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Opel at the Paris Motor Show: Emotion and Motion for the Future

• World Debut: GTC Paris, Opel's New Concept Combines Speed and Beauty
• World Premiere: Astra Sports Tourer, The Athletic All-rounder
• New Meriva: Expanded Diesel Line-up On the Flexibility Champion
• ecoFLEX Family: New Entries that Further Lower CO2 Emissions
• Ampera: Extended-Range Electric Vehicle On Track for 2011 Production

Rüsselsheim. With two world premieres and several new exciting entries, Opel will bring emotion in motion and e-mobility to the Mondial de l'Automobile 2010 in Paris (October 2 - 17), the most visited motor show in the world.

Some 1.5 million visitors will get a chance to see the GTC Paris concept, the Astra Sports Tourer, a station wagon version of the successful compact; the new Meriva, with an expanded diesel range; and significant new entries in the Opel ecoFLEX line-up. And, they will learn about the latest development of the Ampera, Opel's revolutionary extended range electric vehicle.

World Debut: The GTC Paris, Opel's New Concept Combines Speed and Beauty

"And the speed was pure beauty." This simple line from Richard Bach's famous novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull inspires the vision around Opel's newest concept car, the GTC Paris. The line is so integral that Opel has laser-etched the words in the upholstery of the seats.

The name, GTC Paris, evokes both the dynamic character of the vehicle and the fashionable city where it will have its debut. It is an expressive, sporty compact hatch with dramatic proportions and sculptural surfaces typical of Opel's design language.

World Premiere for Opel's Athletic All-Rounder, the Astra Sports Tourer

Launched at the 2009 IAA, the Astra five-door has been very well received with nearly 200,000 orders collected in less than one year. Now the Astra Sports Tourer model will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. This sleek station wagon features first-class practicality in an athletic and stylish shape.

While it shares the same Opel design DNA and Sports Tourer name as its larger counterpart the Insignia, the Astra Sports Tourer has its own dynamic yet practical appeal. Its good looks are combined with an ample flexible cargo carrying capability. An efficient trunk design and premium features enhance the functionality to effortlessly raise load space between 500 and 1550 liters. With the seatbacks down, the cargo load length is increased to 1835 mm, 28 mm more than the current Astra wagon.

The new Astra Sports Tourer has been designed for smooth loading, while the clean, flat wall linings of the carefully contoured cargo compartment optimize useable space by eliminating odd, hard-to-use corners. Opel engineers have taken great care to enhance functionality by incorporating features from premium station wagons with a rare sense of quality and precision.

They have developed a new FlexFold Rear Seat system, which allows each section of the 60/40 split-fold rear seatbacks to be folded forward at the press of a button located in the side walls of the cargo compartment: A spring is electrically released, automatically activating swift, remote folding of the seatbacks. The Astra Sports Tourer is the first compact wagon equipped with this convenience feature.

The Easy-Access Cargo Cover slides upward and out of the way with a simple tap. The cover retracts with a quick hand motion. Likewise, these two new features are borrowed from the luxury class.

Families and business professionals using the Astra Sports Tourer benefit from the same harmoniously sculpted cabin as in the five-door hatchback. The wraparound wing front fascia and the flowing forms of the cockpit provide a great sense of space and security.

The cabin is as practical as it is comfortable. Sports Tourer users wish to stow a range of items where they need them, not just in the trunk. To help achieve that, 25 liters of cabin storage space has been added, twice as much as in the previous generation wagon. For long distance driving comfort, customers can choose the only front ergonomic seats in the segment certified by independent back experts from the Aktion Gesunder Rucken (AGR).

The Astra Sports Tourer is presented with a high quality finish and incorporates exciting Opel innovations that make life more comfortable and driving safer. These include the adaptive mechatronic FlexRide chassis, the AFL+ adaptive forward lighting, the ergonomic front seating systems and the Opel Eye front view camera system that recognizes traffic signs and warns drivers when they inadvertently depart from their lane. In addition, Opel engineers are developing a next-generation FlexFix integrated rear bike carrier, which will be introduced for the Sports Tourer next year.

New Meriva: Expanded diesel line-up enhances efficient performance

In Paris Opel's new Flexibility Champion, the Meriva, will show off its complete powertrain range. Three new important diesel engines join the two diesels and three gasoline motors that already were available at launch. Customers now have eight powertrain choices ranging from 55 kW/75 hp to 103 kW/140 hp - far outnumbering competitors.

In tune with Opel's continuous efforts to reduce its eco footprint, the new 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX version combines 21 percent more power (70 kW/95 hp) and 11.2 percent lower emissions (119 g/km CO2) than its ecoFLEX predecessor. Also new are two powerful versions of the 1.7 CDTI engine respectively developing 81 kW/110 hp and 96 kW/130 hp and up to 300 Nm of torque for an average combined fuel consumption of 5.2 liter/100 km.

All diesel engines in the Meriva are equipped with particulate filters as standard and comply with Euro 5 norms.

Along with this wide powertrain range, customers also benefit from a variety of innovative features that optimize the easy use of space and make the new Opel Meriva, the Flexibility Champion.

Significant new entries in Opel ecoFLEX line-up

As proof of Opel's continuous work improving the efficiency of its ecoFLEX family, the line-up has significantly changed in the last six months. New for Paris are the Corsa and Agila with Start/Stop technology; the Meriva 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX and the Insignia 2.0 CDTI ecoFLEX.

Opel now offers Start/Stop technology on the Corsa 1.3 CDTI (55 kW/75 hp) and Agila 1.2 gasoline (69 kW/94 hp) together with a Euro 5 upgrade and a CO2 engine optimization package, delivering significant fuel economy in urban driving. By the end of 2011, all major carlines will offer the Start/Stop CO2-saving technology.

Fuel consumption and CO2-emissions have been reduced on the Insignia ecoFLEX model from 5.2 l/100 km and 136 grams to 4.9 l/100 km and 129 grams, showing that the brand is committed to working on a range of innovations that can reduce - and ultimately displace - oil dependency, minimize CO2 emissions and encourage energy diversity.

Opel Ampera: Extended-Range Electric Vehicle Drives Anywhere, Any Time

Opel's goal is to offer the first extended-range electric vehicle in Europe. And the latest development car of the Opel Ampera, shown in Paris, proves that the brand is on schedule to start producing this revolutionary car in late 2011.

The Ampera extended-range electric vehicle will be the first emission-free, electrically driven car in Europe suitable for everyday driving. With its unique electric propulsion system providing lively acceleration and high levels of refinement, the five-door Ampera seats four passengers, offers ample trunk space, and features an extended range of more than 500 kilometers. The Ampera will be well-suited to the daily driving schedule of most European customers. For example, approximately 80 percent of German drivers travel less than 50 km daily.

The Ampera is powered by electricity at all times and speeds. For trips up to 60 km, power is supplied by the electricity stored in the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. While driving on electricity delivered by the battery, the Ampera emits zero CO2. When the battery runs low, gasoline-fueled engine/generator seamlessly extends the total driving range to more than 500 kilometers on a full tank. The battery is recharged (in about three hours at 230v) by plugging the vehicle's on-board charge system into a standard household outlet. Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Ampera eliminates range anxiety. It gives drivers the confidence and peace of mind that a depleted battery will not strand them.

More than 280 lithium-ion cells in the T-shaped battery pack provide ample power. The nearly silent electric drive unit delivers 370 Nm of instant torque, the equivalent of 150 horsepower, zero to 100 km/h acceleration in around nine seconds, and a top speed of 161 km/h.

The Ampera will also be offered with right-hand drive in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall.