Four More Opel Models For South African Market
FOR RELEASE: July 23, 2001Four More Opel Models on the South African Market
Omega, Zafira, Astra Caravan and Astra Coupé Turbo join the Corsa and Astra
Rüsselsheim - New opportunities for Opel on the South African market: starting at the end of July, the Omega, Zafira and Astra Caravan will be sold there. The fastest Opel in the current line-up, the Astra Coupé Turbo, will join them this fall. Whereas the latest additions to the program will be shipped to South Africa, the existing two models, the Corsa and Astra, are assembled from CKD component kits at the Struandale plant operated in Port Elizabeth by Opel's sister-company Delta Motor Corporation. A joint venture established by General Motors (49 percent) and local investors (51 percent) is responsible for sales of Opel models in South Africa.
In a second, adjacent plant the production company, which was established in 1987 and employs 3600 people, mainly produces commercial vehicles from Opel's Japanese sister-company Isuzu. Total output from both plants is in the region of 50,000 vehicles annually. With sales of about 48,000 vehicles, including 21,500 Opel models, and a 13.3 percent market share, Delta Motor Corporation was last year among the five largest suppliers to the South African market, which had a total capacity of approximately 350,000 vehicles. Experts from Opel and Delta expect that by importing the four additional Opel models annual sales will rise by about 2000 cars. Richard Colcomb, Director of the Opel International Product Center based in Rüsselsheim, comments: "By enlarging the program of attractive Opel models we offer in South Africa we will further improve our sales prospects quite considerably." These right-hand-drive cars are ideally prepared for the conditions between Cape Town and Johannesburg, with specifications that comply with European safety and comfort standards, but also with uprated suspension settings and special equipment packages to counteract heat and dust.