Lightning is back?

Photo: Kenan Cohen, Kenan Cohen

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• Car tests

The Grandland X Hybrid 4 is the opening shot for the electrifying future in the Opel comeback. First Jeep driving expected in the third quarter of 2020 and why is our God strongest?

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The weather was perfect. The temperature ranged from 2-4 degrees, the snow glistened with blinding white and the sky was blue and clear with no cloud tail, by the way, this "cloud tail" is the piece on the edge of a cloud that has a dog shape, you just know.

First meeting: The new Opel Corsa

"I don't know how you did it, but you made sure you had perfect weather," I say to one of Opal's executives as I return the Grandland X plug-in. He smiles and says: "Today it is perfect. Yesterday we had clouds here and a terrible fog constantly." "Well," I shrug, "so it's probably our God and not yours to care for."

And who, like Buell, knows how to appreciate help from heaven, until about two years ago, the condition of this old company deteriorated from my moment to Dudley. After a huge profit peak in the 1990s, low investment in future products from its landlord GM led to a decline in sales. Further GM hit a blow in the 2008 economic crisis, was about to sell 55 percent of it in a canceled deal, GM was losing interest in Europe and Opel, and as if that wasn't enough, Dieselgate comes and shakes the car industry, with a crooked eye that European governments are sending everything diesel-opal Whose sales relied heavily on its diesel versions found itself in an even more problematic state. The fog on the day before launch? There was an opal with almost 20 consecutive losses from 1999. But then came the acquisition of Opal by PSA from General Motors in 2017, injecting new blood into the company, which showed a first positive balance in 2018 - but the big challenge still ahead.

Combined 1.6 turbo 200 hp petrol engine and two 300 hp electric motors (Photo: manufacturer)

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Determined not to find herself again without an attractive offering, Opel goes very deep into using the PSA's modular platforms, its propulsion systems and its emphasis on the electric face. Opal, whose car styling carries the lightning symbol, sees its place in its transformation into the electrified PSA division - a few icons. By 2024 all Opel cars will be electrically powered, in the near future we will see and drive the new electric course, the new Mocha, but for now, the first model to come out with an electric system is the Grandland X Plug-in Hybrid 4.

Cars with the Lightning logo will be at the forefront of PSA electrification (Photo: Keenan Cohen)

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

The Grandland X Plug is not responsible for a 1.6-liter, 200-hp gasoline engine that powers the front wheels. Two electric motors are joined, one in front, which together with the gasoline engine drives the front wheels through an 8-planetary automatic transmission, and one in the rear that actually creates a dual propulsion Car.

The rear engine, by the way, sits in one unit with the multi-connector rack, embedded within it in a way that is mesmerizing in its design. The combined power of the three engines is 300 hp and 53 kg. Its 13.2 kWh battery is enough to drive a distance of 59 km in electric power. According to Opel, 80 percent of customers drive less than 50 km per day. Battery charging times range from about 7 hours from a standard home outlet, 4 hours to industrial quiet and 1 hour, and 50 minutes from a dedicated charging stand.

The materials are high quality, the warmth in the passenger compartment they left for Peugeot

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Drive far?

From such a dedicated charging position, I unplug the Grandald X plug-in and set off, not before resetting the odometer. The start of my trip is in the electric mode, one of the four driving modes of the model. In addition to this there is the hybrid mode, which manages the transmission of power between the gasoline and electric motors and between the two electric motors. In dual propulsion mode, both motors, front and rear are regularly operated and the fourth is a sport mode if travelers playing tennis, simply, in this mode will use the motors in their maximum utilization mode.

Unlike other manufacturers, in this system, the gasoline engine cannot be used as an extended-range generator that recharges the batteries (such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the new Volvo S60 T8). Reduce the use of such a system that will only load the gasoline engine and not save fuel on the bottom line. Whatever it is here, it is possible to "lock in" a minimum amount of energy for electric travel, especially important to customers in cities where traffic is limited to electric cars only (external indicator below the mirror indicates that the vehicle is moving in electric power).

Spacious behind too

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Driving on the side roads and highways of the Swiss-German border is lightly done in the electric state. The accelerations are not dizzying, but the power supply is instant and the vehicle responds well to pressing the pedal. The maximum speed in this mode is limited to 135 km / h (as well as the fixed dual-propulsion mode), but it is sufficient to keep up with the traffic around. In hybrid and sport mode, the maximum speed is 235 km / h. The noise isolation is good considering that I am on snow tires that do not tend to be quiet, its duty is exaggerated wind noise from the mirrors at 120 mph. During this cruise I also take a look around, the passenger compartment is exactly the same as the regular Grandland X. The only change is the display Energy meter on dashboard and multimedia screen.

"Keep being a hero with your folded sleeves, I'm not left to make you chicken soup when you cool down ..."

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

The same as the Grandland X says it is comfortable and spacious, of course the launch cars reached the highest finish level, but also minus the electronic treats like sunroof, heated seats, etc., very high quality of materials, excellent human engineering with clear and easy operation of all Android coupling systems Waffle, good amount of storage compartments and spacious back seat and with air ports. Even the volume of the trunk was not compromised by conversion, just giving up the replacement tire. The Grandland X Plug did not lean on the Peugeot 3008, but at Opel they said "no thanks" and left the whole show light and stylish and burdensome operation of much of the functions through the French multimedia system, and went for efficiency and usefulness. If you really want to be petty, a digital dashboard would be better suited to any high-tech atmosphere here.

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Exactly 40 km we pass the freeways and countryside until the battery depletes and we go into hybrid mode. It is just in time for the ascents of the mountain ridge over the Black Forest, snow begins to pile up here and then becomes the permanent backdrop that accompanies driving. Due to the use of a healthy 1.6 gasoline engine with 200 Horses, even without the Electric Cavalry and despite the added weight of 375kg compared to the standard 1.6 version - lack the power to climb up.

I drop the drops in the B-position of the gearbox which increases the recharge to the batteries, accumulates enough electric juice to get short snow driving in the permanent dual paddle mode. This is not a field test, but it was surprising to see his attraction when, despite the high grip, we managed a hidden climb in the snow without drama.

On snow tires and roads at near-zero temperatures, I'm not going to do anything more than drive it back safely, so it is important for both readers to know how it behaves in "sports" mode - dynamic insights you won't get this time.

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Bring eggs and milk?

Opel, like any PSA company does not intend to pay a single cent for failing to meet CAFE pollution standards that require a 95g / km CO2 emission threshold. In order to do that, it is, like the entire company in the arms race of all its cars in units Electric propulsion on the one hand and the release of diesel engines on the other side. The version we used will join the cheaper front propulsion version over the next few months and will have 224 hp, with its marketing scheduled for the second quarter of this year.

I mention this for two reasons, the first being that last winter, citizens of the State of Israel are not likely to need the snow-plowing capabilities of the dual-propulsion version we used. The second reason is the price, with the ambition to start marketing in Israel in June-July 2020, importer Lubinsky will have to fight every unit against the manufacturer in light of Europe's demand for electric vehicles, hybrids and plug-ins and war against the manufacturer also means tough pricing, so that every product level is definitely reduced Help see it here for a reasonable price. How likely is that? Good question. The only model that resembles it today is the veteran Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that starts at NIS 190,000, the Grandland X Plug-In is, in my opinion, significantly more expensive in view of its much superior product qualities and performance.

First driving: Opel Grandland X plug-in (Photo: Keenan Cohen, Keenan Cohen)

Until it comes down to the price and we all seem smarter, in the overall view, the main message here is that Opel really doesn't mean to become a PSA sticker brand that simply replaces the icon and sells its halls, but a company with a clear goal and direction. As we continue to see future generations of the manufacturer, those who will have independent identity and distinct external characteristics. Come on Opel, pick up pencils and get started - I want an Opel GT electric.