We were surprised to hear this, as we had never seen a prototype version of the vehicle in action. Well, now we have, so we bring you the first spyshots of the upcoming premium model that will take on both the MINI Cooper and the Fiat 500.
The 3.7-meter long car will be sold exclusively as a two-door model starting in early 2013. It will reportedly come with that urban chic look and a mix-your-own attitude when it comes to the interior.
This premium city car has been a long time in the making, but development was halted some 10 months ago due to the bad global economy. It will be underpinned by the same platform as the Corsa but will offer that premium feel needed to take on MINI and the 500.
“It’s a chic and stylish minicar that fits with today’s hip, urban spirit. It is not a low-cost verison of the Corsa,” Nick Reilly, GM Europe president, said when he was nominated back in November 2009.
While its competitors offer retro looks, Opel/Vauxhall will take a different route, as design chief Mark Adams explains: “We have a heritage in small cars, but we wanted to do this in a contemporary way. It’s modern but with real personality.”
Thankfully, the interior will not be borrowed from the aging Corsa, as it will be completely bespoke, offering plenty of customization options.
The car promises to offer seating for four, but only just. “Toyota’s iQ is too compromised,” says Adams. “Ours won’t be generous, but it will be capable of seating four on a normal journey.”
Opel is reportedly working on a new generation of fuel-sipping petrol engine with Euro 6 compliance that will fit the Junior's personality better. A battery-powered version is also understood to be under development and is due in 2015. Let’s just hope that Frankfurt will bring a much better name - nobody wants to tell their friends that they have a Junior.
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