Opel Corsa will undergo a major change in 2019
Who’s who in this big market? They are all of them all. Everyone works, works together, cooperates with everyone. Sharing platforms, exchanging engines, buying majority stakes, has never been so dynamic this car-making market. Synergy is a pretentious word with various and complex meanings. But this is happening. It is a fusion to a nearly global production.
Brands are becoming more and more difficult to withstand, whether they are part of a conglomerate (ex GM, VW, Renault–Nissan), or they are independent (niche production with a few models per year). Perhaps it is easier for the latter because they have 25 rich clients a year for whom they work.
Volume brands have to sell millions to support production and distribution in the dozens of countries where they are present. We’re talking about an industry that feeds mouths with unquench. Imagine a bankruptcy of a brand just because it keeps the tail up, as they have been. Eventually they end up selling for $ 2 and accepting the conquerors conditions.
Opel was in a situation to leave this year from General Motors after decades. Now it’s at PSA, the group that owns Peugeot, Citroen and Citroen’s premium DS sub-brand.
Nice and slowly, Opel will become a more French car because the money part dictates the tone. It is not an ambition, a nationalist pride, but an efficiency of cost allocation.
In this context, Michael Lohscheller (Opel CEO) and Carlos Tavarez (PSA CEO) announced the PACE program! – who should resume financial balance at the group level and bring all four big brands on plus (Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Opel).
By 2024, Opel cars will have to pass all on the French Peugeot-Citroen platforms. Chassis will be scalable and so their number will be reduced from nine to two, according to Motor1. Similarly, rolling trains (engines and gearboxes) will be 4 instead of 10 how many are today. The first models to be built on the PSA platforms will be the Combo and the next-generation Corsa in 2019. From 2019 there will be a major launch every year, and by 2020, Opel will have 9 new car models with all versions of the bodywork (ex: Astra hatchback, sedan, break, coupe, cabrio).
At the same time, Opel announced that it wants to become the most environmentally conscious manufacturer. Thereby, will have hybrid or electric versions for all models by 2024. Until 2020, the Germans will release several versions of the PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Vehicle) including the Grandland X and 100% electrical Corsa.
The Russelsheim Center will continue to be directly involved in the development of Opel cars. The last phase of the PACE offensive!
