of the side body. The car’s dynamic character is further underlined by a fresh expression of Opel’s signature blade motif, now a swooping swage line from the base of the C-pillar into the lower front fender.
Access to the cabin is enhanced by the adoption of rear-hinged rear doors, an evolution of the Opel FlexDoors concept from the new generation Meriva monocab. To preserve the clean exterior looks, all door handles are replaced by light sensors. These trigger the doors open when covered by the driver’s or passenger’s hand. To reduce air turbulence, exterior front door mirrors are also absent, replaced by small camera pods in the base of the A-pillars.
At the rear, a strong shoulder line embraces sculpted wheel-arches that further emphasize the Flextreme GT/E’s wide, ground-hugging stance. The coupé look is completed by a steeply raked tailgate, carrying wing-shaped LED light units which echo the form of the front headlamps. Like that of the Insignia Sports Tourer, the tailgate has a wraparound design for improved trunk access. Its deep glass screen is slightly convex to improve airflow.
The translucency of the fixed glass panel in the center of the roof is adaptive, allowing sunlight to warm the interior in the cold of winter, but darkening for coolness in summer. A duct at the rear edge of the roof is for additional cooling of the battery and electronic components.
Managing airflow and saving weight
Integral to the Flextreme GT/E’s expressive looks is the efficiency of the design execution. The small frontal area, low roof height (1308 mm) and a flat, enclosed underbody all enable the car to cleave the air with a minimum of disturbance.
A series of measures optimize airflow management. The 21-inch alloy wheels are relatively narrow, to reduce wind resistance, and fitted with 195/45, low rolling resistance tires. Clear, flush-mounted trim inserts also minimize air turbulence.
The minimal front intake improves airflow around the nose of the car and the underbody sweeps up, venturi-like, at the rear to further reduce drag.
The Flextreme GT/E also explores the potential for active shape shifting. At speeds above 50 km/h, a vertical panel extends along the body from the air extraction slot behind each rear wheel-arch. These 350 mm-long side spoilers guide high-speed airflow around the rear corners of the car, further reducing the amount of turbulence.
Mass reduction measures for the body include the use of lightweight, carbon composite outer panels, polycarbonate window glazing and aluminum alloy structural components. Compared to conventional materials, these offer a 40 percent weight saving which further contributes to reduced energy consumption and an increased driving range.
Innovative propulsion
The efficient concept also includes GM’s ground-breaking E-REV drive system, already developed for the Opel Ampera. The Flextreme GT/E shows the versatility of this technology by displaying it in a larger, mid-size vehicle format.
Despite its greater size and a maximum speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour, the Flextreme GT/E is projected to offer performance similar to that of the Ampera: a battery-powered driving range of up to 60 km – with zero CO2 tailpipe emissions – and a total range of more than 500 km. Average fuel consumption is estimated at 1.6 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of less than 40 g/km.
Unlike a hybrid vehicle, the wheels of the Flextreme GT/E are powered at all times by electricity. For typical journeys up to 60 km, energy is supplied by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack located under the floor and rear seat.
However, unlike a battery-only electric vehicle, the Flextreme GT/E eliminates any possibility of range anxiety through fear of being stranded without power. The small gasoline engine/generator is seamlessly engaged to provide electricity whenever the battery’s supply becomes depleted. In this mode, the driving range is extended to more than 500 km, until the plug-in battery pack can be recharged or the car is refueled.
The motor in the electric drive unit delivers a substantial 370 Nm of instant torque, giving lively performance and projected zero to 100 km/h acceleration in less than nine seconds.
The Flextreme GT/E concept is a further step in Opel’s unfolding strategy for the electrification of the automobile, which includes a wide portfolio of products using battery, extended-range, hybrid and fuel cell technologies.
Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept: Technical Data
Body style
Type 5-door coupé, 4-seat upper mid-size concept vehicle
Co-efficient of drag 0.22
Exterior dimensions
Overall length (mm) 4762
Height (mm) 1308
Width (mm) 1871
Wheelbase (mm) 2900
Front track (mm) 1600
Rear track (mm) 1600
Wheels/Tires
Wheel size 21 inch
Tires 195/45 R 21; extra low-rolling resistance
Powertrain
Type Electric drive, front-wheel-drive
Battery system:
Type Advanced lithium-ion (manganese spinel)
Energy 16 kWh
Nominal voltage 350 volts
On-board charger 3.3 kW
100% recharge time (230V outlet) < 3.0 hours
Electric drive unit:
Max. power 120 kW
Torque 370 Nm
Generator:
Power 53 kW peak output
Engine type 4-cyl. 1.4l gasoline-fueled combustion engine
Performance
Pure electric mode range 60 km
Full range, range extender engaged > 500 km
CO2 emissions, combined cycle (est.) < 40 g/km
0 – 100 km/h acceleration < 9.0 seconds
Maximum speed > 200 km/h
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