ChevyMgr

I think it's trending in a positive direction, but I understand why you would say that.

sleeper

X 2 (thinking positive)........

hyperv6

Opel only had the Euro car of the year last year with the new Insignia.

You will see that car here as the new Regal very soon. Also the preset and new Malbu are Based on Opel engineering platforms. there is a little Opel even in the HHR. The Ecotech has strong roots that reach back to Germany.

The FWD Caddy for Europe was not so much Opel fault. It had a lot of Saab too. ALso Caddy was the one to baime. The styling ont he car is what killed it as well as the price. It was a hail mary that was not even close to the end zone.

The problem witht he auto industry is not so muc with the companies but the economy. No one knows what to expect.

GM is moving in the rigt direction but still has a ways to go yet on the money front. They are building the product but to get the debts payed off here and Euroupe may take a influx of cash from their arm in China.

opelpowered

Well i suppose I should chime in since it is my handle (opelpowered). I curantly have a 1970 opel gt, great little car and I love the ecotec in the hhr. Opel has some really great engineering. They have some really interesting technologies to address the fuel economy issue. Anyone who is interested should look up the Opel Eco-Speedster. Its a little diesel sports car that can average 114mpgs going 150mph. There is a lot of technology gm can get from that company. Its a smart move keeping them!

ChevyMgr

Agreed!

hyperv6

Keeping Opel will be a good thing only if they can get the finacial issues resolved and the needed plants closed.

Selling was not a good thing but there is a good chance their still going to have issues with the German Goverment, Union and the EU. You have one company with 14 different people with 14 different agendas all trying to get GM to do what they want.

GM already has moved many of the people at Opel to the regular GM system. So many of the tallented people doing the Opel work were staying with GM for the most part. While much of the present technology was going to remain with Opel the people who created it are not creating it at GM N/A now and sending it to the GM divisions.

Remember GM is no longer just a bunch of companies independent. They are now all working together as one. Just look to Buick and see where GM NA, Opel and GM China all built a car as one and are now offering it in all markets. [Regal].

It the Automarkets becomes more stable in Europe it will help GM and Opel. They then can start to repay the Billions to Germany. Germany wants on billion right now!

I have been watching this and was not suprised at the outcome. While from a Technology, name and plant aspect it is good but the money issues still remain and will be a burden for a while. Lets hope they get a little luck and they get the time to work them out. This could still come back to bite them in the Gas cap.

jonny4eyes

Wasn't the old Caddy Catera a rebadged Opel, plus don't some of the current Saturns share this same builder?

hyperv6

The Catera was a very old Opel built by Opel for Cadillac in Germany. It was a cheap effort to give Cadillac a Import sports boost that was too little and too late with a old Opel Omega platform.

It was rebadged and rebodied in plastic to be a Saturn later and was built in Deleware I think.

The Saturn Aura and Astra were based again on the older Opel platforms. The Astra shares with the HHR too.

These were very good cars but were marketed little to not at all as in the case of the Astra.

The new Astra is on coming here as a small Buick and the platform will be used in the new Chevy Cruze and Orlando. This will not badge engineering as the cars will share litte than the under structure.

Opel had issues in the past but they were ahead on the new GM platforms since then did much of the work. We are now just getting the Epsillon II and Delta II platforms that they have had out for a year or two.

Check out the Opel Insignia and Buick Regal. They are the same car with some tweeks for each market. The Buick has only been shown in one model but more is to come. OPC is Opels performance division and the present 2.0 Ecotec Turbo in the Regal may be also available in a GS model with a V6 based on the Opel 325 HP V6 and AWD. I am not sure on the power yet but we should see something near what Europe is getting.

Much of the development on the Insignia and Regal was shared by GM in N?A, Europe and Germany. They worked together to make a car that will sell in all these markets. So far it is a hit in Europe and China. We should see it soon.

GM killed Pontiac and Saturn and will turn Buick into a Real Euro like sedan with Real Euro like performance. Something that GM has pretended to offer in the past. If you drive a new Bucil Lacrosse you would understand what I mean. The Lacrosse is not even a full on change to where Buick is going but it will give you an idea. They are Lexus, Acura, low end Audi like cars and not just Chevys with stiffer springs and more chrome with a higher price.

the trick will be to get people just to drive them and find out this time GM really has changed for once.

Sandmanse7en

You really don't know what you are talking about. The catera was a disgrace. and you can try to make the current engine platform seem GM but Opel has nothing to do with GM america.