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Opel teases new concept, next-gen Corsa confirmed for 2019

German brand to develop PSA's new hybrid-ready four-cylinder petrol engines


Opel has revealed its upcoming model and development plans at its TechDay, hosted at the company's Rüsselsheim engineering centre in Germany.

Freshly acquired by France's PSA Group, parent to brands like Citroen and Peugeot, Opel confirmed it will develop the group's next-generation of four-cylinder petrol engines and light commercial vehicles, along with teasing a new concept bound for reveal later this year.

Shown during the press conference – and published by the UK's Car Magazine – the new concept will feature a design reminiscent of the company's GT and Monza concepts, and will be revealed before the end of the year.

The teaser image (above) shows the vehicle under a cover, though distinctive LED daytime-running lights and a centre-mounted Opel logo are clearly visible.

More details will come to hand in the coming months, though we can already rule out the Paris motor show given Opel has joined a number of manufacturers – namely Volkswagen, the FCA Group, Ford and Nissan – in skipping the event.

In other news, Opel confirmed it's in charge of developing the PSA Group's next-generation of four-cylinder petrol engines, which will be "optimised for operation in combination with electric motors".

The new powertrain family is scheduled for market introduction in 2022, and "will be used in the drivetrain of hybrid systems". All of the PSA Group's brands will use these engines, including Citroen, DS, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall, primarily aimed at China, Europe and North America.

Opel says the next-gen petrol motors will meet the future emission standards of these markets, and all feature technologies like turbocharging, direct-injection, and variable valve control.

"Rüsselsheim already had global responsibility for engine development when we were still part of GM. With the development of the new generation of four-cylinder petrol engines, we can exploit one of our key competencies," said Christian Müller, Opel's managing director for engineering.

"The economic direct-injection, in combination with hybrid technology, will consolidate the strong position of Groupe PSA in lowering CO2 emissions."

Opel has confirmed the next-gen powertrains will be based on the PSA Group's current PureTech units, with the 1.6-litre variant called out as a specific starting point.

The company is also committed to the "continuous advancement" of all existing models and powertrain families, namely the Astra (below) and Insignia lines.

In addition to the new engines, Opel has been tasked with developing light commercial vehicles for the entire PSA Group, right down to the platforms and modules for these vehicles "from advanced development to production maturity".

Finally, Opel confirmed its upcoming models will, predictably, be based around PSA's Common Modular Platform (CMP) and Efficient Modular Platform (EMP2) – it's worth noting several models in the company's line-up already use these underpinnings, including the Crossland X and Grandland X crossovers.

The next-generation Corsa light car will be the first new model to make the switch to French underpinnings (CMP specifically), scheduled to debut sometime next year.

Additionally, the Corsa will offer an all-electric version by 2020, joining the current Ampera-e (Chevrolet Bolt), and upcoming Grandland X plug-in hybrid before the end of the decade.

Both the standard Corsa and the EV derivative will be manufactured at the company's Zaragoza plant in Spain.

Other focus points for the brand include the development of hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies, along with alternative fuels – Opel didn't go into as much detail about these areas, however.


Australia

It's unclear exactly how these future plans will affect the Australian-market Astra and Commodore (above), especially given Holden is still part of General Motors, while Opel and Vauxhall now form part of the PSA Group.

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for all the latest updates.

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