At Last, Opel Unveils All-New 2013 Astra Sedan

This is the all-new Opel Astra sedan, the fourth and likely last member of the Astra family after the five-door hatchback, the Sports Tourer station wagon and the GTC coupe as the upcoming convertible model is said to gain a new nameplate in the likes of the VW Golf-based Eos.

If you have already laid eyes on the North American market Buick Verano or its Chinese twin, the Excelle GT, the 2013 Opel Astra sedan's appearance won't surprise you.

That doesn't mean there aren't some styling changes, just that they are limited to the front and rear ends with the European model sporting the typical Astra face and new tail lamps that ditch the Buick's chrome 'eyebrows' along with a restyled boot that integrates a spoiler in its design.

Read more »

Opel Insignia Turbo for Sale on eBay, or is it a Buick Regal in Disguise?

Not that there are significant styling differences between the original Opel Insignia and its North American clone, the Buick Regal, other than the front grille and badges, but its uncommon to find an Insignia listed for sale in the U.S., which is why this eBay sale caught our attention. Read more »

Spied: Opel's Upcoming Astra Convertible Opens Up for Some Fresh Air

Even though we are less than a year away from the scheduled start of production of Opel's Astra-based convertible at GM's Gliwice plant in Poland, the company continues to perform tests with early engineering prototypes.

In our latest scoop shots, Opel's engineers removed the cloth top but retained the framed doors on the unfinished test car.

Read more »

GM to Build Next Opel Astra in the UK Instead of Germany, Bochum Plant Faces Closure

Bad news for Opel's Bochum plant in Germany as General Motors has decided to allocate production of the next Astra, which is the brand's second bestselling model after the Corsa, to its manufacturing plants in Ellesmere Port, UK and Gliwice, Poland.

GM said that it made the decision after the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall workforce approved a new labor agreement on Wednesday, which comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra, into the early 2020s.

Read more »

Opel and Vauxhall to Present Three New Engine Families Including 1.6L Turbo Petrol with up to 197hp

There is a wind of change at GM's European operations as Opel and its sister brand in Britain Vauxhall today announced plans to renew their engine range within the next year with three completely new gasoline and diesel families that will replace the core of their current portfolio.

For the time being, Opel has revealed details on one engine family, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline unit with direct injection and Start/Stop.

Read more »

GM's Opel to Build Next Citroen C5 Mid-Size Model, Says PSA Exec

New details about General Motors strategic cooperation with the PSA Citroen-Peugeot group surfaced today after Jean-Luc Perrard, head of PSA's factory in Rennes, France, told local newspaper Ouest France that Opel will build next generation of the Citroen C5, codenamed X8.

According to a report from Autonews Europe, Perrard did not say which Opel factory would manufacture Citroen's mid-size model, but there's a good chance it may be the Ruesselsheim plant that assembles the current Opel Insignia series.

Read more »

Opel Denies Report that the Next Zafira will be Developed by PSA Peugeot-Citroën

The more General Motors European division and PSA Peugeot-Citroën deepen their newly formed strategic partnership, the more rumors come out.

Earlier today, Germany's Spiegel magazine and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung business daily reported that GM decided to move development of the next Opel Zafira minivan from Germany to France. Opel's response came in quickly via a statement attributed to Opel/Vauxhall CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke who denied the reports.

Read more »