Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close

  • 💬 Join the Conversation

    CnG Logo SQ 2023 RedBlue FavIcon300w.png
    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has been the go-to hub for automotive enthusiasts. Join today to access our vibrant forums, upload your vehicle to the Garage, and connect with fellow gearheads around the world.

     

  • William Maley
    William Maley

    By William Maley •

    Opel Sale Hits A Roadblock Due to Development Center Issue

      And the process of selling Opel has hit a roadblock

    If General Motors and PSA Group were hoping to have a smooth sale of Opel, they were dashed this week.

    Both Automobilwoche and German newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung report Opel's work council and German labor union IG Metall have some specific demands for workers at Opel's development center in Rüsselsheim. The two parties want a guarantee that 7,700 workers will keep their jobs at the center and that continue performing work for GM until 2020 - which could account for 30 percent of the development center's output. 

    There are also some disagreements on vehicle development. PSA Group wants the next-generation Corsa subcompact to use one their platforms, while Opel wants to keep the current platform and also wants to develop an SUV based on the Insignia platform. 

    Until this issue can get resolved, GM and PSA Group cannot move forward with the Opel sale. Originally, GM was planning to move their European assets into a new company titled Opel Automobile GmbH. But plans for this have been postponed.

    "Only when these service contracts are signed and the new ITEZ contract is signed can the business transition come," an insider told Allgemeine Zeitung.

    A spokeswoman for the works council told Automobilwoche that there was no disagreement between the various parties on this issue. But the complexity of this matter has pushed back plans for workers to ratify the agreement.

    Information sessions about the agreement that were supposed to take place this week have been reportedly canceled.

    Source: Automobilwoche, Allgemeine Zeitung

    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    G. David Felt

    Bloody Unions will be the death of companies.

    I could see GM deciding to just kill off the product line and lay off everyone. Would not hurt the overall company in the long term and it would reduce the extreme surplus production capacity. These people have got to wake up to the fact that nothing lasts forever and nothing is a job for life.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Drew Dowdell

    Wait... who is calling the shots at Opel these days... Opel or GM?  Opel wants a crossover on the Insignia platform? That's... kinda dumb. The new Small-Midsize crossover platform is on Delta (Equinox / Terrain)  The larger mid-size is on C1 platform (Acadia, XT5) which is a distant cousin of Epsilon (E2).

    PSA is probably in the right to want to use their own platform for the Corsa otherwise it ends up on Gamma.

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442

    I think this is just hijacking tactics by the German unions to keep jobs safe in Germany.

    PHOQUE GERMANY!

    The Euro-zone is crumbling because there only a few countries that benefit from factories...

     

    Greece is blamed for its problems because

    1. Greeks are lazy

    2  Greece and its socialist government

    3. Greece is corrupt

    Yet NOBODY mentions outside of selling olives and feta cheese and a couple of tourists coming to see the Parthenon and swim at her beaches, there are NO jobs!!!

    Germany keeps ALL her manufacturing to HERSELF(or is it himself as Hitler called Germany the Fatherland)

    Anyway!

    PHOQUE Germany! I hope PSA buys Opel and moves ALL of Opel's factories in France!!!!

     

     

     

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    daves87rs
    5 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    Wait... who is calling the shots at Opel these days... Opel or GM?  Opel wants a crossover on the Insignia platform? That's... kinda dumb. The new Small-Midsize crossover platform is on Delta (Equinox / Terrain)  The larger mid-size is on C1 platform (Acadia, XT5) which is a distant cousin of Epsilon (E2).

    PSA is probably in the right to want to use their own platform for the Corsa otherwise it ends up on Gamma.

    Yeah, that is the scary part....I think they simply either don't have a clue, or they don't give a rat's butt. Dfelt has the right idea....would be sad, but if they want to learn the hard way.....

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    regfootball
    7 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    Wait... who is calling the shots at Opel these days... Opel or GM?  Opel wants a crossover on the Insignia platform? That's... kinda dumb. The new Small-Midsize crossover platform is on Delta (Equinox / Terrain)  The larger mid-size is on C1 platform (Acadia, XT5) which is a distant cousin of Epsilon (E2).

    PSA is probably in the right to want to use their own platform for the Corsa otherwise it ends up on Gamma.

    insignia platform would actually be perfect for a more carlike crossover, not trucky, larger than the small equinox.  Edge competitor.  And it wouldn't handle like a turd.

    7 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

    I think this is just hijacking tactics by the German unions to keep jobs safe in Germany.

    PHOQUE GERMANY!

    The Euro-zone is crumbling because there only a few countries that benefit from factories...

     

    Greece is blamed for its problems because

    1. Greeks are lazy

    2  Greece and its socialist government

    3. Greece is corrupt

    Yet NOBODY mentions outside of selling olives and feta cheese and a couple of tourists coming to see the Parthenon and swim at her beaches, there are NO jobs!!!

    Germany keeps ALL her manufacturing to HERSELF(or is it himself as Hitler called Germany the Fatherland)

    Anyway!

    PHOQUE Germany! I hope PSA buys Opel and moves ALL of Opel's factories in France!!!!

     

     

     

    tinfoil hat to me suggests the 'sale' was not really a sale yet, but other than to say GM sold a dead weight asset......when in reality what is probably hapenning is an actual merger......

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    G. David Felt
    3 hours ago, regfootball said:

    tinfoil hat to me suggests the 'sale' was not really a sale yet, but other than to say GM sold a dead weight asset......when in reality what is probably happening is an actual merger......

    GM woke up to the real fact that as long as the Unions have the GOV in their pocket and are protected, they will not make money and it is the ultimate money pit. Time to cut losses and walk away.

    There is a reason why the asian brands never bought mainland European car companies. They knew better than to get connected with that union mess.

    As I said, if GM cannot unload Opel, then just shut it down and kill it. Best way to go.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    riviera74

    So IG Metall is putting up demands in order to allow a sale of Opel to PSA.  REALLY?!  Since when do unions have a say on matters such as these?

    If the sale is scuttled because of this, then Mary Barra should simply shutter Opel posthaste with no mercy.  Teach IG Metall and other German unions the party is officially over.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×



  • Support Real Automotive Journalism

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has delivered real content and honest opinions — not emotionless AI output or manufacturer-filtered fluff.

    If you value independent voices and authentic reviews, consider subscribing. Plans start at just $2.25/month, and paid members enjoy an ad-light experience.*

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • Robert Hall
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By Robert Hall · Posted

      Always liked those old Dodges...I learned to drive in the mid 80s in a '79 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 short wide box pickup my Dad had.  Very numb steering--no on center feel at all, bouncy suspension, would stall on left turns.  Was very clean w/ like 25k miles..silver green inside and out. 
    • Drew Dowdell
      2027 Scout Traveler & Terra | Specs, EV Range, Off-Road Capability

      By Drew Dowdell · Posted

      I'm not sure what you're asking. The private equity firm owns both PepBoys and one of those other two.  PepBoys does service, but they ALSO had basically an entire AutoZone and more inside. They had a much bigger and (IMHO) better selection than the other two.  The private equity firm closed out the retail parts & accessories side of PepBoys and made them all service only.  There were some PepBoys that were already like that, but most had a retail parts counter also. 
    • ccap41
      2027 Scout Traveler & Terra | Specs, EV Range, Off-Road Capability

      By ccap41 · Posted

      When it was first announced and everything, I thought VW was going to service them and I had no issue with that. There's a VW dealership about 30 minutes away. That would have been just fine with me. Theeeeeen I read they will have their own service centers and for people outside of X miles, they'd have the service come to you. That sounds good and all but I know that isn't for the life of the vehicle and when something isn't covered I'm sure there will be a distance-like service fee attached.  Advance and AutoZone are stores though. Maybe there's another service center you're thinking of? Meineke?   Yes. Agreed.
    • Drew Dowdell
      2027 Scout Traveler & Terra | Specs, EV Range, Off-Road Capability

      By Drew Dowdell · Posted

      Once the VW dealers stop suing over Scout, I wonder if they'll get the maintenance contract.    Private Equity.  They got bought up by an equity firm that also owns either Advance or AutoZone (can't remember which, if you care enough you can google lol).   The equity firm decided that there was no point having two brands competing on auto parts sales, so they closed down the PepBoys parts (which sucks because they typically had the best prices of the walk-in parts stores) and made PepBoys service only.   In the process, a lot of PepBoys became unsustainable in their current locations because their building footprint was too large for the dollar volume coming through, so many of them closed.  This was mid-late Covid era, so a lot of the service departments simply never got rebuilt.  Sing it with me now... Private Equity Ruins America. They've been doing that sort of thing for years and maybe the Tesla/Rivian thing will be the one that finally saves them.  They were suppose to take over Saturn and Saab service too.  I think they had Suzuki for a bit. They were the official service center for Daewoo for like 5 minutes. 
    • Robert Hall
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By Robert Hall · Posted

      Always liked the 00s Impalas..had many as rentals when I lived in Colorado then Arizona and would travel back to Ohio and elsewhere in the Midwest and East...along w/ Intrepids and 300Ms,  Grand Marquis, Town Cars and the occasional DeVille/DTS (and drove my sister's 00 DTS a lot).   Don't recall having had a Buick as a rental, but always liked the looks of the 90s-00s Park Avenues..

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search