Opel Working on EV and EREVs For Future Release Page 3

By Eric Loveday

Eric Loveday

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Eric Loveday is a car enthusiast with a love for everything automotive. He purchased a 1970 Chevelle at age 16, quickly outgrew its dated engineering... More

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1,544 views Feb 17, 2010

Opel Ampera

Market share maintained due to strong new vehicle launches

Opel/Vauxhall started 2010 with confidence. The company maintained a 2009 market share of 7.59 percent in Western Europe in spite of tough price competition. Opel increased its market share and regained the number two position in its German home market, while Vauxhall remained number two in the United Kingdom. Sales of the Opel Insignia - European Car of the Year 2009 - jumped to 160,000 in 2009. In Europe, the Opel Insignia is the leader in the medium sedan segment. The new Astra won the prestigious European Golden Steering Wheel award (Goldenes Lenkrad) and several other awards even prior to its market introduction. More than 75,000 orders for the five-door version have already been placed.

Recently, the DEKRA vehicle monitoring organization reported Corsa had the lowest breakdown rate of all cars on the market in Germany. Despite a 16 percent reduction in volume, the company still was able to reduce Hours per Vehicle by four percent, an indication of its manufacturing excellence. Opel/Vauxhall for the first time reported less than 20 HPV - an industry milestone only achieved by two other companies.

"Today's announcement marks the beginning of a new era for Opel/Vauxhall. It is the biggest overhaul in the company's recent history," said Reilly.

"We now have all the necessary ingredients for a successful future in place: a motivated workforce, a new and accountable company culture, a product offensive based on innovative and highly fuel-efficient technology, a competitive cost structure based on conservative volume assumptions, a dedicated management team operating out of our Rüsselsheim headquarters, and the support from so many stakeholders. Now it is up to us to prove that we can do it. I am confident that we will," he added.