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Interior Upgrade
Opel strives to deliver high quality interiors, promote upscale image
Even General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz isn't enthusiastic about Opel and Vauxhall's car interiors, calling them "cold," "clinical," and "emotionless."
To fix those flaws, GM Europe created a new design studio here that aims to dramatically reshape the insides of its European volume brands.
"[Opel and Vauxhall's interiors] will be a lot warmer and a lot more dramatic," Lutz told Automotive News Europe at this month's opening of the design center, which will handle GM Europe's advanced and production design.
Customers will see "broad curves, sweeps, modern shapes and great use of color," in future Opels and Vauxhalls, Lutz said. The changes will be visible within "a couple of model years," Lutz added.
The first significant shifts will appear in the new Corsa small car that debuts July 18 at the British auto show in London.
Going upscale
GM promises the Corsa will have a high-quality interior with a more spacious cabin, lacquer surfaces, more ambience and glowing translucent control knobs and switches.
Improving interiors comes as GM tries to make the Opel and Vauxhall brands appeal to more upscale buyers.
Opel's overall appearance already has changed dramatically, particularly on vehicles such as the lower-medium Astra GTC, said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of GM Europe Design.
"Today's Astra is a very successful expression on the exterior, but I think there is room for improvement on the interior," Nesbitt said. "It's built great, but it's not very inviting. You need the whole package."
The Astra has the "dynamic feel" and "emotional quality" that GM wants the overall brand to represent, Nesbitt said.
"We are in a transformation and I think it is kicking off with the Astra," he said. "As we continue to progress this brand, we are going to have to get more daring and take more risks in the overall styling direction."
GM is following an industry trend with interior changes. Automakers are learning how switching to electronic systems from mechanical solutions gives them interior space that is more inviting and roomy, Nesbitt said.
GM considers Lexus a good benchmark for interiors, but the automaker promises to add its own unique touches.
"I think we have an opportunity, just as any other automaker, to do something significant and create a European standard," Nesbitt said.
On interior design, GM Europe is getting some help from GM North America.
About 18 months ago, designers from the US staff were called in to help bring "excitement and emotion" to the European interiors. Lutz said it is a model of cooperation.
"It's the way GM is going to work in the future," Lutz added. "Five years ago, that would have been unthinkable because the Opel design team would never have talked to the American designers, or vice versa."
Design renaissance
But while the immediate focus is improving Opel and Vauxhall, GM's interior design efforts are far broader, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design.
"We are experiencing a real renaissance in interior design at General Motors across the board," Welburn said. "Opel is very much a part of that."
The addition of the center puts GM Europe's interior design team within walking distance of the exterior design team, which is across the street on the Rüsselsheim campus.
GM Europe is in the process of hiring 40 designers for the new facility, adding to the 270 currently on staff.
Opel strives to deliver high quality interiors, promote upscale image
Even General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz isn't enthusiastic about Opel and Vauxhall's car interiors, calling them "cold," "clinical," and "emotionless."
To fix those flaws, GM Europe created a new design studio here that aims to dramatically reshape the insides of its European volume brands.
"[Opel and Vauxhall's interiors] will be a lot warmer and a lot more dramatic," Lutz told Automotive News Europe at this month's opening of the design center, which will handle GM Europe's advanced and production design.
Customers will see "broad curves, sweeps, modern shapes and great use of color," in future Opels and Vauxhalls, Lutz said. The changes will be visible within "a couple of model years," Lutz added.
The first significant shifts will appear in the new Corsa small car that debuts July 18 at the British auto show in London.
Going upscale
GM promises the Corsa will have a high-quality interior with a more spacious cabin, lacquer surfaces, more ambience and glowing translucent control knobs and switches.
Improving interiors comes as GM tries to make the Opel and Vauxhall brands appeal to more upscale buyers.
Opel's overall appearance already has changed dramatically, particularly on vehicles such as the lower-medium Astra GTC, said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of GM Europe Design.
"Today's Astra is a very successful expression on the exterior, but I think there is room for improvement on the interior," Nesbitt said. "It's built great, but it's not very inviting. You need the whole package."
The Astra has the "dynamic feel" and "emotional quality" that GM wants the overall brand to represent, Nesbitt said.
"We are in a transformation and I think it is kicking off with the Astra," he said. "As we continue to progress this brand, we are going to have to get more daring and take more risks in the overall styling direction."
GM is following an industry trend with interior changes. Automakers are learning how switching to electronic systems from mechanical solutions gives them interior space that is more inviting and roomy, Nesbitt said.
GM considers Lexus a good benchmark for interiors, but the automaker promises to add its own unique touches.
"I think we have an opportunity, just as any other automaker, to do something significant and create a European standard," Nesbitt said.
On interior design, GM Europe is getting some help from GM North America.
About 18 months ago, designers from the US staff were called in to help bring "excitement and emotion" to the European interiors. Lutz said it is a model of cooperation.
"It's the way GM is going to work in the future," Lutz added. "Five years ago, that would have been unthinkable because the Opel design team would never have talked to the American designers, or vice versa."
Design renaissance
But while the immediate focus is improving Opel and Vauxhall, GM's interior design efforts are far broader, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design.
"We are experiencing a real renaissance in interior design at General Motors across the board," Welburn said. "Opel is very much a part of that."
The addition of the center puts GM Europe's interior design team within walking distance of the exterior design team, which is across the street on the Rüsselsheim campus.
GM Europe is in the process of hiring 40 designers for the new facility, adding to the 270 currently on staff.
