GM To Use PSA Modular Platform For MPVs, No Large Car Mentioned

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Less than a day after PSA announced their new EMP2 modular platform for C and D Segment cars, TTAC was already questioning the health of the seemingly moribund GM-PSA alliance for medium and large-size cars. Now, we have an answer – Opel will be adopting EMP2.

Under the deal, the Opel Zafira and Peugeot 3008 MPVs will be built on the EMP2 platform, while smaller MPVs like the Peugeot 2008 and Citroen C3 Picasso (which are B-segment cars and thus not covered by EMP2) will be engineered by GM at Opel’s facility in Ruesselsheim, along with the standard B-Segment cars, using an older PSA B-segment platform.

Notably absent was any mention of any larger C or D segment cars, as originally announced in the summer. Opel’s Steve Girsky told Reuters that, with respect to the Zafira, “we didn’t have enough volume to justify doing it on our own”. Ostensibly, PSA didn’t have the volume for the Citroen C5 or Peugeot 508 to do a D-segment car on their own either. The big question is, what happened to these plans? Opel’s own Insignia at least has some export potential to help add volume, but the missing large sedan is a big question mark in a plan put forth by two auto makers with dim prospects.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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 6 comments
  • Detroit-X Detroit-X on Jan 24, 2013

    For different brands and manufacturers, with different trim and looks, different procedures, requirements, tests, I just can't fathom how using the same platform will save much. That is, doing this verses not changed your own platforms so darn much, and perfecting what you have on a continual basis. Any why isn't Pignose, err Peugot, using Opel platforms instead? Aren't they full of that technical talent GM just couldn't let go when they had a buyer?? Of course all this logic doesn't matter if GM, is using this partnership ploy to just dump Opel somehow.

  • RobertRyan RobertRyan on Jan 24, 2013

    GM is having like Ford, a miserable time in Europe, so saving costs with a shared platform is the way to go.

    • See 1 previous
    • Cargogh Cargogh on Jan 24, 2013

      @Vance Torino I loved the look of Numero 9 and c-métisse concepts.

  • Beerboy12 Beerboy12 on Jan 25, 2013

    First Nissan and now GM... Wow! The french must know more about platforms than the rest of the motoring world cares to admit.

  • Ibizaguy Ibizaguy on Jan 25, 2013

    As a fellow European reader, this makes absolutely sense, despite most opinions. Not long ago VW and Ford shared a platform to build a large MPV in Portugal (VW Sharan, Seat Alhambra, Ford Galaxy, check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Galaxy ) and so happened with another low-volume model in the same segment, shared by PSA and Fiat, called the Eurovan and sold as four models (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovans) To me, they really looked like badge engineered models but they sold respectably for the times, so this is a way to go.

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