Rüsselsheim, Germany - Opel has given us a closer look at its upcoming GT X Experimental concept, with CEO Michael Lohscheller partially lifting a cover to show the new headlight and grille design theme that will inspire future Opel designs.
The concept, which is set to be fully revealed later this year, gives “a first impression of what the future holds and what Opel models will look like by the mid-2020s,” the CEO enthused.
Central to the new “Opel face” is what the company calls the “Opel Compass”, where two prominent axes - namely the wing shaped daytime running lights and central bonnet crease - appear to intersect the Opel logo.
The headlights, logo as well as cameras and sensors for the assistance systems are all housed behind a framed structure called the Opel “Vizor” that’s set to make an appearance on future products.
It’s been exactly a year since PSA’s acquisition of the Opel brand was finalised, with General Motors having relinquished control for R2.2 billion (R34.2bn) euro following more than 90 years of ownership.
PSA, which owns French brands Peugeot and Citroen, is forging ahead with plans to return Opel to profitability and claims to have already improved efficiency significantly and posted a profit of 502 million euro (R7.8bn) for the first half of the year.
The group plans to save around 1.7 billion euro (R26.4bn) per year through the sharing of vehicle architectures and technologies.
Opel’s Crossland X and Grandland X were already using Peugeot platforms prior to the takeover through earlier deals with GM, and eventually all Opel products will be based on Peugeots, including the next-generation Corsa that’s due in 2019.