New Opel Vectra and Signum

Press Release

 

Market and model

 

To be Continued: New Chapter of Opel Success Story

 

• Over 600,000 models sold worldwide since 2002
• Top marks in comparison tests by international automotive press
• High demand for newest-generation common-rail diesel engines
• Innovative high-tech features popular among customers

 

"Opel's success in the mid-size class" - that could be the title of a chapter in a reference book about automotive history. Exactly 35 years ago, the Rüsselsheim company entered this market segment by launching the Ascona, a car that laid the foundations for an exemplary success story. Since then, over 9.5 million Ascona and Vectra models have been sold, making Opel a market leader that is synonymous with the mid-size class. The premiere of the third Vectra generation in spring 2002 and the launch of the innovative Signum the following year are the latest highlights of this international success story.

 

The Opel model range also achieved a leading position in automotive press reviews. The models from the state-of-the-art Opel production site in Rüsselsheim were repeatedly awarded top positions when they were tested by European car magazines and newspapers. For example, the Vectra took first place in a comparison test of twelve sedans carried out by the German specialist magazine "AutoZeitung", in an extensive test by the Spanish magazine "Coche actual" and in the Swedish daily newspaper "Aftonbladet". The Signum also clearly asserted itself against its competitors in an extensive test by the German specialist publication "Auto Bild". These are just a few examples taken from a total of 30 Opel victories in comparison tests from 2004 to today.

 

But not only experts have been won over by the Signum concept and its groundbreaking, unique combination of stylish body form and unrivalled interior functionality. Its special position in the mid-size class is underlined by the considerable attraction it has for drivers of other brands, a characteristic known in the industry as the conquest rate. This amounts to an average of 37 percent in the most important European markets. Thanks to its unique FlexSpace system, the Signum can easily be changed from a five to a four-seater with exceptional seating comfort or into a sedan with station wagon qualities and maximum cargo capacity of 1410 liters for luggage, sports equipment, etc. And the model's success, reflected in the registration statistics, is certainly due in part to this versatility. In Germany, the Signum was the best-selling Opel mid-size model after the Vectra station wagon, with a sales share of nearly 25 percent in 2004. 40 percent of all Opel mid-size model buyers in Switzerland last year chose the Signum, making it the best-selling model in the Vectra family.

 

Success despite a shrinking market segment

 

Registration figures show that, in the last ten years, the traditional mid-size class segment in central and western Europe has shrunk to under 2.5 million vehicles, compared to over three million in 1994. As a consequence, the total market share of the mid-size class has fallen from 20.9 percent to 13.0 percent. This is partly due to the appearance of new, expanding segments (Opel was one of the trendsetters in this development with the Zafira, Meriva and Tigra). This makes the success of the third Vectra generation all the more remarkable: to date (mid-2005) 614,680 Vectras have been registered worldwide. The notchback and hatchback versions introduced at the beginning of 2002 took the lion's share of this figure almost evenly between them, with 234,561 and 233,296 units respectively. The models that went into production one (Signum) and one-and-a-half (Vectra station wagon) years later had a total of around 64,000 and 83,000 registrations respectively through June 2005.

 

High demand for newest-generation diesel engines

 

In addition to the wide variety that the four different models represent, a second factor in their market success is the wide range of engines offered. In total, five ECOTEC four-valve gasoline engines and four diesel units with common-rail technology and diesel particulate filters as standard are available. High demand for the diesel engines is expected to continue, as already 60 percent of all sedan buyers and even 70 percent of all station wagon buyers have decided on diesel engines to date.

 

The two 1.9-liter CDTI engines with 120 hp and 150 hp were clearly the most popular. And everything points to further growth for the 1.9 CDTI: a 100 hp version is also now available. The most popular gasoline engines were the 1.8-liter engine, chosen by around 20 percent of all buyers, and the 2.2 Direct, favored by 12 percent of buyers.

 

Standard equipment for all models includes air conditioning, central locking, height-adjustable driver's seat, power windows in front, height and reach-adjustable steering wheel and power heated exterior mirrors. Special equipment packages offer additional features, with the four-door Vectra sedan available in the equipment lines Vectra, Edition and Cosmo. The five-door hatchback, station wagon and Signum are also available in the Sport variant, which can be recognized on the hatchback (from 1.8-liter ECOTEC) by the "GTS" badge. Opel marketing experts anticipate that the Edition variant will be the most popular equipment line.

 

Destination reached: Over 50 percent with navigation system

 

Opel expects customers will continue to place high priority on optional equipment extras, such as the navigation system, which in the first half of this year was ordered by 

51 percent of Vectra customers and 63 percent of Signum buyers in Germany. The number of customers who chose the adaptive bi-xenon curve light AFL was similarly high, with

28 percent and 52 percent respectively. Depending on model, up to 55 percent of buyers chose the electronically networked IDSPlus chassis, which is unique in this vehicle segment and was highly acclaimed by the automotive press.

 

Statements on the new Opel Vectra and Opel Signum

 

Hans H. Demant

Managing Director, Adam Opel AG, and Vice President GM Engineering Europe

 

"With the new Vectra and Signum, we have made the model range even more attractive, and laid the groundwork for further success in a particularly competitive market segment. This is backed up by our expertise in the mid-size class and leading-edge innovations like the unique IDSPlus chassis, and the unparalleled versatility of the Signum's interior. Every car is manufactured to recognized top quality standards. And that's something the entire Opel team has good reason to be proud of."

 

Bryan Nesbitt

Executive Director, Design, General Motors Europe

 

"The styling of the new Vectra and new Signum shows how we continue to develop the new Opel design language in harmony with the proportions of each car segment. The new models express dynamics, sportiness and elegance, especially in the three-dimensional headlamps, which reach into the fenders of the completely redesigned front end."

 

Alain Visser

Executive Director, European Marketing, Adam Opel AG

 

"We can rightly say that the mid-size class has been an Opel domain for 35 years, and we have continuously revitalized the segment with new initiatives throughout this period. The still unrivalled, electronically controlled IDSPlus chassis is just one example of the many innovative technologies in this class. Not to mention the fresh new look and further improved driving dynamics. In my opinion, the new Vectra and Signum are amongst the best cars this class has to offer."

 

Jean-Marc Gales

Executive Director, Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, Adam Opel AG

 

"A conquest rate of almost 40 percent reflects just how successful the Signum's innovative combination of coupé lines and Flex-Space interior concept is, even with drivers of other brands. These are generally buyers who aren't necessarily looking for one of the conventional 'lifestyle' station wagons. What they value is the Signum's unique design and unparalleled interior versatility, not to mention its spaciousness."

 

Reinald Hoben

Executive Director, Manufacturing, Adam Opel AG, and General Motors Europe