2002 Opel Concept M - AllCarIndex

World premiere at the Geneva Motor Show: A sporty and environment-friendly Opel design study called “Concept M” will celebrate its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show 2002. With its height of 1.62 meters, the dynamically styled, monocab van (length: 4.05 / width: 1.78 meters) has stacks of space for four passengers. The 200 km/h concept vehicle also features an advanced propulsion concept: a 1.6-liter 110 kW/150 hp natural gas turbo engine in combination with the “Easytronic“ automated manual transmission.

World premiere at the Geneva Motor Show

Opel "Concept M": Sporty Van with Natural Gas Turbo Engine

Compact body offers lots of space and comfort for four passengers

Rüsselsheim. A sporty and environment-friendly monocab design study called "Concept M" will celebrate its world premiere on the Opel stand at the Geneva Motor Show (March 7-17, 2002). With its height of 1.62 meters, the dynamically styled, monocab van has stacks of space for four passengers. It also features an advanced propulsion concept: a 1.6-liter 110 kW/150 hp natural gas turbo engine in combination with the "Easytronic" automated manual transmission first seen in the Corsa. The 200 km/h concept vehicle is also well ahead of its time as far as the interior is concerned, offering plenty of potential for innovative solutions in the future. In this respect, Concept M has similarities with Opel's successful compact van, Zafira, and is also a direct successor to pioneering concept cars like the "Frogster" and "Signum²".

The dynamic appearance of the 4.05-meter long, 1.78-meter wide Concept M bears some of the style cues of the Signum² with other design features from the new Vectra GTS. The passengers occupy four individual, generously sized seats. The designers have gone out of their way not only to give the seats a sporty appearance but also to make them comfortable, especially in terms of shoulder room. In addition to the luggage compartment, the console in the roof (with an integrated DVD system) and the center console provide extra storage space. The cockpit of the Concept M features a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), with which the driver can, among other things, regulate the heating and air conditioning, and access the Internet. There is also a monitor to display all the information the driver might need about the concept vehicle.

World Premiere at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show

Opel 'Concept M' – Spacious, Sporty Van Study

• The Zafira formula - compact exterior, long wheelbase, roomy interior
• Natural gas turbo for high performance and low emissions
• Advanced cockpit concept with PDA minicomputer, DVD system in rear

Geneva. Opel's dynamically styled design study 'Concept M' celebrates its world premiere at this year's Geneva Motor Show (March 7 to 17), giving visitors an insight into a new class of monocab van. At a height of 1.62 meters and with a wheelbase that, at 2630 mm, is 16 mm longer than that of the Astra station wagon, Concept M has an extremely spacious interior for four passengers. Despite its compact exterior dimensions, it offers considerable potential for innovative interior solutions in the future. Fueled by natural gas, the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine generates 110kW/150hp, con-veyed to the front wheels via Opel's 'Easytronic' automated manual transmission. This advanced, environmentally compatible powertrain gives the four-seater van its im-pres-sive, sporty performance. "Concept M is a direct descendent of pioneering studies like the fresh, youthful Frogster, or the luxurious, elegant Signum2," says Opel Chair-man and Managing Director, Carl-Peter Forster. "Like the Zafira, it underlines the creativity of our engineers and designers in the development of new and innovative products."

Opel Director of Design chief Hans Seer adds, "The exterior appearance of the Concept M borrows from the styling that worked so well on the Signum2. The striking plexiglas headlamps derive from the new Vectra GTS." Dynamism is further signaled by colored brake calipers and muscular wheel arches. The extra-wide 17-inch wheels are equipped with 225 R 45 tires. The conspicuous full-width, third brake light along the top of the rear window signals how hard the brakes have been applied in three bright-ness levels. The chrome strip across the tailgate echoes the design of the all-new Vectra .

At a length of 4.05 m and a width of 1.78 m, the Concept M is easy to park and maneuver. "The ample interior room is due to the long wheelbase of 2630 mm," says Gerhard Mathes, manager of the Concept M project. "But this front-wheel-drive car requires a minimum of space in traffic," he adds. The high seating position makes it easy to step in and out of the car and provides excellent all-around visibility for driver and front passenger.

Frank Leopold, Concept Vehicle Engineer at Opel's International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim predicts, "The innovative body style of the Concept M will gain a loyal following in Europe just as quickly as the Zafira did."

Ample Room and High Interior Comfort

The bright interior with high-quality materials is equipped with four comfortable, well-formed individual seats. All four passengers enjoy as much shoulder room as in many a midsize sedan. Entering the vehicle is easy: the doors pop open via a push-button mechanism on the handles.

The load area is as spacious as the passenger compartment. If configured to seat four, the vehicle can load an additional 380 liters, more than a conventional compact vehicle. With the rear seats flipped down, the load capacity increases to 880 liters. The 30-cm wide overhead console and the integrated center console offer additional storage space. The overhead console houses reading lamps and the 'AutoVision' entertainment system with a DVD player (Digital Versatile Disc) for films as well as audio and data CDs. The DVD system fits neatly into the console and poses no obstacle to the driver's view of the rear or use of the rearview mirror. The high-quality 7-inch (18 cm) TFT screen (Thin Film Transistor ) displays images in high resolution and brilliant true color. The monitor descends to head level and its angle can be adjusted at the touch of a button. When not in use, it is easily retracted and securely fastened.

And there are more clever and flexible interior features: In an element borrowed from the Signum2, the variable center console extends into multi-purpose aluminum tracks between driver and passenger with holders for cups, utensils or even a personal computer.

Futuristic Digital Info Center With Individual Adjustment

'Concept M' is equipped with a minicomputer or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). This is detachable for use as an electronic aid outside the car. When docked in the center of the audio/ventilation control panel, the PDA displays current settings for heating and climate control. In combination with a mobile phone, it can even log on to the Internet.

The Concept M instrument panel is just as sophisticated. A fully configurable 8.9-inch screen in 2:1 format provides the driver with all information on speed and engine speed, displayed on two round and easy-to-read gauges. Is there enough gas in the tank? Has the engine reached its operating temperature after a cold start? The screen immediately informs the driver. The navigation system warns of a planned turn with a large arrow icon that points in the right direction. The futuristic Info Center display can be adjusted to the driver's preferences. "The customer can choose a different background color or mode of display," says Ralf Wilfert, the engineer responsible for the development of the Concept M electronics. "It would be easy for the Opel dealer to re-configure the system."

Powerful CNG Powertrain – High Performance, Low Emissions

The Concept M powertrain is just as sophisticated as the design. The 1.6-liter ECOTEC engine runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and generates 110kW/150hp. Ingo Janthur, the powertrain engineer responsible for the development of the CNG engine, says, "This is an ideal combination. The turbocharger makes up for the low fill ratio inherent to natural gas engines." The advantages include higher immunity to knock, which allows higher compression levels. The 16V ECOTEC with integrated turbo system is boosted at 0.92 bar and displays excellent flexibility throughout the performance range. The maximum torque of 205 Nm is already available at 1980 rpm, and a high level of 200 Nm is maintained throughout the range from 1950 rpm to 5000 rpm. In other words, this engine always has sufficient power in reserve.

The power generated by the Concept M's 1.6-liter turbo engine is conveyed to the front wheels via the five-speed 'Easytronic' automated manual transmission. The design study features additional selectors on the steering wheel, making it even easier to change gears. The Concept M can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmh in just 9.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 202 kmh. The dynamic performance does not come at the expense of the environment, however. While optimized for natural gas operation, the CNG engine can also run on normal fuel. Its emission of 145 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer is 30 percent below the levels of a comparable gasoline engine.

source: Opel