Opel may go into multi-brand showrooms

Those two are among those believed to be among those appointed to sell their GM stabelmate, Opel, when it hits Australia in September.

Instead, the German brand will be stocked by multi-brand dealers, some of which sell other European luxury brands. Carsguide believes 16 dealers have so far been appointed and that only two are Holden. However, Opel Australia spokeswoman Michelle Lang says they are "still in the process" of appointing dealers.

"You'll have to wait another three or four weeks for the full list," she says. "We currently have contracts coming back and the legal processes are under way. "All I can say is we are really pleased with the calibre of dealers." Lang says their target number of dealers is "only 16 or 17 in the first year". 

"We may be looking at that as time goes on, but they will be metropolitan dealers to begin with. "I can't comment on that (Holden dealers) yet. It's a bit premature at the moment. "Some dealers are multi-dealers that have other German brands." 

Even though it is part of the American GM stable, Opel is considered a German brand with German engineering and design and manufacture in European countries such as Belgium, Britain, Poland, Russia and, of course, Germany. The brand will launch in Australia with three model ranges - Corsa, Astra and Insignia. 

Carsguide believes the Corsa may start at under $20,000 to gain a foothold on the showroom floor, but Lang says she cannot confirm. "Your informants are telling you more than I can tell you," she says. The initial launch model line-up will consist of Corsa three- and five-door small hatch, the Astra five-door, Tourer (wagon) and GTC coupe, and the Insignia Sedan and Tourer.

Astra was last sold in Australia by Holden in March 2010 when it was built in Belgium and replaced by the Korean-built Cruze. The Astra models coming to Australia will be built at GM's Vauxhall plant in England after workers at the Liverpool plant recently voted on cost savings that included operating 24 hours a day. Opel's hero car, the Astra GTC, recently won the design category of the 2012 Plus X Awards in Germany. It was one of eight awards for the German brand.