First Pre-production Opel Ampera Rolls Off the Line

A new child was born in the hybrid vehicles world, as the first pre-production Model Year 2012 Opel Ampera rolled off the production line at General Motor's Warren, Michigan assembly plant.

The automotive producer said that the following months will see more pre-production Amperas being built at the site. This will not be used for sales purposes, so they will not be sent to the automaker’s dealers. Instead, the cars will serve as real world test vehicles, allowing the automotive producer to finalize the software development stage for the Ampera, as well as make final adjustments to the vehicle’s controls.

In addition to that, the pre-production models will be used by the company to make fine tweaks to the vehicle, covering all areas of the car. Some of the vehicles will be used for safety tests.

“We’re right on target for producing the Ampera for European markets later next year,” said Andrew Farah, Vehicle Chief Engineer for the Ampera. “There’s still work to be done, but being able to drive an Ampera off our pre-production line is a great accomplishment for the teams here and in Europe.”

The Opel Ampera, which will also be available as a Vauxhall, uses the same Voltec Platform as the Chevy Volt. This features a 150 hp & 273 lb-ft electric motor powered by a Li-ion battery and a 1.4 liter gasoline engine. The plug in hybrid vehicle will enter the European markets at the end of next year.