Talking about the new Opel Astra and what's in store for Singapore

During the local launch of the all new Opel Astra, we sat down with Joachim Sell (JS), Director, Opel International Operations, as well as David Pang (DP), Director, Auto Germany Pte Ltd, to find out more about the brand's latest offering, as well as to talk about the Opel's planned resurgence in the Singapore market.

SGCM: Welcome to Singapore, Joachim. How have you enjoyed the city so far?

JS: My wife and I came here 16 years ago, and a lot has certainly changed since. Beyond just new developments such as Marina Bay, the lifestyle has also evolved. There is a better quality of life, with more street life and a better bar scene. I like it now, and you can really see that it has become an incredibly vibrant city.  

SGCM: The Astra has met with incredible popularity in Europe, but why do you think it has struggled to make an impression in Singapore?

DP: I think Opel has always had very good cars, but in the last two to three years, it's been a matter of timing. Our cars were disadvantaged as a result of government regulations - because of the high horsepower, our cars fell into Cat B instead of Cat A, the 'wrong category' per se, so we suffered a price disadvantage. But all that is in the past. The new Astra is a better car now, and we are now also able to take advantage of the new regulatory incentives. So coming from that standpoint, the new Astra is very much different from the previous generation, and I believe it will be much more successful.  

SGCM: How is the brand going to position itself to make greater headway into the market?

JS: With the developments you see in Europe, with the emissions regulations, there is a strong trend towards turbo-downsizing, resulting in developments such as the likes of excellent 1.0-litre three-cylinder engines. Five years ago, no one thought such engines would be accepted by customers. One reason is that the necessary technology was lacking back then. Also, from a mental and psychological perspective, customers are now more prepared for smaller engines in compact cars.

The Astra is an excellent match in terms of both vehicle bodystyles, as well as in terms of the powertrain, and that definitely plays nicely into the local legislation. 

SGCM: Opel has been known for producing powerful hatchbacks. Would you say the Astra is more of a driver's hatch, or perhaps more of a comfort hatch? 

DP: There are different engine variants to satisfy the appetite of different drivers. The 1.0-litre is still very agile, but it's fuel consumption of 23.3km/L is very low for a petrol-driven vehicle, and will surely appeal to the 'greenies'. But if you are the more sporty sort, we have the more powerful 1.4-litre engine. The two variants cater to different kinds of drivers and different demographics. 

JS: In general we have to go back to our brand attributes, which has 'exciting' in it. 'Exciting' is not just about the sculptural artistry you see in the design, but also in the engaging driving experience. That comes across in each and every Opel vehicle, and also in each and every of our powertrains.
SGCM: We understand the 1.0-litre model uses an EasyTronic transmission, while the 1.4-litre model uses a more conventional torque converter automatic transmission. Is there a reason for this?

JS: For us, the EasyTronic has two advantages. First, it's a cost efficient solution for customers looking for a non-manual solution. With the third generation EasyTronic 3.0, it provides a very smooth driving experience and is easy to use hence the term 'EasyTronic'. The other advantage is fuel economy benefits. It's a very efficient application, and combined with the already fuel efficient 1.0-litre engine, that makes the new Astra a fuel economy 'hero' of sorts. 

SGCM: Building on the topic of engines, can you share if there is the possibility of the diesel variant coming to Singapore? Also, what can you tell us about the market for diesels in Singapore?

DP: The market for diesels in Singapore hovers at about two percent penetration at the moment. It's slowly improving, but I guess we need to see how it evolves and changes. For Singapore, the Astra is available in petrol variants primarily because Singapore is still a petrol market. As it stands, we already have some diesel engines in our other models, such as the Insignia. In the long term plan, perhaps we may see more diesels coming to Singapore. 

JS: Our new generation of diesel engines is in the Astra, and I have to agree that we need to monitor market developments very closely. Massive swings from petrol to diesel take awhile. Two things can drive it - one is significant financial savings from driving a diesel, especially for people who drive a lot. The other is customer appreciation for the driving experience diesels give you. Diesel engines are performing very well in the Astra in Europe, and we will carefully watch the Singapore market, ready to match any growing customer demand.

SGCM: You have mentioned that Opel will roll out 29 new models by 2020, how many of those can we expect to see coming to Singapore?

DP: I think you can expect to see at least two brand new models a year coming to Singapore. This year there is the Astra and the Astra Sports Tourer, and the Adam will be coming in the near future as well. 

JS: Quite frankly, and we have been quite open about this, Opel in Singapore has been in need of a significant boost, and we recognise this. That's what we are doing with the launch of the new Astra, and we have to keep the momentum, and that's why we are bringing additional products in the near future that have been doing well for the Opel brand in Europe. We want to bring in our iconic cars that have brought new customers to the brand.  

Going forward, Singapore is an integral part of our overall country of sales strategy. From the 29 vehicles being launched between now and 2020, we will always be conscious about which of these models will resonate with Singapore customers.

SGCM: One last question, can you tell us anything about an upcoming Astra OPC?

JS: Unfortunately, it would be premature to comment right now. The generation J Astra OPC model is still fairly young, and it's doing relatively well with customers. We will probably keep this around for a few more years, and we will definitely share any news of its successor when the time is right.