German automaker Opel has followed its British counterpart in announcing the name of its next mini. So, want to guess what the sister car of the Vauxhall Viva is called? Just like the little Adam, their next city car will have a man's, paying homage to Adam Opel's sons.
The Karl will be a 5-door model replacing the Agila, which is currently built in partnership with Suzuki. This time around, the company is using its own architecture in an effort to simplify the build process and more easily implement new technologies. It will seat up to 5 people and "offer the best of Opel virtues in a smart and highly practical manner"
“Karl is a short, snappy and catchy name that represents Opel brand values: German, emotional and approachable,” said Tina Müller, Chief Marketing Officer at Opel, about the entry-level model in the German portfolio.
Further details are not available at the moment, but it's widely believe the Karl will be based on the SCCS platform as the Adam. Emphasis will be placed on affordability rather than style. Vauxhall officials have let slip in the past that the Viva will try and undercut the Skoda Citigo and Dacia Sandero in terms of price.
Engine choices should include a 1.2-liter petrol and either the 1-liter turbo or the 1.4-liter naturally aspirated unit on top-spec cars, maybe even both. Production is likely to take place in Eisenach.
Why Karl?
The name pays homage to the sons of Opel Adam, who founded his company in 1862 and turned it into the largest bicycle maker in the world. However, it's his sons Carl, Wilhelm and Friedrich started the automobile venture in 1898. The founded never actually lived long enough to see automobiles wearing his family name, dying 3 years before that
Telling people what sort of car you own is going to be really weird:
-What do you drive?
-I have a Karl.
-And I drive a Jeffrey… no seriously.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News