Stellantis, the conglomerate formed from the merger between FCA (FIAT-Chrysler) and PSA (Peugeot-Citroën, Opel), today has a very broad portfolio of brands: generalists (Citroën, FIAT), aspirational (Opel, Peugeot), premium (Alfa Romeo, DS, Lancia), luxury (Maserati) … To these we would have to add Abarth, as well as its North American firms (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM …).
One of those that will receive the most boost will be Opel: given its German origin, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, wants to strengthen it and turn it into a truly global company (until 2017 Opel belonged to General Motors, so its entry into markets like Australia or China was banned from stepping on Holden or Buick).
Opel will bet heavily on electrification; from the year 2028, the lightning firm will only launch zero-emission models. It currently has two cars of this type, the Corsa-e, and Mokka-e, to which we would have to add the commercial Combo-e, Vivaro-e / Zafira-e, and Movano-e, all of them developed with PSA origin technology.
In the short term, the company’s electrical lineup will be enriched with the arrival of the compact Astra-e, scheduled for the end of next year; However, Opel’s most ambitious proposition will be a noticeably larger model: the Manta-e, a sports crossover that will only be marketed with 100% electric powertrains.
The Opel Manta-e will be an electric car with a sports character
This vehicle, which will be located in the D-SUV (medium SUV) segment, will measure 4.70 meters long. Its name will pay tribute to one of the brand’s most longed-for classics, the legendary Manta coupe, which was sold between 1970 and 1988 and left behind a significant number of racing victories.
The Manta’s influence on later generations of Opel models is evident; Without going any further, its latest generation cars have recovered their characteristic frontal aesthetics through the “Opel Vizor”, a transparent plastic faired grille that encompasses the optics. This visual identity will reach all the passenger cars of the company.
Located above the Mokka, Crossland, and Grandland, the Manta-e will share with the Insignia the task of becoming the maximum exponent of the brand. According to a preview published by Opel itself, we can expect a very sporty crossover design, with a short bonnet, very pronounced wheel arches, and a soft drop from the fastback roof. Among its rivals will be the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the Nissan Ariya, the Tesla Model Y, the Toyota bZ4X, and the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5, among others.
In the absence of confirmation, the model is expected to sit on the modular STLA Medium platform. This architecture, designed for vehicles between 4.35 and 5 meters long, will be able to house batteries of between 87 and 104 kWh capacity. Its maximum autonomy will be 700 km WLTP, and it will be able to equip two types of electric drive modules: one between 170 HP (125 kW) and 245 HP (180 kW), and another between 204 HP (150 kW) and 449 HP (330 kW).
