Geneva Gallery: Opel Flextreme Concept

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The first Opel concept based on GM’s Volt extended-range electric platform was the Ampera, a cheap rebadge that made onlookers exclaim “lands alive, that’s a cheap rebadge!” Since the Ampera debuted, a river of bad blood has flowed under the bridge of GM-Opel relations, and in an apparent pique of independence, Opel has declared its freedom from the corporate mothership with this re-imagining of the Volt, called the Flextreme. And it might just show the way out of GM’s European family feud: GM technology underpinning starkly Teutonic, vaguely upscale designs which stubbornly refuse to acknowledge their technical roots sounds like as good a vision for Opel as we’ve heard yet. Too bad about the money problems. And the Flextreme’s less-than-subtle Lexus LF-A cues. And the fact that the Flextreme would make a crap Buick.



Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

More by Edward Niedermeyer

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 4 comments
  • Eric Wait! They're moving? Mexico??!!
  • GrumpyOldMan All modern road vehicles have tachometers in RPM X 1000. I've often wondered if that is a nanny-state regulation to prevent drivers from confusing it with the speedometer. If so, the Ford retro gauges would appear to be illegal.
  • Theflyersfan Matthew...read my mind. Those old Probe digital gauges were the best 80s digital gauges out there! (Maybe the first C4 Corvettes would match it...and then the strange Subaru XT ones - OK, the 80s had some interesting digital clusters!) I understand the "why simulate real gauges instead of installing real ones?" argument and it makes sense. On the other hand, with the total onslaught of driver's aid and information now, these screens make sense as all of that info isn't crammed into a small digital cluster between the speedo and tach. If only automakers found a way to get over the fallen over Monolith stuck on the dash design motif. Ultra low effort there guys. And I would have loved to have seen a retro-Mustang, especially Fox body, have an engine that could rev out to 8,000 rpms! You'd likely be picking out metal fragments from pretty much everywhere all weekend long.
  • Analoggrotto What the hell kind of news is this?
  • MaintenanceCosts Also reminiscent of the S197 cluster.I'd rather have some original new designs than retro ones, though.
Next