Opel Zafira Reviews

But the decision to use European Opels to add spice at Holden means the all-new Corsa could easily land Down Under with a GTC badge and a go-faster package to sit alongside the Astra-Insignia-Cascada crew already announced.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

Holden's performance-car division will continue to build the Clubsport sedan and wagon, Maloo ute, Grange limousine and GTS super-sedan until the October 2017 end of Commodore production.Carsguide understands it may even stockpile enough cars to run into 2018 because once these homegrown heroes go, there will be no more.In the meantime, HSV is looking to broaden its range. Don't be surprised to see the high-performance Opel Astra OPC hot hatch and Opel Insignia OPC sedan and wagon in Holden showrooms wearing HSV badges.HSV has sold Opel's high- performance Astra before and the Astra hatch and Insignia were sold here last year as Opels before the brand was withdrawn from sale. That means they have Australian Design Rules approval and the parts are available. Only the HSV badges are missing.

Opel cars could be back in Holden showrooms by the end of this year, starting with the sleek and sexy Cascada convertible priced about $50,000.

Motorist in Russia seem to capture just about everything with their dashcams and this little city car losing traction is a doozy. After sliding around during an overtake the Opel Corsa narrowly avoids a collision with a Lada and ends up perfectly positioned in a car parking spot on the side of the road.There's just one problem - the car's back to front - but perhaps the driver has an equally impressive skid planned to rejoin traffic.This reporter is on Twitter: @VladCARS

The network of 20 dealers and 15 Melbourne-based head office staff were informed of the decision today. Job losses are unlikely at dealer level because most dealerships are multi franchise and represent a number of other car brands.However it is unclear how many -- if any -- Opel staff will be absorbed at sister brand Holden. Opel returned to Australia in September last year with three passenger-car models. An SUV was due to join the line-up next month.But sales did not meet expectations and the company struggled to make a profit in what is regarded as the world's most competitive new-car market. "We can't sell our cars at the price they need to be in order to meet our volume targets," said Opel spokeswoman Michelle Lang."The Astra small car was supposed to underpin our brand but with the prices of most rivals dipping to close to $20,000 we just couldn't compete." Before Opel arrived in Australia under its own brand (the cars were previously sold with Holden badges in the 1990s and early 2000s) German management boldly and naively forecast sales of 15,000 cars within the first three years.Instead, Opel did not even get a fraction of that, selling 541 cars last year and 989 in the first six months of this year. The hasty exit means that the remaining Opel cars in dealer stock will be sold at clearance prices.The warranty, parts and service of the existing fleet of Opel cars is yet to be determined but it will likely be done via the dealerships of General Motors partner Holden. The arrival of Opel was doomed from the beginning. General Motors tried to pitch a relatively unknown badge with a price premium in a market with 67 brands. Now there are 66.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

In an official statement Opel Australia said it could not viably follow its competitors recent trend for cutting prices, and would have needed to "significantly reposition the price of its core volume models” to survive.The news comes in the lead-up to the planned launch of the Zafira people-mover next week and Mokka compact SUV in coming months. Opel also cited the ongoing resources needed to keep promoting the brand in Australia – one of the most competitive markets in the world, with 66 vehicle brands competing for the consumer wallet. In addition to advertising, Opel has also entered into some high profile marketing and public relations over the past 12 months, including sponsorship of the Sydney Roosters rugby leage team, announced in June 2012. The sponsorship was halted last week by Opel. The brand also sponsored Melbourne Football Club in the AFL.Opel and Holden will now start working on analysis of "the potential for future Holden-badged niche product, in order to ascertain if opportunities for individual carlines exist" the statement saidCustomers were promised that Opel would meet all obligations in terms of warranty. The statement said Opel was "working closely with employees, dealers and suppliers to conduct this closure process in an orderly and responsible manner. As always, customers are of the highest priority, and Opel Australia will remain in close contact with them, to ensure all on-going obligations to these customers are met."Opel launched here in August 2012 with the Astra hatchback, Insignia mid-sized sedan and wagon and the Corsa light car. The brand believed at the time it could achieve yearly sales of 15,000 by 2015, and have developed a network of 20 dealerships around the country.However last year -- its first and partial year of operations -- resulted in 541 sales. The brand has moved  989 vehicles so far this year to the end of June. Top sellers were the Astra, which accounted for 365 last year and 677 this year, followed by the Insignia with 111 last year and 198 this year. The Opel Corsa has sold only 65 last year and 114 this year.The Astra nameplate was a familiar one to Australia, having sold here as a Holden for many years. Other Opels also badged as Holdens include Barina, Calibra, Vectra, Zafira and Tigra. In addition, the original  VB Commodore, Camira and Gemini models were all heavily based on Opel designs.Any concerned customers should contact the Opel Customer Assistance Centre on 1800 993 677 with any questions.

Opel Insignia OPC and Subaru Liberty GT go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Opel is reportedly set on bringing a rear-wheel-drive coupe to the market.The concept version of this should be arriving to wow crowds at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, and an early report from AutoExpress suggests the vehicle could take on the likes of the BMW 4-Series and the Audi A5. This Opel is apparently set on hunting down the luxury machines in the upscale two-door club.Rumour has it that the Monza Coupe will draw upon the same chassis found under the skin of the Cadillac ATS.That's certainly a smart choice since that rear-wheel-drive setup turns the ATS into a wonderful driving machine, which is what the Opel would have to be in order to draw buyers way from the BMW and Audi options.Since the Monza Coupe could run on the ATS platform, it's also likely that it will receive a wide range of engine options. There's the 2.0-litre turbo four as well as the the 3.6-litre V6 unit, but there's also a string of powerplants that European customers would clamour for, including a diesel mill.For now this is all just rumour and speculation but it's grounded in some very real reality. Stay tuned for more once we get our eyes on the actual concept when it's shown in Germany.www.motorauthority.com 

Joining the updated Opel Insignia range at the 2013 Frankfurt show in September will be the all-new Insignia Country Tourer, revealed today as the Opel brand’s new flagship. The vehicle is based on the Insignia Sports Tourer station wagon but gets some off-roading attributes such as taller ground clearance and protective body elements.Opel was prompted to develop the car following the European success of the smaller Mokka crossover – which arrives locally later this year. The Insignia Country Tourer now meets the demand of Opel customers seeking a toughened-up vehicle with a little extra cargo capacity.Opel is yet to confirm the Country Tourer for Australia, but Opel Australia spokesperson Michelle Lang suggests that any decision will be influenced by the upcoming Mokka's local success. "Given the Australian market's appetite for SUVs and crossovers, we think the Insignia Country Tourer would be an interesting option for Australia, but any local arrival would still be a long way off."Ms Lang suggested that a right-hand-drive version would likely make it to the UK wearing Vauxhall badges, which would significantly aid Australia's chances of seeing the Country Tourer.   In mainland Europe, the Opel Insignia Country Tourer will come standard with all-wheel drive and a range of torquey turbocharged engines, the most powerful of which is a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0 litre four-cylinder with 187kW and 400Nm on tap. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.Drive is sent to all four wheels via a Haldex-based all-wheel-drive system incorporating an electronic limited-slip differential. The system constantly adapts to changing road conditions and varies torque distribution from 0- 100 per cent between the front and rear axles, as well as between the rear wheels.Onlookers will be able to easily recognize the Insignia Country Tourer by its taller ground clearance, underbody guards front and rear, and prominent wheel-arches with body cladding. A set of dual-exhaust tips round out the unique visual touches.Inside, the vehicle gets all the latest goodies introduced for the Insignia’s 2013 update. The highlight is a new centre console with an 8-inch touch-screen display. A touchpad surface common to many luxury cars has also been installed, just below the gear lever.www.motorauthority.com 

June 30 is D-Day. The end of the financial year is the best time to buy a new car because there are always special deals in showrooms. As carmakers and dealers aim to clear their outdated stock, Toyota uses a June push to cement its showroom leadership. Some of the special deals are on cars that have done demonstrator duty, or were built in 2012, or are just not selling as well as expected. So they're not the tastiest fruit in the bowl.But there is great buying across the board as demand for new cars fuels one of the longest growth periods in motoring. The bottom line is that you can save money -- and lots of it. So here's a look at the June sales, with Carsguide's assessment of the best deals on wheels.CITROENThe new importer is pushing hard so the Aircross SUV starts at $31,990 drive-away front-wheel drive or $33,990 with AWD, a saving of $3800. There's $5000 off the C4 Seduction turbo diesel auto hatch at $25,990. Carsguide says: The Aircross isn't great, but the C4 discount is tasty.FORDThe death notice for the Falcon and Territory has not helped buyer confidence but a 2.9 per cent finance push on Fiesta and Focus still looks good. The superseded Kuga SUV from $31,990 drive-away is a $10,000 saving. You can save about $3000 on a 2012 Escape SUV from $27,990 drive-away.The Territory gets a $6500 tickle, the TX seven-seater at $38,490 drive-away (third-row seat usually costs $2500). The impressive Mondeo liftback starts at $29,990. Good buying on Falcons, thanks to the arrival of the VF Commodore, from $33,990 and better if you haggle.HOLDENAs the VF Commodore creates queues, the outgoing Z-Series starts at $34,990 with five years' warranty and roadside assist. That also applies to the SV6 at $35,990 and the Cruze SRi and SRi-V at $23,490 and $26,990. Last year's Barina CD hatches are $15,990 drive-away with a sunroof. The Colorado is $39,990. Hard to see past the excellent Cruze SRi.HONDAClipped prices and free on-roads. The City VTi sedan is $17,990 and the (slightly) more lavish VTi-L automatic version starts at $21,990. The bigger Civic sedan is being cleared from $21,990. Free auto on the Jazz VTi at $19,990. The Civic is worth a look at $2500 off.KIAFree on-roads, discounts and $1000 gift vouchers on many models. A five-door Rio S is about $3K off at $15,990 drive-away with a $500 gift card; the three-door Rio is $14,990 and the five-door Si is $18,990. Runout Cerato TD sedans start at $17,990 for the S, saving about $5000, the Si sedan is $23,990 and hatch at $17,990. All get a $1000 gift card. Cerato SLi and SLS have drive-away pricing but miss the gift card. All Optimas have free on-roads. A 2012-build Optima Platinum is $37,990, saving about $4000 with a $1000 gift card. Most Sportage SUVs include on-roads and a $1000 gift card. Carnival and superseded Rondo pricing is drive-away. The Sportage diesel and Optima are top-notch.MITSUBISHIThe manual Lancer gets an old-school value pack on the Special Action Model for $19,990 drive-away. The Mirage is $12,990 drive-away for the ES manual, with a $500 cash-back that also applies to the auto.Driveaway prices also for the compact ASX at $24,990 for the 2WD manual, the Outlander LS 2WD auto at $29,990, Pajero GLX-R auto at $54,990 or $59,990 for VRX. Both come plus $3000 cash-back, saving about $6000.The Triton ute is now tackling Great Wall from China at $19,990 drive-away for a GL single-cab 2WD with alloy tray, or add luxury for a GLX dual-cab 4WD diesel at $31,990 drive-away with $2000 cash-back, saving about $14,000. The utes look good at those prices.NISSANA 2.9 per cent finance package, with agreed value after three years, makes the Pulsar ST sedan look good at $49 a week or $19,990 drive-away. The X-Trail ST 2WD petrol manual cops a $4000 reduction to $25,990 drive-away, while the Navara RX 4WD dual-cab manual is cheaper than ever with a $9500 cut to $30,990 drive-away. The Pulsar sedan deal is attractive.OPELThere are drive-away deals across the range. The basic Corsa is down by about $2500 to $16,990 drive-away, the Astra is from $22,990 drive-away for the 1.4-litre turbo petrol hatch with three years of free servicing, saving about $5500. The top-line Insignia sedan is from $39,990 drive-away with heated leather seats. The Astra is easily best of this breed.PEUGEOTFree on-roads at Peugeot on most models but not the cool new 208. The 4008 SUV cops a $1500 saving from $29,990 drive-away and there are deals on the outgoing 4007. Nothing to see here.RENAULTA Koleos from $26,990 drive-away looks even better with interest-free finance. The Megane hatch is from $22,990 drive-away with finance pegged at 1.9 per cent. The slow-selling Fluence and Latitude sedans are available with 2.9 per cent finance. The Megane CC convertible goes from $43,990 including on-roads. The sporty Clio RS is from $34,990 drive-away and the hotrod Megane RS has 2.9 per cent finance.Commercial deals start with the short-wheelbase Kangoo petrol manual with dual sliding doors from $20,990 drive-away, moving up to the Trafic short-wheelbase manual for $29,990 and the long-wheelbase manual for $32,990, while the Master large van starts from $46,990 drive-away. There's a five-year/200,000km warranty on all light commercials ordered in June. Hard to argue against a $3000 bonus on the Koleos but stocks are tight.SUBARUDrive-away pricing -- for savings of $3000 to $4000 -- is the bait, with Impreza pricing from $23,990 (excluding the WRX, of course). The Tribeca from $54,990 now includes on-roads but you need to visit a dealer to get the full story. Nothing outstanding.SUZUKIThe front-drive SX4 gets a Navigator pack with voice-controlled 6.6-inch satnav with Bluetooth for $19,990 drive-away for the manual and $21,990 auto. That also applies to the 2WD auto Grand Vitara at $29,990 drive-away, including reversing camera and satnav with Bluetooth. The Alto GL manual also gets satnav for $11,990 drive-away for the manual, with the Swift GL manual at $17,490 drive-away including cruise control and Bluetooth. The Grand Vitara is a polished piece.TOYOTAThere's 2.9 per cent finance on Aurion and Camry with the Camry Altise looking best at $29,990 drive-away. Other drive-away deals include $15,990 for the Yaris YR five-door, $21,490 for the Corolla Ascent automatic, $39,990 for the Kluger KX-R 2WD five-seater, $60,990 for the Prado GXL turbo diesel auto and $39,990 for the HiLux SR 4WD dual-cab ute. The right time for the cabbies' new favourite, the frugal hybrid Camry.VOLKSWAGENDrive-away pricing on passenger cars and zero finance on commercials. The Polo is $16,990 on-road, the Jetta is down to $25,990 and the Passat $36,690. The Polo is Carsguide's 2010 COTY.VOLVOFuel and servicing for three years or 60,000km plus roadside assistance. There are conditions -- with a pre-paid BP card based on 15,000km a year and $1.50 a-litre pricing -- and the latest V40 hatch is excluded. Clever twist on bargaining but a pity it doesn't apply to the V40.Paul Gover's 10 COMMANDMENTSYou must still do your homework. You must still check the fine print. You must still be prepared to haggle and compromise.But do it right, crunching the numbers and running right to the dealer's deadline, and you can drive away in something special at a special price.The starting point is all the deals, from sticker specials to cheap finance and steak knife-style free extras, being offered by most of the 60-plus brands in showrooms today.If something you want is on special, go for it. But check that the car was built in 2013, and is not a geriatric old-timer from 2012, and ensure your target is exactly what you want - not a stripped-out stocker, perhaps missing an automatic gearbox - that will cost thousands to get the way you want it.Once you lock down a target, don't think the advertised special is the end of the deal. You also need to negotiate for a better price on delivery and on-road costs, and avoid the trap of buying over-priced extras such as paint and upholstery protection, window tinting and extra-long warranties.No-one can expect to go into the ring with a showroom professional and expect to win, because buyers only get a new car occasionally and sales staff are dealing every day. But, by concentrating on the real bottom line - the changeover price - and being prepared to compromise, you can come out ahead.The best tips are the simplest. Run as close as you can to June 30 to sign the deal and get the car, because dealers are all aiming for targets that can mean tens of thousands in bonus money from headquarters. Also be prepared to take a car they have in stock, even if it's not your favourite colour, because dealers are aiming to clear everything they have on the lot.And have your finance in place before you arrive, especially if you're taking up a special deal, because that makes things quicker and you'll also be spared any hassle and potential extra costs.Watch out for 2012 cars because the warranty clock has already been running, don't forget that a big discount today will also mean less at changeover time, and remember that a demonstrator car could have had a hard life already.