2015 Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva

Rainer271 · Sep 11, 2014

Vauxhall Viva city car announced & teased

Vauxhall Viva city car teaser image

Vauxhall has released the first images teasing their new entry-level five-door city car that will be call Viva.

The new model will complement the brand's alternative small cars consisting of the A-sector ADAM and Corsa, but the Viva will be a lower cost option. Pricing is set to start at around £7,000 which places the model in the realm of the Dacia Sandero and Hyundai i10.

The five-door hatchback will have space for four or five passengers and will adopt a simple and clean design.

The engine range will be inherited from the ADAM and will include three- and four-cylinder units. The new turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 115 HP (85 kW) and 166 Nm (122 lb-ft) of torque is likely to top the range.

The moniker pays homage to the original Viva that was produced by the brand between 1963 and 1979. However, the European Opel version will be given a different moniker which will be announced tomorrow.

We should see the new Vauxhall Viva unveiled in production form at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015.

Opel Karl /Vauxhall Viva city car announced & teased

MikeJ · Sep 11, 2014

Vauxhall Viva. There's a name I didn't expect to see on a new car any time soon... Around here, the old Viva was known as an especially crappy car even when compared to the not-so-high standard of the time. I wonder if the Brits remember it more fondly.

As for Opel Karl... I suppose we can expect to see Wilhelm, Heinrich, Fritz and Ludwig in the near future, too.

Betty Swollocks · Sep 11, 2014

MikeJ said:
I wonder if the Brits remember it more fondly.

No.

Bizarre that they've resurrected that name!

Kowalski · Sep 11, 2014

Agila no more then?

Rainer271 · Oct 29, 2014

2016 Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva spied with less disguise

Goes on sale next summer
The 2016 Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva has been spied wearing less disguise than ever before.

Set to go on sale next summer, the entry-level five-door hatchback features a prominent grille, a sporty lower air intake and large headlights. Moving further back, we can see an upward sweeping beltline, a sloping roof and boomerang-shaped taillights.

The companies have been coy on specifications but the model will be based on the next-generation Chevrolet Spark and measure 3.68 meters long. This will make the car just 20mm shorter than the Adam.

Engine options are expected to carryover from the Adam and include a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol that produces 115 PS (85 kW) and 166 Nm (122 lb-ft) of torque.

2016 Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva spied with less disguise

Giannis · Oct 29, 2014

So, it's a Spark.

mini_cooper4 · Oct 30, 2014

Karl...

Rainer271 · Nov 13, 2014

When I compare this render with the spy pics I say the render is really close to the real deal.

Opel Karl render shows what to expect

Rainer271 · Dec 3, 2014

On sale next year
Opel and Vauxhall have released images and details.

The car is programmed to go on sale next year as the Opel Karl and Vauxhall Viva, serving the role of an entry-level model cheaper than the Adam with an estimated starting price of £7,500 (€9,500). It's 3680mm long and will be offered with several alloy wheel sets ranging in sizes from 14 to 16 inches.

Customers will have to pick from ten exterior paints while the interior cabin can feature heated front seats & steering wheel, sunroof, cruise control, park assist and lane departure warning. There's also the IntelliLink infotainment system while the steering system features a city mode to reduce driver effort.

Power will come exclusively from a three-cylinder 1.0-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine developing 75 HP (55 kW) delivered to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Opel and Vauxhall say the chassis has been tweaked to provide "exceptional safety and comfort" and both cars come with traction control, hill start assist and electronic stability control.

The Opel Karl / Vauxhall Viva will go on sale mid-2015.