Opel, a German brand deeply rooted in Spain

Currently, Opel manufactures three models from its range in our country, two of which are the best-selling models for the brand of the lightning bolt: the Opel Corsa and the new Opel Crossland, both built at the Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza. A factory that has been producing the small Opel bestseller since 1982, having built more than 14 million units of that model. The Opel Combo is the third model built in our country, but rather than being produced in Zaragoza, it comes from Stellantis’ plant in Vigo.

Opel is in the middle of a renewal process and is betting on electrification, setting the goal for 2024 of having an electrified version across all its models, since today Opel offers only a 100% electric version of the Corsa and the Mokka, and a plug-in hybrid version of the Grandland.

An increase in electric sales share is expected

Pedro Lazarino, General Manager of Opel in Spain and Portugal, expressed his confidence in raising the current share of electrified vehicles, which Opel currently holds at a modest 4.4%, to reach 8% by the end of the year, thanks to the MOVES III Plan incentives and to the new electrified versions expected on the Opel Crossland and the much-anticipated Opel Astra 2021.

Lazarino also highlighted the great responsibility Opel has in being the only German brand within the Stellantis Group, which includes other brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Alfa Romeo or Jeep, among many others.

The Vigo plant, where the Opel Combo models are built, produced 498,600 vehicles last year despite the major slowdown our country suffered due to the lockdown caused by the pandemic.

Vigo, a plant with great experience

This facility has more than six decades of experience in manufacturing commercial vehicles, making it an ideal location to produce the Opel Combo Van and Combo Life, which will soon offer 100% electric versions.

Ignacio Bueno, Director of the Vigo Centre, showed the importance of the English market for the Combo, as 26% of total production is exported there, followed by Germany with 19% and then Spain, which keeps only around 8% in our country.

The Figueruelas plant in Zaragoza accounts for 6% of the GDP of the Aragon region, as some 5,000 employees work there. Its production pace is very similar to the Vigo plant, capable of producing one car every 34 seconds when running at full capacity.

Almost 40 years building the Opel Corsa

As mentioned earlier, all generations of the Opel Corsa have been built at this plant since 1982, the year production of the first generation of the model began. Over 39 years of production, more than 14 million units of the Opel Corsa have left this factory, a car built only at this plant for the rest of the world.

With 226,800 units sold throughout 2020 of the new Opel Corsa, the small bestseller represents 36% of Opel’s worldwide sales, and the electric version of the Corsa, which accounts for 12% of total production, has been a major contributor to this success.

Finally, José María Botía, Communications Director of Opel Spain, enthusiastically expressed the pride of the German brand in being able to contribute to the country’s economic recovery through the production of several Opel models at the Spanish plants, something very necessary in the current situation.