BBC_Top_Gear_South_Africa_June_2017

Opels are now Peugeots and Citroens
PSA buys out GM’s loss-making European arm, adding yet another mainstream brand to its stable
P
SAhasboughttheOpelandVauxhall
brands,theirwholerangeofcars,
and a group of plants all across
Europethatbuildcarsand
newbiggerentitywouldbebuyingpartsinbigger
numbersandcouldnegotiatelowerprices.
LiketheVWGroup,theindividualbrandsput
on their own skins and interiors and tuning and
onlyaftertheplantstartsbuildingcarson
common Peugeot-Citroen-DS-Opel-Vauxhall
platforms.
The other problem is, having finally managed
powertrains.ForthatitpaidaboutR15.4bn.
specs,andsellthemthroughseparatedealers.But
toputsomespacebetweenPeugeotandCitroen,
TogetherwithbankBNPParibas,italsobought
PSAandGMarealreadydoingmuchofthat.At
canTavaresfindroominpeople’smindsforOpel
Opel’sbank,whichlendspeoplemoneytobuyand
Geneva,VauxhallandOpellaunchedthe
andVauxhalltoo?Partofit,hesays,isaboutthe
leasethecars.Thatpartof the deal earned GM
CrosslandX.Thisisasmallbutroomyfamily
perceived nationality of the brands. “Some buyers
another R11.2 billion.
crossover that shares a platform, powertrains and
don’t want a French car,” he said. “Some want a
Thedealisallaboutthebenefitsofbeing
production line with the next Citroen C3 Picasso.
German car, just as some want an Asian car.
bigger.CombinedcurrentsalesofOpeland
LaterthisyeartherewillbetheGrandlandX,
Peoplebuycarsfromabrandnotagroup.”
VauxhalltoPeugeotandCitroenandDSmakethe
whichisarebodiedPeugeot3008.These
AndwhatofGM?Well,it’salmostuniversally
newentitythenumbertwocarconglomeratein
co-operations were set up four years ago when the
heldthatforamakertoproveitselfcapableof
Europe,behindonlythemulti-brandVWGroup.
companieswereseparate.
makinggoodcars–asopposedtopickupsandbig
SoGMinDetroithasfoundawaytoberidofits
European arm, which has lost money for 15 years.
Thelogicisthis:allthegroup’scarswillgo
ontoacombinedsetofplatformsandpowertrains.
ThisspreadstheenormouscostsofR&Dand
production tooling across more vehicles. It also
reduces purchasing costs per vehicle, because the
PSACEOCarlosTavaresistalkingabout
savings by bringing expertise into Vauxhall and
Opel factories. He points out that after he joined
PSA,itsbreakevenpointdroppedby1millioncars
ayear.Itwas,tobefair,anamazingturnaround.
Problem is, Opel’s Rüsselsheim operation is
already very efficient. So big savings will come
SUVs – it has to go toe-to-toe with Europe’s best,
in Europe. We fear the days of lazy Detroit
crapboxes, the Nineties Chevy Malibus and
OldsmobileAchievasthatdroveGMto
bankruptcy,mightfindanewecho.Bypullingout
of Europe, GM paints itself as a can’t-do company.
PAUL HORRELL
ILLUSTRATION: SARAH HANSON
26 JUNE 2017