Opel announces new small car

(September 24, 2010) Opel will build a new small car,  — called the Trixx in concept form — below its Corsa subcompact in Germany and may add an electric version, the automaker announced Thursday.

Currently, Opel has no entry in Europe's fast-growing minicar segment to compete with cars such as the Ford Ka or Volkswagen's forthcoming Up.

A minicar concept, called Trixx, was shown at the Geneva Auto Show in 2004.

Opel CEO Nick Reilly said the new minicar “will be an important element in our growth strategy.”

The company will invest about $120 million to build the model, code-named Junior, in its factory in Eisenach, eastern Germany, on an existing production line starting in 2013. The plant builds the three-door Corsa variant.

Will the new Opel
minicar resemble the
Trixx, shown as a small
concept in 2004?


With the minicar, Opel is delivering on its promise to expand its product portfolio and enter new segments, Reilly said in a statement.

He said the new model will be a stylish and fuel-efficient car with "innovative technology and an exciting design."

An Opel press release said: "The future car is geared toward customers who need a small-sized fuel-efficient car in urban areas, for example, but who do not want to compromise on technology, design or convenience.

"At a later stage, this car might also provide the opportunity of a battery-electric version for zero-emission driving in city areas."


Source: Automotive News