Like all the brand forums that realized that the large family cars have become an economic burden that is difficult to justify its existence, so did the Opel company with the Insignia a few months ago when it announced the last units leaving the production line; The Insignia introduced in 2008 recorded its peak years between 2009 and 2011 with an average of 130,000 deliveries per year. However, from that point, it lost height until in 2021 it reached a low of 20 thousand sales in the entire Western continent.
Opel, like the entire Stenaltis group is immersed in the electric revolution, and it seems that although the Insignia has been pushed to the margins, it is going to be one of the leading assets of the manufacturer. The CEO of the company, Florian Hotel, did confirm recently that the Opel Insignia will have continuity, but not in the usual sense. “Opel needs a flagship. This is why the Insignia is of course getting a successor,” he said in an interview with the German monthly Auto Motor und Sport. “It is not a classic sedan or station wagon, it will be a modern leading model with driving performance that matches our expectations of such a vehicle – “with impressive aerodynamics.”
According to him, the successor of the Insignia will no longer have an internal combustion engine, fully electric. The model should go on the market in two to three years. Looking ahead to the electric remake of the Manta for example, Hotel reiterated that the car will be different from its original design: “We are not making a retro Manta. The Manta is an automotive legend in Germany, and we treat it with respect and responsibility,” he comments. “We have to create standards to bring the model to the market. We make sure to evoke emotions.”
Opel reported in 2020 that it will become an electric brand in Europe by 2028. The veteran company also continues to focus on the intermediate segments and does not squint at luxury vehicles in the meantime. “We see that there may be a gap that Opel can profit from. Because in the field of small and very small cars, there are many car manufacturers that have made a drive – and currently they do not have an electrified model in this segment,” explained Hotell. “We see a need for mobility at a reasonable price – even in the electric age, this is a big problem for us. The Corsa is already the most successful small car in Germany.”
Hotel sees opportunities to reduce costs in such a way that even small electric cars will somehow become profitable: “Today, electric mobility is actually even more expensive than classic combustion engines. But there is still a lot of potential in financing models or battery reuse, which can reduce costs if done in These are wise uses.”
