In our review of the 2015 Opel Corsa E, we mentioned that the first generation of the B-segment hatchback wasn’t built in Germany. The facility that took care of assembly is the General Motors España plant in Figueruelas, a small town in the province of Zaragoza. As GM celebrates the 500,000,000th vehicle built since 1908, the Spanish facility also celebrates the 12,000,000th vehicle produced there.
Whereas the make and model of the 500 millionth GM vehicle are still unknown, Opel Spain is happy to announce that a red Corsa E is the 12 millionth automobile produced in Zaragoza. Dubbed “the cornerstone of the Aragón [province] economy,” you’ll be amazed to find out that the population of Figueruelas is 1,263 people living on a patch of land that measures a mere 16,99 square kilometers. The perennial bestseller in the Opel lineup is but a model of many assembled at Figueruelas since 1982.
“Today is a day for celebrations, but also of gratitude. I would like to say 12 million thanks here today. One for each of the Corsa, Kadett, Astra, Tigra, Combo, Meriva and Mokka, that, during the last three decades, have promoted quality made in Spain not only throughout Europe but also beyond. I would also like to say thank you to each of the customers that put their trust in us,” notes Antonio Cobo, the managing director of GM España.
To date, the Spanish facility accounts for the production of over 10 million Corsa vehicles. The milestone car is a 5-door Corsa Color Edition, equipped with the 1-liter ECOTEC three-cylinder motor we couldn’t get enough of during our time with the Corsa E. Intended for the German market, the magma red Opel Corsa is enhanced by a black roof and the IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system.
According to Opel, the Figueruelas plant is an essential part of the manufacturer’s strategy to return to profitability and of the new product offensive that will see the introduction of 27 new models by 2018.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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