Opel boss dismisses plans for a larger SUV

Opel has officially ruled out the possibility of a full-size SUV that will serve as the brand’s flagship model above the Grandland X.

While it was reported as long ago as 2017 that Rüsselsheim could be introducing a new high-riding model with seven-seats similar to the Peugeot 5008, the Blitz’s CEO, Michael Lohscheller, in an extensive interview with Automotive News Europe about the brand’s turnaround since being bought by the PSA Group two years ago, said that “the era of the very large SUV is over” and that no alternative to the recently updated Insignia Gran Sport will be produced.

“The market doesn’t have sufficient volume. They are impractical and opposition to them is rising within society. We are well positioned with our existing range of compact SUVs,” Lohscheller said.

Quizzed about the next generation Mokka X reportedly slated for unveiling in Geneva next year with sales commencing in 2021, Lohscheller remarked that its successor “will be a standard bearer for our brand” when the wraps are lifted.

“It will have a much greater focus on lifestyle and will carry many elements of the very stylish GT X Experimental concept. That will help differentiate it more from the Crossland X going forward,” Lohscheller continued.

When it arrives, the Mokka X will complete Opel’s line-up of crossovers to make use of PSA hardware as it will move from the current General Motors Gamma II architecture to the EMP1 that underpins the Corsa, DS 3 Crossback, the Peugeot 208 and the 2008.

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