We ended off the ‘motoring year’ with the launch of the new Opel Adam. It’s always exciting when a first-generation vehicle is launched – you are either very impressed or a little let down, and I didn’t quite know what to expect, but after seeing the Opel Adam on the 7the floor of the Skyfall building overlooking the amazing views of Table Mountain, I knew this car was going to impress. And so it did.
With only the Corsa, Astra and Mireva having been available in South Africa recently, the Opel brand might not have been that prevalent for a while, but they are planning a great comeback – and it’s starting with the Adam.
The Opel Adam represents the first of a number of new-generation Opel vehicles destined for South Africa. The Adam was developed as part of the brand’s resurgent product and technological onslaught. The Adam very glamorously shows off Opel’s new design direction bolstered by a multitude of personalisation options. And if you’re wondering where the name derived from – No, it’s not a biblical reference, it’s actually a tribute to the founder of Opel. Funny enough, Adam Opel actually started the company ‘Opel’ as a manufacturer of sewing machines way back in 1862.
So, what is the Adam all about? This cute, quirky car has a lot of personality and all the techno you’d want in a new car.The Adam is an A-segment, 3-door, 4-seat hatchback and positioned by Opel as an urban trend-setter and personalisation champion, offering standard safety equipment, infotainment and convenience features usually reserved for more premium-priced vehicles. Very generally, the Adam can be seen as Opel’s contender towards the Mini, Fiat 500 and even the Citroën DS3. And so, the German motoring manufacturer has placed a firm emphasis on providing class-leading ergonomics and interior materials, fun-to-drive dynamics, great technology and an overall premium build quality – and that is exactly the experience I undertook from driving this car.
The bold silhouette of the new Opel has been achieved through the short bonnet design, upright windscreen, chop-top-inspired roof line and forward-reaching rear. The floating roof is enhanced by a chrome embellishment, which runs along the roof from the A-pillar into the rear and acts as an artistic stroke of varying thickness. There are also nine exterior paint colours with which you can personalise your own Adam.
The interior of the new Opel Adam delivers what the exterior promises: style and ambience. Boasting a colour-coded interior which the buyer can mix and mach to personalise the car to their taste. The interior storage has been maximised as well to fulfil the modern driver’s need to store a plethora of electronic devices. Overall, you notice that the Adam is designed for trend-setting image makers, people who want self-expression through their clothes, lifestyle and cars.
The market has to this day not produced a 3.7-metre car that’ll seat four full-grown adults in genuine comfort. Therefore, it’s no serious shortcoming to find that the Opel Adam has a rear bench that’s best kept for the children or petite adults. By class standards that doesn’t actually make it impractical -“ and although it’s not ideal, neither does a 170-litre boot. In fact, the Opel’s cabin is quite large for a supermini in it’s specific class. The wide cockpit and high roofline deliver generous footwells and fairly abundant headroom.
South African consumers will have a choice of three models: Adam, Adam Jam and the range-topping Adam Glam.
There is also a choice of two petrol engines. The entry-level Adam features a naturally-aspirated 1.4-litre Ecotec four-cylinder unit with 74 kW and 130 N.m. of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Adam Jam and Adam Glam are both fitted with Opel’s latest perky 1.0-litre turbocharged , three-cylinder engine. Boasting a readily-available 85 kW and 170 N.m. of torque, this engine is mated to Opel’s latest 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine features a fuel consumption figure of 5.1-litres per 100 km.
On a more practical note, the Adam is firm and agile on the road with considerably good handling which was tested quite harshly on the windy coastal road to Rooi Els. The Adam’s looks suggest that it’s fun and vibrant – and the driving experience very effortlessly matches that pretense. It may not be the most powerful car, but it’s powerful enough for a small city car that caters for the urban trendsetter.
Pricing ranges from R200 000 up to R250 000, with final pricing to be made available in January 2015.
