The first Opel Cascada has rolled off the production line at the German brand’s Gliwice plant in Poland, ahead of the convertible’s public debut at the upcoming Geneva motor show next week.
The almost 4.7m-long soft-top Opel Cascada will join the Opel Adam and Opel Mokka in helping the company achieve what in-coming Opel CEO, Karl-Thomas Neumann, calls “the biggest turnaround in European auto history”.
Its all part of GM Europe’s grand plan to introduce 23 new or revised models and 13 new engines by 2016, under its 10-year Drive 2022 strategy, aimed at returning the company to profitability by the end of the decade.
The Mokka is Opel’s small SUV, which notched up over 80,000 orders in just several months, selling out 2013 production in the process.
Opel Australia is pushing hard for both the Mokka and Cascada, which it believes will only strengthen the brand’s image in Australia.
The Cascada will launch in Europe with a choice of petrol powertrains including the entry-level 88kW 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine tied to a six-speed manual transmission, and a 125kW/280Nm (with overboost) 1.6-litre SIDI Turbo unit.
A 2.0-litre turbo-diesel can also be combined with the six-speed manual transmission, while there’s a more powerful 2.0-litre BiTurbo CDTI ecoFlex engine with 143kW/400Nm to come later.
Feature highlights include the Cascada’s electric roof that be opened at speeds up to 50km/h, in 17 seconds, or can be opened via the remote control fob when stationary.
The Cascada offers 280-litres of luggage space in the boot with the roof open, expanding to 380L when closed.
There’s also a FlexFold system that electrically releases and folds down the 50:50 split rear-seat backs for additional practicality.
Opel Australia is hoping to see the Mokka here later this year, but Cascada is unlikely to arrive before 2014, given it has just gone on sale in Europe.
