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Opel Adam convertible headed for production

The Opel Adam Rocks Concept - a beefed-up, convertible version of the Adam - grabbed our eye earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, and now reports indicate that the open-top Opel could soon get the green light for production. According to Auto Motor und Sport, General Motors is expected to approve the Adam Cabrio, which would compete against trendy small convertibles like the Fiat 500C and Citroën DS3 Cabrio.
As seen on the concept version and its potential rivals, the Adam Cabrio would use a retractable soft top that is more like a massive glorified sunroof than a typical convertible, leaving the side rails in place. Of course, the big question for US buyers would be whether or not GM plans to bring this open-top Opel across the pond. Last we heard, GM CEO Dan Akerson had voiced his desire to bring both the Adam and the Opel Cascada convertible to Buick showrooms in the US, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Opel bringing Monza concept to Frankfurt [w/video]

Opel may be bringing this Monza concept to the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall, but it's unlikely the Monza concept will spawn a production coupe to fill the void left by the Calibra and original Monza.
Opel says the concept shows the firm's focus on "efficiency and connectivity," which will be applied to the brand's next generation of models. The Monza concept features a "ground-breaking powertrain solution" and the connectivity with its infotainmant system represents a "quantum leap" in development. According to Opel/Vauxhall CEO, Karl-Thomas Neumann, the Monza "covers a whole range of subject areas and elements. It carries them forward in a visionary fashion, expressing them with fresh inspiration and clarity. Further, "This car is a study that will have a long-term impact on the next generation of Vauxhall and Opel models."
Opel says the concept shares similarities with the Monza fastback sold in the 1970s and '80s, with large glazed surfaces and a low belt line. We've lightened up the two images of the concept that Opel has shown so far (the shadowy originals are also in the gallery), and the resulting concept is pretty great looking, if being we're honest. Sleek, low and crisply angled, the front end of the concept is attractive an attractive start, but we'll need to see the whole package to make sense of it. Scroll down to see a video of the concept, or to read the full press release.

Cadillac, Buick and Chevy decisions impacted by worries abroad

European Concerns Drive GM, But Beware Of The French Connection
GM's bid to rationalize Europe will impact the products that will be offered domestically.
It seems that Europe is defining the future of General Motors more so than its home North American market. Having axed Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer, GM has done a fairly good job of repositioning its remaining four divisions, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. Cadillac carries the luxury banner. Chevrolet is aimed at the masses with cars and trucks along with a nod to performance thanks to Camaro and Corvette. Buick bridges the premium gap between Chevy and Cadillac, while GMC offers a hardcore work/upscale proposition.

Opel Insignia Country Tourer goes the Outback route

The last piece in the Opel Insignia family puzzle is this: the Insignia Country Tourer. Whereas the Insignia Sports Tourer is honed for urbanites, the Country Tourer beefs up the wagon for gravel-minded folk with larger tires and higher ground clearance, underbody protection panels and body cladding. A Haldex all-wheel drive and electronically-controlled limited-slip differential can shift torque between the front and rear axles, and between the rear wheels.
Three engines will feature on the options sheet, the top choice being a 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine with 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Next on the list is a 2.0-liter, twin-turbo diesel with 195 hp and 295 lb-ft, then comes another 2.0-liter diesel with 163 hp and 258 lb-ft. The twin-turbo diesel can only be had with a six-speed automatic, the other two can be fitted with either that or a six-speed manual.
The new Opel will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, pricing will be announced closer to the date. Have a read of the press release below to find out more.

Chevrolet in European sales funk

Conventional wisdom would dictate that Chevrolet sales in Europe should accelerate as more and more buyers battered by the continent's sour economy look to save money by choosing small, inexpensive cars over larger, more expensive options. After all, Chevrolet is positioned as General Motors' value brand, and it offers a number of affordable vehicles in popular inexpensive segments. Globally, Chevy sales are up four percent so far this year.
All of this is why Chevy's declining sales in Europe come as a something of a mystery. According to Automotive News, sales of the Spark and Matiz twins have fallen 37 percent to 12,245 units through April of 2013. The Aveo (now sold in North America under the Sonic nameplate) posted similar declines, falling 44 percent to 10,235 units. Other budget brands like Dacia and Kia have registered significant gains over the same period.
So, why the sales funk? Industry analysts cited by AN point a finger at Chevy's aging designs and their comparatively high fuel consumption - Chevy's average carbon emissions (which can determine taxation rates) put it in 18 place in Europe out of 20 total automakers. Further problems arise when you consider that some of Chevy's popular models can also be found in Opel and Vauxhall dealerships, albeit with revisions designed to give Opel "a distinctive brand positioning" to "aim at different customers," says GM.

GM board votes to close first Opel factory in decades

Europe's ailing economy has caused the supervisory board at General Motors, which includes four senior executives, to vote to end production of the Opel Zafira MPV at the 50-year-old Bochum plant in Germany. The closing of the car factory marks the first closure of a German automobile assembly plant in decades, and it will cost Buchum (a city with nearly 375,000 residents in the western part of the country) about 3,000 jobs.
Some doubted that GM would shift production and tooling of the Zafira out of Bochum before 2017 (the end of the model's life cycle), as it is a move that will prove costly to the automaker, but those hopes were dashed earlier this week. "General Motors said they were willing at most to keep 1,200 people on board, but nothing was set in stone. It never made any concrete binding offer to the workforce, so our entire staff would have had to hope they kept up their end of the bargain," Bochum works council head Rainer Einenkel, who is also on the board of Opel, told Reuters.
The vote of closure is not without plenty of controversy. Labour leaders in Bochum are convinced that their colleagues at other German plants endorsed the move in order to keep their Opel factories open. There may be some truth to that, as the decision means that the Opel plant in Ruesselsheim will build the Zafira after the doors at Bochum are locked shut.

Opel getting 5.2 billion dollar investment from GM

Never fear, Opel fans. General Motors isn't sending the brand out to pasture. The European automaker is set to receive a massive $5.2 billion investment from GM between now and 2016 as part of a larger effort to solidify Opel as GM's design and manufacturing backbone in Europe. Opel plans to return to profitability by the middle of this decade under its DRIVE!2022 business plan, and the cash infusion from GM should help make that projection a reality. Even so, it may be some time before Opel is able to turn its fortunes around.
The automaker lost $1.8 billion last year, up from $700 million the year prior. Opel faces numerous challenges compounded by the fact that the European Union continues to be mired in economic slump. Even so, the new investment helps put rumors that GM had plans to sell Opel to bed. You can read the full press release on the funds below.

Rally for youth with footage of the Opel Adam Rallye Cup Car

We checked out the Opel Adam R2 Rally concept and its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque at the Geneva Motor Show. The one-make series the car was built for, the ADAC Opel Ralleye Cup, has kicked off with 24 teams in identically prepared cars lining up for eight races in this inaugural season.
Meant to help young drivers find a less expensive way into motorsports, the championship is part of the German ADAC Rally Masters series and will actually run 140-hp cars. We're not sure how much the Opel prepped by Holzer Motorsport for this series costs, but English company M-sport prepares an R2-spec Ford Fiesta with 170 hp for 43,000 pounds (about $66,000 US). There's 100,000 euros in prize money up for grabs and the cup winner gets career help, a shot at the Adam R2 car in 2014 and a chance to hop into rally-prepped Opel Corsas.
The first video below has shots of the Adam Rallye Cup car on the move. For more footage and a closer look at the car, the second video has more rolling footage and an interview - in Danish with no subtitles, sadly - with the Danish rally team of 22-year-old Simon Lund Larsen and co-driver Ole R. Frederiksen.

2013 Opel Cascada ready to run topless [w/video]

We got our first glimpse at the Opel Cascada convertible way back in October, but General Motors' European arm is just now getting the chance to show it off here at the Geneva Motor Show a full four and a half months later. The kicker with this droptop Opel is that rumor has it GM is considering a convertible for the Buick brand here in the States, and this Cascada would indeed be a good fit.
Three engine options are available under the hood of the Cascada: a 1.4-liter gasoline turbo-four, a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four and a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo-four. All of these powerplants can be had with both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
The Cascada uses a power-folding soft top that can be operated at speeds up to 30 miles per hour, and it takes just 17 seconds to go from top-up to top-down. GM has also packed the Cascada full of technological goodies including the automaker's new Opel Eye system, which utilizes a front camera to control things like traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, following distance indication and forward collision alert. The system also incorporates a rear camera as well as active park assist and blind spot alert. Basically, it's impossible to crash this thing. Almost.

Opel gets crossover cute with the Adam Rocks Concept [w/video]

Looking to inject some machismo into its cute and lovable Adam, Opel rolled out a new concept version of its Fiat 500 fighter, called the Adam Rocks. This concept makes the Adam look a little meatier with a taller and wider stance while the plastic lower body cladding adds a crossover-like ruggedness to the small hatchback's design.
Another key part of Adam Rocks Concept is the sliding fabric top, which creates a large opening in the roof without eliminating the side rails - similar to the Fiat 500C. For now, Opel is just calling the Adam Rocks Concept a design study, but it definitely looks like it could make for a fun little vehicle for European buyers. Scroll down for a short video and press release from Opel.