Introduction
Critical Knowledge:
Opel is a European division of General Motors. Originally founded nearly a century ago in Germany, the company was acquired by GM in 1929. Since then, the automaker has grown to become GM’s core European business selling cars under such nameplates as Corsa, Astra, Omega and Vectra.
After a failed attempt in the late 1960s and early 1970s to sell Opel-badged products in the U.S. through Buick dealerships, General Motors has occasionally dipped into the Opel model lineup to create products for sale in the North American marketplace. Examples include the Cadillac Catera (an Opel Omega in Europe), Chevrolet Malibu (Opel Vectra), and Saturn Astra (Opel Astra). The upcoming 2011 Buick Regal is a version of the Opel Insignia, and to help General Motors meet stringent new federal fuel economy standards in the next decade, there is talk of marketing a Buick version of the redesigned 2010 Opel Astra, seen here, to Americans.
The 2010 Opel Astra is manufactured on GM’s latest Delta II platform, which provides the basis for the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze. The platform is known as the Global Compact Vehicle Architecture, or GCV. The Astra was originally expected to arrive in the States as an all-new Saturn or Saab model, but those plans were abandoned when General Motors declared bankruptcy and shed those slow-selling brands. New announcements from GM lead many to believe the Opel Astra will now be imported to U.S. shores (in its compact sedan form) badged as a Buick.
For More Information:
2010 Opel Astra Preview
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