Opel Allegra Spied Testing
Opel's upcoming city-car has been spied testing in Europe this week, offering a first look at the new model's interior design.
For now, the new model is known simply as “Junior” – a nod to its A-segment dimensions – but it is beli
Opel's upcoming city-car has been spied testing in Europe this week, offering a first look at the new model's interior design.
For now, the new model is known simply as "Junior" - a nod to its A-segment dimensions - but it is believed that the little city car will be named Allegra when it hits the market.
According to industry paper Automotive News, Opel will aim its new car at the segment's more upmarket offerings, making it a rival for the Fiat 500 and the MINI Cooper, rather than the budget-focused Volkswagen Up! and Ford Ka.
"We're not interested in putting a small car out just to grow market share," GM Europe boss Nick Reilly told the paper. “The new car will have a premium price for its segment”.
Sized more in-line with the Cooper than the 500, the Allegra will be offered in three-door form, and seat numbers will be limited to four, making for a more comfortable space in the back row.
“Cars like the Junior will make people realize we are really pushing the Opel brand, Opel design boss Mark Adams said.
"If we’d have tried to introduce it before Insignia, it probably wouldn’t have worked. Now we have the quality, and we’re flirting with more character and personality".
Engine options are expected to include a series of new small-capacity petrol and diesel engines, and an all-electric model could also be on the cards for a debut sometime after launch.
A 2012 unveiling for the Allegra has already been confirmed, keep an eye on the Paris Auto Show in August.
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