Opel Reveals Face of Monza Coupe Concept Ahead of Frankfurt Debut [w/Video]

Opel and sister company Vauxhall have slowly moved away from the conservative image they used to have in the days of the last-gen Vectra, a car which pretty much summed up their range some 10 years ago, as it was not particularly good to look at, drive or own, being engineered to be just competent enough to sell and not break down. Besides, it also built on a renowned Opel quality: cheap spare parts and simple cars that are relatively easy to work on and mend. Read more »

Driver Slams Into a Pole, Quickly Jumps Out to Visit Outdoor Bathroom

I guess if you have to go, you have to go. As scary as this accident may look, the way it turned out can only cause laughter. Allow us to explain.

The driver of the vehicle with the dash-cam noticed an Opel Corsa from the opposite lane veering off the road before crashing into a light pole. Instead of driving away, he did the right thing and turned around to provide help, but what he saw upon arriving at the scene was not what he expected…

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A Crosswalk Is A Crosswalk: Russian Pedestrian Walks Over Hood to Prove Point

If we are to judge by the sheer number of accident videos involving Russian pedestrians who were hit while crossing the street legally, as well as the personal experience of acquaintances who have visited the country, I’d say it’s a dangerous place to walk. The locals are so fed up with some drivers that they will do anything to not be stomped on by vehicles. Read more »

OPC Boss Volker Strycek Drives and Talks About the Astra OPC

Launched in 2012, the latest Opel Astra OPC (Vauxhall Astra VXR in the UK) is one of the most powerful hot-hatches on sale today – currently, it's topped by the premium models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that develops 276 hp (280PS) and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque, the Astra OPC is able to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h (155mph). Read more »

Opel Plays Sweet Prank to VW Fans at the GTI Meet in Worthersee

As you very well know, the annual GTI Meeting in Worthersee, Austria, is a VW Group-exclusive tuning event where the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands come to show wild concept cars and their customizing options. The event has many followers, especially among young people, which is normal given that it’s a tuning show. Read more »

Opel / Vauxhall Cascada Convertible Video Reviewed, Gets Thumbs Up for Its Price

The world of cabriolets that can seat four passengers comfortably has a new member, the Opel/Vauxhall Cascada, a car which aims to be a lower-priced alternative to premium vehicles like the Audi A5 drop top. While the Opel is nowhere near as expensive as the premium cars in this category, according to this review by MotorTorque UK, buyers won’t feel short changed one bit. Read more »

Russians Mod Old Opel Vectra and Remotely Control it Via an iPad

Pairing a modern iPad tablet with an old-school, first generation Opel Vectra may look like an impossible thing to do for most people. We’re not talking about fitting the iPad into the Vectra’s dashboard, but controlling the car via an iPad app. Read more »

Opel / Vauxhall Cascada Takes Off its Top for the Geneva Motor Show Audience

The Cascada, which Opel/Vauxhall is very keen to point out is longer than an Audi A5 Cabriolet and around €9,200 (£8,000) cheaper, has just made its official debut at the Geneva International Motor Show. The 4.7 meter-long soft-top convertible positions Opel in a market sector, which they have not occupied since the 1930s. Read more »

Opel and Nissan SUVs Drown in Ice

Going for an off-road adventure with an SUV or even a more rugged 4x4 vehicle can be a tricky and dangerous task, especially if you're not an experienced driver. Do it during winter time with lots of snow and ice, and the dangers multiply…

In this video, an Opel Frontera and a Nissan Patrol are seen submerged under water and ice, with a group of men trying to get them out using chainsaws, ropes and a tractor.

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This is How They Deal with Abandoned and Illegally Parked Cars in Russia

When it comes to vehicles that are abandoned or parked illegally, most municipalities will issue tickets with the hope that owners will pay up and conform to the law, but sometimes, more drastic measures are called for.

In Russia, for example, some cities have no problem taking matters into their own hands and settling the problem once and for all, giving owners a tough lesson.

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Chris Harris Puts Ford’s Focus ST Against Opel Astra OPC and Renault Megane RS

Hot hatches are the Swiss Army knives of the automotive world in that they can do almost everything. Their humble underpinnings mean that they are as practical as any hatchback in everyday use, their tuned chassis and powerful engines can scare a sports car or two on twisty roads and they are, comparatively affordable.

There was a time, not so long ago, that putting anything more than 200-horses on the road through the front wheels was considered a recipe for terminal power understeer. Things have certainly changed and, as Chris Harris points out in the video that follows, front-wheel drive hot hatches have really become very competent.

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New Opel / Vauxhall Cascada is a Stylish Mid-Size Four-Seater Convertible

Here comes the latest model from Opel and its British counterpart Vauxhall, the all-new Cascada, a mid-size convertible with ample seating for four that was officially revealed today ahead of a European market launch in March of 2013.

The Cascada is the brand's fourth new model this year following the Ampera, Mokka small crossover and Adam premium city car, and its first convertible after the demise of the smaller Astra Twin Top.

With the Cascada, Opel and Vauxhall are moving away from the compact segment and entering the mid-size sector. At 4,697mm long and 1,840mm wide, the Cascada is not only significantly bigger than the Astra Twin Top, but it's actually 71mm longer than the Audi A5 Cabrio and 85mm longer than the BMW 3-Series Convertible.

The car uses a platform derived from Astra and Insignia underpinnings sporting a 71mm longer wheelbase and front and rear tracks that are 56mm and 70mm wider respectively than the Astra Twin Top.

The company says that despite being significantly larger, the Cascada’s body is 43 per cent stiffer torsionally and 10 per cent more resistant to bending forces than its last open-topped car.

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Blast from the Past: 1991 Opel Kadett GSi Meets 2012 Astra GTC OPC

Back in the mid-1980s, General Motors' Opel brand attempted to fight the hugely popular Volkswagen Golf GTI and its like in Europe's compact sport hatchback segment with a performance version of the sleek Kadett E called the GSi (sold as the Vauxhall Astra GTE Mk2 in Britain).

The Kadett GSi came equipped with a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder producing 114hp (115PS) in the 8v OCH model and 148Hp (150PS) in the 16v DOCH (Double Overhead Camshaft) variant.

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Vauxhall Gets Artsy with New Adam City Car

Opel's brother-in-arms, Vauxhall, is exhibiting three examples of its new Adam premium sub-compact, each prepared by a different artist.

Fred Butler, Louise Gray and James Small are responsible for what you see in these pictures and video, with the three cars being displayed outside the home of Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden from Friday, September 14 to Tuesday, September 18, 2012.

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U Spy: Watch Opel's Engineers Thrash the New Convertible Around the Nürburgring

This isn't the first time that Opel's as-of-yet, unnamed, Convertible model has set foot onto the Nürburgring, but up until now, we had only seen pictures of the production ready prototypes pushed around the famed race track in Germany.

This freshly filmed footage from the 'Ring shows the brand's engineers trying out a couple of Convertible test cars with their fabric tops in both up and down positions.

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Ford Focus ST vs. Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall Astra VXR in New EVO Track Test

For many years, Ford and GM's Opel and Vauxhall brands have been battling it out in Europe's hotly contested sport hatchback segment.

Now, both automakers have come out with new proposals based on their highly popular Focus and Astra compact models.

Whereas Opel offers its Astra OPC (sold as the Vauxhall Astra VXR in the United Kingdom) exclusively as a sporty-looking, three-door hatchback, the Blue Oval's Focus ST is available only as a more practical but less fun to look at, five-door body style.

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Google Maps Gone Wrong? Street View Car Found Wrecked in India

It's not every day that you stumble upon an abandoned Google StreetView Camera Car in the middle of nowhere. And since you are bound to ask, by 'nowhere' we mean down a rocky hill in the Leh district of northern India.

An unidentified man who sounds like he has an American or a Canadian accent captured a film of the aftermath. The video shows the high standing camera-equipped Opel Astra hatchback (previous generation) facing down the hill with its front smashed up on the rocks.

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New Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall VXR Vs. Renault Megane RS 265 Cup

The new Opel Astra OPC, otherwise known as the Vauxhall Astra VXR, is the latest arrival in the European hot hatch segment. If there's one model it has to beat - aside from the ever-popular VW Golf GTI, it is the highly regarded Renault Megane RS 265 Cup.

In terms of specs, the two models are similar with the Astra OPC / VXR sporting a 2.0-liter turbocharged four that produces 276hp (280PS) and 400Nm (295 lbft) of peak torque channeled to the front wheels via six-speed manual and a limited slip differential.

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Opel Adam Makes its Debut on Film, Plus New Photos

The first video trailers of the brand-new Opel Adam have hit the web following Tuesday's presentation of the premium mini and in advance of its grand premiere at the Paris Motor Show this fall.

There's no denying that Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall are trying to market the Adam as a more up-to-date and playful alternative to the Fiat 500 and to some extent, the MINI, something that is evident in the video spots as well as the photo gallery, which we have updated with new images.

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Opel and Vauxhall Name their New City Car Adam, will Debut at the Paris Motor Show

As promised, Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall today revealed the name of their upcoming city car, which up until now, was officially known by its code name 'Junior'. The new model is called Adam, which also happens to be the name of the German automaker's founder, Adam Opel.

The company released a pair of pictures of a camouflaged prototype model, a video of the car revealing its name through a navigation map and a second comic strip featuring Opel employees who worked on the development and marketing teams for the Adam.

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