Keen on the Fiat Panda Cross but don’t need rear doors? General Motors Europe hopes you might be tempted by its new Vauxhall Adam Rocks Air, the European A segment’s first open-topped three-door crossover.
So, that name. OK, let me explain because I didn’t get it either. The Adam bit we know all about, and the Adam Rocks was a concept at the 2013 Geneva show, with the production model appearing at this year’s edition. But ‘Air’? A fixed-roof variant, Adam Rocks, is coming in early 2015, so the canvas-top one is the Air.
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Opel doesn’t offer the Air, instead marketing the roof as an option which it calls Swing Top. There will be more differences in 2015. That’s when another Adam variant is due to be launched. It premiered at the Geneva show in March and was badged as the S (for Sports). As UK buyers tend to think of S as a low model grade name, the Vauxhall is likely to be called Adam Grand Slam, though that’s not official.
There won’t be a VXR (or OPC for Opel’s markets) version of any Adam, and to underline that, the traditional blue of that high performance model grade is offered as a new colour on the Rocks Air. Ian Mitchell, Adam brand manager, told me on the media preview event that VXR isn’t for every Vauxhall model and besides, the Adam is similarly sized to the Corsa.
The Rocks Air is the first car to be fitted with GM’s new turbocharged 1.0-litre Ecotec three-cylinder petrol engine. It has direct injection, produces 66kW (90hp) or 88kW (115hp), comes with stop-start and is manufactured at Opel’s Szentgotthárd engine plant in western Hungary. Both block and head are made from aluminium and there is continuously variable valve timing, a switchable water pump, a cylinder-head integrated exhaust manifold and a single scroll turbocharger. Engine weight is a claimed 106kg.
The 1.0 is the second unit in what will become an extensive range of fresh petrol and diesel engines, the first being the 1.6-litre so-called ‘whisper’ diesel which already sees service in the Meriva and Cascada. Only Opel offers the 66kW/90hp version of the 1.0 Ecotec – perhaps Vauxhall will do so too in 2015 if there’s potential demand for it.
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By GlobalDataThere’s no diesel availability for any Adam but there are other petrol engines for the new Rocks Air. These are the well known 1.2- and 1.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder units and they come with a five-speed manual gearbox, whereas the 1.0 Ecotec has a new and lightweight (dry weight is just 37kg) six-speeder, codenamed M1X. Automatic option? Afraid not, but an automated manual will be another novelty for what Ian Mitchell referred to as the ‘2016 model year’ Adam range. There will also be more versions of the 1.0 Ecotec to come in other GM products, including a normally aspirated unit and others than run on alternative fuels such as LPG and CNG for relevant markets.
As well as being the most powerful motor in the Rocks line-up, the three-cylinder has the lowest emissions at 119g/km. The 1.2i VVT’s equivalent number is 124g/km and the 1.4 VVT emits 125g/km. There are big differences in maximum speeds and acceleration. The 1.0-litre turbo’s numbers are 121mph and 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds versus 103mph and 14.9 seconds for the 1.2 VVT or 109mph and 12.5 for the larger capacity four-cylinder. The three-cylinder also eclipses the older engines for Combined average consumption, with 55.4mpg versus 53.3 for both 1,229cc and 1,398cc units. Vehicle weights are admirably low at 1,036 (1.2), 1,070 (1.4) and 1,088 (1.0) kilos.
Britain has been one of the Adam’s best markets since the car was launched here in March 2013. Vauxhall sold around 8,000 cars last year and around 13,000 are expected for 2014. As Ian Mitchell explained, it’s been something of a slow-burn with the name needing recognition and about 5,000 cars on UK roads seen as the critical mass reached when target buyers would begin to take notice. Now, the heavy lifting has been done and the Adam is accepted as an alternative to the Fiat and Abarth 500, DS 3 and cheaper versions of the Mini though the last of these is now well and truly a large car for the B segment so not a direct competitor.
I mentioned the 500 and DS 3 as Adam rivals but Vauxhall insists that the Rocks Air has no direct competitors, which I would agree with, though the (front-wheel drive) Panda Trekking, (AWD) Panda Cross and Panda 4×4 will inevitably be looked at by many potential buyers.
Inside the Rocks Air you won’t find a lot of differences over the Adam but there’s some carbon trim around the instruments and the three-layer roof comes in either Jet Black or Sweet Coffee (dark brown). The steering wheel is leather-covered and as you’d expect, A/C, a digital radio/CD player/USB slot are also standard. The boot, at just 170 litres, is on the small side.
Outside, there are wheel arch extensions in smooth plastic and these have an Evoque-like blister on their tops. The ride height has been lifted by 15mm, there are 17-inch alloys, unique front and rear end mouldings, and a chrome exhaust pipe finisher. Vauxhall has also specified sharper steering compared to the LHD Opel cars.
So who’s going to buy this car?Vauxhall’s Ian Mitchell believes it will be 25-35 year olds with a mix of 60/40 female/male, compared to the existing 70/30 mix for the Adam. The roof will be one of the main attractions, especially as it can be opened in just seven seconds and at speeds of up to 85mph. Another drawcard is the reasonably priced (GBP275) IntelliLink infotainment system, which enables seamless integration of Android and Apple iOS smartphone functionalities.
Prices for the new Adam Rocks Air are GBP14,695, GBP15,015 and GBP16,695 for the 1.2, 1.4 and 1.0 Ecotec turbo engines respectively. The first cars will be in Vauxhall dealerships at the end of September.
With the additional variants to come, 2015 could be a big sales year for the little Adam and an especially good one for the Eisenach plant which builds it. The German factory is about to start manufacturing the new-shape Corsa and there are even rumours which claim a Buick-badged Adam might be exported to China. It seems more likely that this will be delayed until the arrival of a second generation model, which should be due around 2018 on the G2XX architecture. As the current car was not federalised, it can’t be sold in North America in its present form, but the ever-closer links between Opel and Buick products seem to suggest the next Adam family will be a global model. Think of the new Rocks Air as occupying the tiniest of niches if you will, but the Adam might well become an increasingly important model series for GM.
