General Motors have had a touch time turning their European operations, which have not made a profit in a long time, to where they are no longer a burden on their bottom line. It will take a couple of months for them to sort out the details, but it seems like plant closures and worker layoffs are on the horizon.
The current generation of Opel’s bread and butter, the Astra, was introduced in Frankfurt at the 2009 IAA as a five-door hatchback, and seemed to be a more energetic car than the old boxy mode. But sales never quite picked up, thanks in part to competition from Asian automakers, but also due to the Mk6 Gold that has been doing well.
Today, the UK division Vauxhall has announced officially that the next generation Astra hatch is coming in 2015 and will be produced at their Ellesmere Port factory in Whales, which will be the led plant of two building the Astra in Europe.
While that doesn’t completely rule out German production, the fact that Vauxhall has pledged to produce 160,000 vehicles each year means they can almost fill the entire European market.
This gives credibility to reports that Opel is going to close the Geman factory at Russelsheim that builds the Astra and build it from Ellesmere Port, England and Gliwice, Poland. German workers are much better payed, and it’s hoped that this move would reduce costs significantly.
Today, the UK division Vauxhall has announced officially that the next generation Astra hatch is coming in 2015 and will be produced at their Ellesmere Port factory in Whales, which will be the led plant of two building the Astra in Europe.
While that doesn’t completely rule out German production, the fact that Vauxhall has pledged to produce 160,000 vehicles each year means they can almost fill the entire European market.
This gives credibility to reports that Opel is going to close the Geman factory at Russelsheim that builds the Astra and build it from Ellesmere Port, England and Gliwice, Poland. German workers are much better payed, and it’s hoped that this move would reduce costs significantly.