GM wins European Car of the Year 2009

[Meister]

Maybe a little too late to help GM, but it goes to show you that not every GM has to be like a Pontiac Aztek.

OPEL INSIGNIA
http://www.caroftheyear.org/pages/Coty09.htm#

Ford Fiesta was second.

What's interesting is the ‘Opel Eye’, that reads road signals.

 

[elmo]

Typicall I find that GM has massive deficiencies in their styling and engineering. That said, this isn't a bad looking vehicle...perhaps they should market it in NA instead of the drivel they've been trying to feed us for years.

 

[danmand]

It is an (Adam) Opel car, not a GM car. Opel has been able to compete
in Germany and Europe, something GM would never have been able to.

 

[elmo]

Yes but they are part of GM. If they can compete in Europe they really should send some of these over.

 

[rafterman]

Looks very similar to the new Malibu or Saturn Aura which actually have recieved good ratings on par with the best of the Japanese makes.

Unfortunately too little too late for GM.

 

[danmand]

Opel sells very small cars in Europe.

http://www.opel.dk/action/go?cntryCd=DK&langCd=da&webSiteId=GBPDK&page=showroom&nav=main

 

[dajodo2]

Typicall I find that GM has massive deficiencies in their styling and engineering. That said, this isn't a bad looking vehicle...perhaps they should market it in NA instead of the drivel they've been trying to feed us for years.

They do ignoramus.

It's called a Chevrolet Malibu.

 

[shakenbake]

Yes but they are part of GM. If they can compete in Europe they really should send some of these over.

Perhaps, the big 3 are learning, albeit very slowly, over the years that 'world cars' are successful. We in NA want cars form elsewhere, becasue they make more sense, both design and reliabilty-wise. It has worked for Ford (the Escort was their first World Car in 1982) and earlier (Cortina, etc.) and also with Chrysler (Simca, Misubishi, etc) and with GM (Vauxhall, Opel, etc.) Does any one remember the Opel Kadett or the GT marketed by Buick in the 60s and 70s? But, if memory serves me correctly, the Datsun (now Nissan!) Z series killed the Opel sales in North America.

Having said that, I drive a Euro-tuned Focus, and a Freestyle that is basically built on a Volvo XC90 platform. Both reliable and functionally great cars, in my experiences.

 

[shakenbake]

Opel sells very small cars in Europe.

http://www.opel.dk/action/go?cntryCd=DK&langCd=da&webSiteId=GBPDK&page=showroom&nav=main

Funny thing, the Zafira is a decent sized 7-passenger crossover that I rented in Europe in 2002. It is about the size of a Volvo XC90 in Canada, or an older, original Honda Odyssey.

 

[herames]

OPEL INSIGNIA German made and designed..the Saturns are OPELs in disguise like the Astra...I would buy one.....if it was Diesel even better

 

[Meister]

It is an (Adam) Opel car, not a GM car. Opel has been able to compete
in Germany and Europe, something GM would never have been able to.

That's what I thought for the longest time until this summer when I was in Germany I saw a bunch of Chevy nameplates. I thought some GI Joes must have brought some cars over. I was then told that Chevy actually sells a whole bunch of cars in the land of automotive perfection. Who would have thought.
But then in Germany and in many places in Europe people buy cars for different reasons than in North America. In North America people buy cars based on 'will it last me 300000 miles' on one engine like my neighbours Corolla. In Germany they buy cars on features, practicality, power to consumption ratio, resale value. Most Germans don't keep their cars beyond 3 or 4 years and with lower mileage also, so reliability is not the biggest concern.

 

[thewheelman]

just another Infinity G35 sedan clone to me...
in 2003 it was "new" ..not in 2009

 

[herames]

I understand an Italian designed the Subaru Tribeca (looks like a Alfa 147)...so its possible a Euro styled other Japanese cars...that culture isn't closed minded an xenophobic of foreign designers

 

[OddSox]

Opel sells very small cars in Europe.

http://www.opel.dk/action/go?cntryCd=DK&langCd=da&webSiteId=GBPDK&page=showroom&nav=main

Not cheap though - the lowest price on that list is almost $25,000 Canadian!

 

[herames]

http://www.saturnfans.com/Cars/Future/opelsaturncollaboration.shtml

 

[danmand]

Not cheap though - the lowest price on that list is almost $25,000 Canadian!

Denmark special, import tax of 249% on cars.

 

[shakenbake]

I understand an Italian designed the Subaru Tribeca (looks like a Alfa 147)...so its possible a Euro styled other Japanese cars...that culture isn't closed minded an xenophobic of foreign designers

Which, in my opinion, is a great thing. This would be an example of true globalisation.

 

[lewd]

Apparently it arrives in North America in 2011 as the redesigned Saturn Astra.
Kind of late in my opinion.

 

[JohnLarue]

Apparently it arrives in North America in 2011 as the redesigned Saturn Astra.
Kind of late in my opinion.

Thats assuming there will be a GM in 2011
Thats three years away & they do not enough cash to last 6 months

 

[Meister]

This just in, GM is pondering selling Saturn, Saab and Pontiac as part of that damn plan congress is looking for.