Opel had a big surprise for station wagon fans at this year’s Paris Motor Show, that being the Sports Tourer eXperimental Concept (or STX Concept for short). Speaking to Auto Express, head of design Mark Adams said the STX is remarkably close to what the next-gen production Astra will actually look like. “It’s not down to the last millimeter in terms of feasibility but the principle is there,” he claims.
CEO Florian Huettl says “the STX Concept gives a taste of how exciting and emotional the estate of tomorrow can be – with maximum functionality and efficiency.” Poetic descriptions aside, let’s have a closer look at the all-electric concept, because the Stellantis-owned brand had it filled to the brim with interesting details.
The Opel STX Concept Previews The Wagon’s Electric Future
Opel STX ConceptOpel
Starting at the front, we see a reinterpretation of the Opel Vizor design with the company’s illuminated badge in the center. The bodywork then forms a sporty shooting brake silhouette as it makes it way rearward, and it rides on futuristic 22-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear rubber. Along with those sleek taillights and backlit Opel lettering, the rear end is also home to active aero.
That split diffuser extends outward to generate extra downforce at the right speed, but it’ll stay tucked away when it’s not needed. And speaking of speed, Opel says the STX Concept could hypothetically reach a top speed of 124 mph and come equipped with all-wheel drive. However, the company hasn’t been overly generous with other details on the car’s powertrain, nor did it release any photos of its interior. That said, there’s one important question lingering in our minds.
Will We See It In The US As A Rebadged Model?
Opel STX ConceptOpel
Opel hasn’t officially sold its cars in the US since the ‘70s, but some rebadged models did make it stateside before the brand was acquired by Stellantis. Take the Saturn Astra in the late 2000s, for instance, or the Insignia-based Buick Regal from the 2010s. The Verano is another notable example, based on the Delta platform engineered by Opel under General Motors and essentially just a rebadged Astra.
The German carmaker is no longer owned by GM, of course, but we find ourselves wondering whether Stellantis might bring Opel’s electric platform to the States in some form. As much as we would like to be optimistic, though, there really isn’t any obvious candidate that might be a good match for it. Perhaps that will change in the future, though.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Opel STX ConceptOpel
If the next Astra will indeed resemble the STX Concept as closely as Mark Adams claims, that would be a bold move away from conventional design at Opel and the start of a whole new stylistic chapter. So, clearly, this is a pretty big deal for a brand you wouldn’t exactly associate with wild-looking cars.
And the fact that it’s a wagon makes things that much more exciting, because it shows Opel’s determination to keep the segment alive for the foreseeable future. All in all, we’re very curious to see how the STX will ultimately morph into the next-gen Astra, even if there may never be something like it stateside.
