The Opel plant in Rüsselsheim will manufacture two new models
- In order to make greater use of its existing production abilities, the Opel plant in Rüsselsheim (Germany) will host the production of two additional vehicles, a Buick model intended to be exported to the United States. It will probably be the American version of the future Opel Insignia due to be launched in 2017.
- Indeed, the GM plant where is currently produced the Buick Regal (U.S. version of the Opel Insignia 2008-2017) is close to saturation (296 743 units manufactured in 2013 for a total capacity of 300 000) due to a U.S. market continuously increasing since 2009, while GM was forced to close several plants at that same time. Regarding the Rüsselsheim plant, it is now operating at only 70% of its capacity.
- Opel did not specify what would be the second model to be assembled in the future Rüsselsheim plant, but it will not be the new generation Astra since the manufacturer has previously decided to transfer the production of the Astra from Rüsselsheim to Gliwice, this transfer will be effective in 2015.
- We also know that the Rüsselsheim plant will produce the Zafira MPV (which was assembled in Bochum so far) from the end of 2014, and its future generation should be manufactured in the PSA plant of Sochaux (France). Manufacturing Buick vehicles should allow Opel to improve the rate of use of its German factories, which were used on average at 70% of their capacity in 2013.
