GM Europe today announced that they will invest heavily in their core European brand Opel. From now until 2012 GM will pour Euro 9 billion into the German marque, of which Euro 6.5 billion will go directly into new vehicles and propulsion systems. Opel will have 20 new models by 2012 and a larger range of electric cars which should result in a higher market share, especially in the German market where Opel hopes to reach a 10% market share in the medium term.
First in line is the new Opel Insignia and the new Astra, but today Opel executives also confirmed that the next-generation Meriva with its rear-hinged doors, the FlexDoor system, will go into production. The 20 new vehicles consist of 17 passenger cars and 3 LCV (Light Commercial Vehicles). Opel's Russelheim engineers will work closely with GM's Volt project in order to get the E-Flex system ready for series production.
Opel will also invest Euro 900 million in its Rüsselsheim plant where GM hopes to build a new generation of upper midsize cars of which the Insignia is the first. The Bochum, Kaiserslautern and Eisenach plants also receive considerable fund injections.
Source: Opel
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