Get An Umbrella! It's Raining New Platforms At The GM/PSA Alliance (Opel's Future, A Pictorial)
The alliance between GM and PSA is beginning to show concrete results – not just yet, but at least they decided to work on them. In a joint press release, GM and PSA announced that they will jointly work on what they call “three common vehicle platform development projects.” Meaning cars. Finally.
Not for this one …
And not too early. The impending divorce between the couple had already been pronounced several times by a high-revving rumor mill, even a new partner for PSA was floated, Tata in India.
The negotiations must have been interesting up to the last minute. Last weekend, Opel’s interim-chief Thomas Sedran said that the two were still “negotiating joint development of four new model series.” Three days later, it’s down to three. Which may actually turn out as one platform. Here they are:
1. A joint program for a C-MPV for Opel/Vauxhall and a C-CUV for the Peugeot brand
Not for this one (low rider version depicted) either …
The fourth model series conspicuously missing is a common platform to underpin the successors of Opel’s Insignia, Peugeot’s 508 and Citroen’s C5. This project caused much excitement over the last months. French hairs stood up on end on the prospect that French cars could be built in German Rüsselsheim. Chinese feathers allegedly were ruffled, because Buick China did not want to share their Insignia platform.
Now let’s look at the surviving three projects.
Will get a joint successor: Opel Zafira
A C-MPV program should deliver the successors of Opel’s Zafira (based on Astra) and Peugeot’s 5008 (based on 308).
Will get a joint successor: Opel Meriva
The B-MPV program should do the same for the Citroen C3 Picasso (based on Citroen C3 and Peugeot 207/208) and the Opel Meriva (based on the Corsa).
MPVs in these classes nearly always are derivatives of higher-volume models, respective donor cars are noted above. It would make little sense to jointly develop MPVs which then would have to be “be highly differentiated and fully consistent with their respective brand characteristics” as the press release promises, if they would not sit on a common donor platform, n’est-ce pas?
Should get a joint successor: Opel Corsa
This is where the third project could come in. That “upgraded low CO2 B-segment platform” would be a replacement for the Citroen C3 and Peugeot 208 on the French side, and for the bread and butter Opel Corsa on Opel’s side. Apparently, a totally new platform is not in the car(d)s. It will be interesting to learn who’s platform will bite the dust and who’s will be “upgraded.” The French side sits on the PSA PF1 platform. The German side at Opel uses the SCCS platform which was jointly developed with Fiat. At Opel, it is used by Corsa and Meriva. At Fiat, the italo-germanic platform underpins a small army of cars, up to the Fiat 500L, X, and possibly XL.
Better also get some help: Opel Astra
So far, so complicated. But wait, what about the C-platform? They don’t really want to tell us that the joint C-MPV will sit on an upgraded Delta platform at Opel, while using revamped innards of the 308 as a foundation at PSA? A modern platform architecture should be able to span two classes ( easy to say for Volkswagen). Ample grist for the mill, for years to come.
Oh, the “first vehicles resulting from this cooperation are expected to be launched in 2016.” So let’s get on with it.
PS: “Based on the success of their collaboration, the partners also announce their intention for new additional global initiatives to broaden the scope of their Alliance and seize future opportunities” (translation: if they get on alright, they might:)
“Co-develop a next generation of high-performance, efficient small gas engines derived from PSA’s global small petrol engine program (EB engine).” (Would that be LPG or CNG?)
“Explore product and industrial initiatives in Latin America or other growth markets.” (Something Opel needs badly. Now.)
Not for this one …
Will get a joint successor: Opel Zafira
Should get a joint successor: Opel Corsa
Citroen Picasso – to be replaced
Will get a joint successor: Opel Meriva
Better also get some help: Opel Astra
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Latest Car Reviews
Read moreLatest Product Reviews
Read moreRecent Comments
- Lorenzo If Stellantis had any cojones, they'd have re-named it "Adolfo" after the Italian Business Minister. Let him argue that's an Italian name.
- FreedMike Very nice.
- Lorenzo Ford finally beats out Tesla at something: fixing production flaws. When the flaws are obvious, you get to fix them earlier.
- Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Its a wagon I'd like to have, but it's a VW that can be a decent hit or a terrible miss. I would not want auto nor with a sunroof. That's a tough find.
- Lorenzo If only it had an automatic, it could have been sold at any senior center in America.
Comments
Join the conversation
Why is it that all French (PSA specifically) cars (not the beautiful Citreons of the postwar thru 60's cars), but the modern ones are just always ugly. On every top gear comparison, even from a distance you can pick out which one is the French vehicle. I don't understand it.
Platform sharing has worked well in the past. The two companies actually make great cars but in this current prevailing economic crisis there are to many brands. Sharing platforms will save both companies a great deal of money, with any luck they will take that saved money and put it into quality, individual, brand specific clones. That way they will survive the storm and still be there for the next generation.