Opel planning new premium model, small electric-car

Opel Insignia

The new boss of General Motors’ Opel brand, Karl-Friedrich Stracke, is a product guy at heart. According to Stracke, Opel plans on introducing a new premium model above the top-of-the-line Insignia as well as an electric car smaller than the Ampera plug-in hybrid.

“The Opel brand can’t content itself with the Insignia,” Stracke said.

The new premium model will hit the market in four to five years in a style of a new crossover that won’t compete directly with vehicles offered by BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi, Stracke said.

The new electric-car will be something along the size of the Corsa hatchback and will join the lineup in addition to the Ampera, the Opel version of the Chevrolet Volt.

Stracke also plans on expanded Opel’s offerings outside of Europe. “I believe that we can achieve a level of about 150,000 vehicles that we can sell annually outside Europe in three years time,” he said.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News