Tag Archives: Opel

NEW CARS

Opel Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid: The Reluctant Marathon Runner

There are cars that like to shout about themselves. Big spoilers, exhausts the size of drainpipes, and dashboards that light up like a fruit machine. And then there’s the Opel Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid – the estate car equivalent of the colleague who quietly does all the work, never complains, and somehow still runs ultramarathons at the weekend.

On paper, it doesn’t sound like a showstopper: 145 horsepower from a 1.2-litre turbo three-pot, boosted by a mild-hybrid setup with a 21 hp electric motor and a 48-volt battery. Hardly the stuff of Nürburgring lap-time bragging rights. But Opel didn’t set out to build a track weapon. They built a long-distance hero – and boy, did it deliver.

During an internal test, Opel’s team decided to see how far their sensible, family-hauling estate could go on one tank of fuel. The answer? A frankly ridiculous 1,200 kilometres without refuelling. That’s Rüsselsheim to Paris, back again, and still enough left in the tank to pick up the kids from football practice.

The numbers are borderline witchcraft. An average of 4.3 litres per 100 km, which is 0.7 litres better than the official WLTP figures. Nearly 345 kilometres covered purely on electric power during the test. And all of this at an average speed of 61 km/h, through the proper grim realities of everyday driving: motorways, traffic jams, stop-and-go nonsense, and even the odd roadwork.

And let’s not forget – this wasn’t some stripped-out eco-lab mule rolling on skinny tyres and hope. The test car had an electric sliding glass roof and all the trimmings. In other words, a real-life car, not some fragile mpg world-record chaser that bursts into tears if you turn the aircon on.

So, what’s the catch? Well, it’s not glamorous. The Astra Sports Tourer is never going to make your pulse race just by looking at it. But as an everyday family wagon that can outlast your bladder on a road trip, it’s quietly sensational.

Opel calls it a “long-distance hero.” We’d call it something else: the estate car that just made efficiency cool again.

Source: Opel

CONCEPT CARS

Opel Teases a Track-Ready EV Concept Ahead of 2025 IAA Mobility

Opel is dialing up the anticipation game. The Rüsselsheim brand has dropped the first tantalizing images of a new concept car set to make its world debut at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich (September 8–14). Details are scarce, the name is still locked in a vault somewhere, but the early visuals and subtle hints make one thing clear: this machine is part design manifesto, part performance statement.

The brand’s press materials make repeated references to its GSE sub-brand—Opel’s high-performance badge that recently made the jump to full electrification with the Mokka GSE. That means this concept isn’t just about looking fast. It’s a likely preview of where Opel intends to take its battery-electric performance lineup.

The Next Step in the Compass

Design chief Mark Adams and his team are pushing Opel’s “Compass” design language into new territory. At the center sits an illuminated Opel wordmark, flanked by razor-thin horizontal and vertical light elements—clean, precise, and unmistakably modern. The effect is minimalist but far from plain, with just enough aggression to make you suspect this concept’s bark will match its bite.

From the few official images, there’s no mistaking the motorsport undertones. The wheels, with their truncated triangular elements, nod directly to icons like the Opel Manta 400 rally car. Inside, a slim, racing-inspired steering wheel proudly wears the new GSE logo, while a lightweight driver’s seat and a visible roll cage leave no doubt: this is a car with track ambitions.

Electric, and Not Just for Show

Opel CEO Florian Huettl promises the concept will “send pulses racing” while previewing upcoming production models. Given the GSE tie-in, the focus will be on delivering all-electric performance—and not just in straight-line numbers. Expect chassis tuning, aerodynamics, and driver engagement to get as much attention as battery output and range.

The car also appears to carry Opel’s signature design restraint—no excessive vents, no overblown bodywork—just purposeful, aero-driven shaping. If Opel’s previous concepts are any indication, we could be looking at a vehicle that bridges the gap between road-going EVs and pure race machinery.

The Countdown to Munich

Opel will reveal the concept’s name and full details closer to its Munich debut, but the combination of heritage motorsport cues, the GSE performance ethos, and electric innovation suggests this isn’t a one-off showpiece. This could be the blueprint for a generation of Opel EVs aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts.

The message from Rüsselsheim is clear: the brand with the Blitz is ready to make performance EVs not just fast—but thrilling.

Source: Stellantis

NEW CARS

Opel Grandland Electric AWD: The SUV That Brings the Beach With You

If your idea of a holiday involves wading through a rental desk queue, haggling over “optional” insurance, and then discovering your jet ski’s been replaced by a pedal boat, stop reading now. For everyone else — the sort who’d rather arrive, unhitch, and be halfway across the bay before the rental guy’s even found his pen — Opel has built the Grandland Electric AWD.

This isn’t just Opel’s first battery-powered all-wheel drive. It’s the family-sized Swiss Army knife of electric SUVs — and it’s got the torque to match. A chunky 509 Nm of it, to be exact, backed up by 239 kW (that’s 325 metric horsepower) and enough pulling power to drag 1,350 kg of boat, jet ski, or trailer full of questionable “holiday essentials” without breaking a sweat.

Inside, it’s comfort all the way to the coast. Five people? No problem. Dogs? Bring two. With 485 litres of boot space (or 1,580 litres if you flatten the 40:20:40 split seats), there’s room for every towel, snorkel, and novelty inflatable you own. Even the front seats are certified by people whose entire job is to think about your back. The Intelli-Seats, giant 16-inch touchscreen, and a transparent wireless charging box for your phone mean your road trip playlist stays pumping without a single cable in sight.

And here’s the clever bit — the trailer hitch clips on in seconds, no tools required. ESP with a trailer anti-oscillation system keeps your precious cargo steady, and you’ve got four driving modes to play with: Normal, Eco, Sport, and 4WD. Sport gives you sharper steering and throttle, 4WD locks both motors for maximum grip — ideal for slippery slipways or gravel roads to that secret beach.

Opel’s even fitted Frequency Selective Damping as standard, which basically means the Grandland can do the Autobahn glide and the country lane hustle without breaking stride. Cobblestones? Smoothed. Cornering? Flat. Braking? Stable. It’s all very grown-up — until you mash the accelerator and hit 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.

Range? The Ultimate trim offers up to 483 km (WLTP), with future versions pushing that to 501 km. When you do need juice, a 20–80% top-up at a public fast charger takes about half an hour — just long enough to grab a sandwich and argue about whether you really needed to pack the kayak and the jet ski.

Buy one now and Opel throws in “Electric All In”: home wallbox, e-routing, eight years of mobile charging and breakdown cover, plus the battery warranty. Basically, they’ve made going electric less about compromise, more about adventure.

So here’s the takeaway: The Opel Grandland Electric AWD is an SUV for people who don’t just plan holidays — they bring the fun with them. And if your neighbour thinks his diesel SUV can keep up? Tell him to bring a stopwatch.

Source: Stellantis