Opel is getting ready to launch the Ampera-e at the Paris Motor Show later this month, and would very much appreciate it if we showed a little enthusiasm about it. But how could we when even the General Motors president and the Opel Group CEO find it had to show real excitement about the car?
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[video=youtube;UPEPFztG0gM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPEPFztG0gM[/video]
You could put it down to the fact that not all of us are actors that feel at ease in front of a camera, but then ask yourself this: why did the public relations department decide to go ahead with the video if it didn't help the model's cause? Well, maybe because it features two of the highest-ranking members of the two organizations? Whoever took it upon himself to tell them the video wasn't good enough probably would have had to do it with his resignation already filled in.
But we digress. The apparent lack of passion could just as well stem from the fact that one of them is Swiss and the other German: not exactly the two nations renowned for their hot-blooded nature. But at the end of the day, it could very well be the car's fault.
As you probably know already, just like the old Opel Ampera was a rebadged Chevrolet Volt, the Ampera-e does the same thing with the Bolt. We're by no means fortune tellers, but just by looking at the Bolt and Ampera-e, you can't help but feel they stand no chance against the Tesla Model 3.
Sadly, the rest of its specs, even though decent, don't do anything to even the scores. The Ampera-e is slated to have 200 miles-plus (320 km) of maximum range, 200 horsepower and 360 Nm (266 lb-ft) of maximum torque. That's enough to give it a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) sprint time of under seven seconds and a restricted maximum speed of 150 km/h. Not bad, but will it be good enough to challenge Tesla's future mass-market EV?
In a normal world, they wouldn't even be competitors.
The Model 3 is a compact-sized sedan, while the GM electric vehicle is a hatchback that could just as well pass as a mini-MPV in Europe. But the even more important aspect that sets them apart is their philosophies: the Bolt/Ampera-e look like any other regular car both inside and out, while the Model 3 is clearly hell-bent on revolutionizing what we've come to know about cars, especially inside the cabin.
We do realize we're talking about two cars that are yet to be launched, but we feel like we know enough about them to make an educated guess. Dan Ammann (GM president) and Karl-Thomes Neumann (Opel Group CEO) share a ride in the Ampera-e, but everything they can say about the EV is that it accelerates quickly. The only other clip featuring the Ampera-e focused on the exact same thing. And, let's face it, the Model 3 will probably be twice as fast in the 0-62 mph interval.
The two GM cars would have to be priced significantly lower than Model 3's $35,000 if they're to stand any chance. If a fully-specced Ampera-e goes anywhere near the $35,000 mark, then it'll probably be just as doomed as the previous model that bore the same name. Speaking of which, we think it wasn't the best call from Opel to stick with the Ampera monicker, as it reminds people of one of the brand's biggest flops.
Have a look at the clip below and tell us if we're being mean for no reason. Does it not seem forced? Do you feel the two actually believe what they're saying? Do you share Mr. Ammann's belief that there will be a strong demand for this car?
