Opel Adam is the little hatch to begin a big turnaround

Thu, 27 Sep 2012

Opel's bottom line suffers from a medical condition called "hemorrhaging" and investment bank Morgan Stanley isn't alone in believing that General Motors should let the German brand go. But they haven't seen the Opel Adam. The diminutive hatch that can come off as a little bulbous up front and busy all over depending on the angle of the photo has a welcoming presence in person. Of course, it's too much to ask that this one petite runabout reverse the fortunes of a company on the wrong side of profitability for more than a decade, but to our eyes, it's a great candidate to lead the charge.

Buyers of the Opel/Vauxhall warrior in the premium subcompact segment get a five-speed manual transmission tied to one of three gasoline engines in 69-, 86- and 99-horsepower classifications. Next year will see the introduction of the three-cylinder engines that GM has developed with its Chinese partner SAIC. In the UK, it will start at around £11,000 ($17k USD including Value Added Tax) and will find space in its tiny frame for features like stop/start, ESP, Hill Start Assist, airbags all around and dual-mode power steering.

The Jam, Glam and Slam trim lines will start hitting streets next year. For now there are high-res galleries and a press release below.

By Jonathon Ramsey