January 12, 2001

New Opel van at the International Commercial Vehicles Show in Brussels

Opel Vivaro with Exciting Design and High Quality of Manufacture

Four engines Two wheel bases Two payloads ABS Wide choice of colors Integrated carphone and navigation systems Air conditioning

Rüsselsheim/Brussels. The new Opel Vivaro will be presented at the International Commercial Vehicles Show in Brussels from January 13 to 21, 2001. The practical and versatile transporter meets passenger-car standards in terms of comfort, features, and quality. The innovatively styled newcomer with a maximum payload of 1.2 tonnes will be available in summer 2001 with attractive introductory prices starting at DM 32,900 for the panel van and DM 36,300 for the "Combi" people-carrier.

Among the strengths of the new Vivaro, which is available in 2.7 or 2.9 tonne GVW versions (gross vehicle weight), are state-of-the-art powertrain technology, car-like ride and handling, a driver's cab with exemplary ergonomics, and a comprehensive safety package. In addition, the new van requires servicing only every 30,000 km or every two years, and maintenance costs are targeted to be very low. The range will be available in two wheelbase options (3098 and 3498 mm) and has a maximum load volume of almost six cubic meters. It will be sold initially as a panel van and a nine-seater people-carrier ("Combi"). An eight-seater minibus and a floor-cab version will follow later.

Navigation and Entertainment to Match Passenger Car Standards

The list of optional features for the Vivaro is very similar to that for well equipped passenger cars. The in-car communications systems are to a large extent identical to those available for Opel's top model, the Omega. As in that vehicle, the units are located in a double-DIN slot (twice the size of conventional systems) and fully integrated into the modern cockpit, where they are within easy reach of the driver.

This applies above all to the optional navigation system: Vivaro drivers will save time and money with this technology in door-to-door delivery service to unfamiliar locations. Mobility is also increased by the systems' traffic routing function (TMC, traffic message channel): traffic congestion is reported automatically and alternative routes suggested. With the optional, radio-integrated hands-free carphone, drivers can contact headquarters or customers at all times while the extensive audio program – which includes units featuring steering-wheel remote controls and even an integrated four-CD changer – offers them entertainment while they work. Other practical details available on request are the universal "Flex Fix System" with sliding fastening points for cargo and a remote-controlled central locking system.

Three Direct-Injection Diesels and One Gasoline Unit

The front-wheel-drive Vivaro is powered by a choice of two economical 1.9-liter turbo-charged diesel engines with common rail fuel injection (60 kW / 82 hp and 74 kW / 100 hp) as well as a powerful 2.0-liter, 16V gasoline engine developing 88 kW / 120 hp. These will be supplemented later by a 98 kW / 133 hp 2.5-liter, four-valve turbo-diesel also with common rail fuel injection. This version of the Vivaro has a six-speed transmission as does the gasoline engine and the more powerful of the two 1.9-liter engines.

High Investment in Production and Quality Control

The new Vivaro – of which Opel expects to sell nearly 20,000 units in Europe in the second half of 2001 – and its counterpart, the new Renault Trafic, will be built in Luton, England by IBC Vehicles, a subsidiary of General Motors. The IBC plant has been re-equipped and modernized with an investment of approximately 300 million euros for production of the new van range.

Alongside the press plant, the focus of the modernization was on body shell construction and the new paint shop. According to plant director, Peter Thom, the prime objective of all these investments was to "build the new van to the same quality standards as passenger cars". For this reason, special training was implemented for the 1600 IBC employees. In compliance with the quality slogan, "Do it right from the start", IBC invested in an average of 50 hours of training per employee.

One of the special tools used to ensure top quality is a highly accurate coordinate measuring machine that scrutinizes body shells down to one thousandth of a millimeter. More than 5000 welding spots per vehicle are inspected with ultrasonic testing apparatus at the Luton plant; passenger cars on average have around 3500 welding spots. Another special feature in Vivaro production is the large number of colors available. In addition to 12 standard shades, buyers can submit small-volume orders for their own, customized color schemes. An additional lacquering unit has been installed for the purpose.

Selected prices for the Vivaro which, because of its extensive body galvanizing, comes with a 12-year anti-perforation warranty (all prices excluding value added tax):

Vivaro panel van	1.9 DI (60 kW/82 hp):	DM 32,900
Vivaro panel van	1.9 DTI (74 kW/100 hp):	DM 35,100
Vivaro "Combi"	1.9 DI (60 kW/82 hp):	DM 36,300
Vivaro "Combi"	1.9 DTI (74 kW/100 hp):	DM 38,500

Opel's new van offers plenty of space in all its different versions. For example, even the short-wheelbase panel van (length x width x height: 4.78 x 1.90 x 1.97 meters) has a capacity of around five cubic meters; the length of the load area is 2.41 meters, and the height is 1.38 meters. With nearly six cubic meters of cargo volume, the long version with a length of 5.18 m and a load-area length of 2.81 m offers enough space for three Euro-pallets. Another standard feature of all Vivaro vans is a one-meter wide sliding door on the passenger side. A second sliding door is available as an optional extra, as is a hinged rear door opening to an angle of 250-degrees for the long-wheelbase version.

Ample space is also available in the passenger-carrying version, which is offered with a short or long wheelbase and with two or three rows of ergonomic seats for the driver and up to eight passengers. In each version, the last row consists of a double fold-down seat. With all nine seats installed, this Vivaro Combi still has a load volume of nearly 1200 liters up to the roof (VDA standard). In addition to the stable vehicle-body structure, a high degree of protection is provided by the ABS brake system and by other safety features such as a full-size driver airbag, three-point seat belts and headrests for each seat, and belt pre-tensioners for the outside seats. A full-size front passenger air bag and side air bags are optional.

Costs and Services: Special Programs to Keep the Vivaro Rolling

Vivaro purchasers will also benefit from low maintenance costs thanks to the generous anti-perforation warranty, 30,000 km or two-year service intervals, and the targeted low insurance category. The moderate fuel consumption figures achieved by the Vivaro's state-of-the-art four-cylinder engines will also make a significant contribution to the high level of overall economy characteristic for the new Opel van range. The most economical power unit, for example, has a combined MVEG consumption of only 7.4 liters per 100 kilometers. With the 90-liter fuel tank, this gives the Vivaro a range of about 1200 kilometers without refueling.

Its unique styling will make the Vivaro stand out on the road. Opel's Design Director Hans Seer explains: "For the Vivaro, we put just as much emphasis on styling as we would with a passenger car. Our goal was to support this utility vehicle's functional efficiency with an exciting design." The best example for this philosophy is the dome shape of the cab roof – which is referred to as the "jumbo roof." This not only gives the driver's cab an unmistakable appearance, but also makes it easier to enter the vehicle and improves side visibility.

The Vivaro design demonstrates its individuality still further by means of such styling elements as the large front bumper with its integrated turn indicators and fog lamps, the large clear-glass headlamps, which are fully integrated into the dynamically styled front end, and the tail lights, which extend up toward the roof from the rear bumper. The convex shape of the lower sides also makes a major contribution to the Vivaro's overall appearance. In conjunction with the protective side moldings, these forms visually combine the driver's cab and loading area into a single functional unit, and also increase the stability of the side panels.

Selected commercial vehicle (CV) retailers in the European network of Opel dealers who have already been selling and servicing the Opel Movano, will also have the new Vivaro in their showrooms. In Germany, 195 centers and another 200 service dealers are currently available; in Great Britain, Vauxhall has lined up 160 dealers. Commercial vehicle centers are also operated in France (100), Italy (90), and Spain (60). In 2001, the number of these CV centers will rise to approximately 850. These dealers employ specialized sales consultants; their range of services is oriented towards commercial vehicles and includes immediate diagnosis (no appoint-ment required), a three-year alternative transport guarantee, and a dedicated commercial-vehicle customer call line.