Irmscher, a phrase that will likely resonate with South African petrolheads of a more mature age, could very well be plotting a South African return. Here is why we think so.
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The Festival of Motoring took place over the past weekend and while the motor show as we know it locally from before may not exist in its current format, multiple automakers took to the event to unveil new vehicles and get a sense of appetite from the public. Launches from Suzuki with the Swift, Jaecoo, BYD and Ford with its Mustang were a few that drew crowds in the novel sights, but in the Stellantis corner, there were a few pieces of machinery that are not vaguely familiar with local roads yet.
“We have an incredible range of vehicles that fits all needs, whether you’re a student, micro-entrepreneur, or a CEO,” says Stellantis SA managing director Mike Whitfield. “The Festival of Motoring truly is a wonderful opportunity to remind the discerning South African motoring public of what this company is all about, the incredible broad range of vehicles that it has, and the promise of guaranteed mobility that underpins the purchase of every vehicle that we sell.”
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The broad selection mentioned above included a selection of electric Fiats, the newly endowed 2.0-litre petrol Jeep and the French arm of Stellantis were on display. Adjacent to them were two Opel models we have in South Africa, at a very quick glance, all looked hunky dory but upon closer inspection, the Corsa and Mokka on display were endowed with some sporty bits. The Irmscher logo appeared on the larger rims of each model, sitting more squat courtesy of lowered suspension and further exacerbated by bodywork that crept closer to the floor surface.
Not much information on either model was provided at the Festival of Motoring, although unconfirmed rumours that the Corsa would pack more of a punch, potentially putting it at arms length of the Swift Sport, started circulating.
When asked for a statement by CAR Magazine, the Opel product team remained tight-lipped and said correspondence would arrive in due course. While this doesn’t confirm nor deny the possibility of the Irmscher models making a return to South Africa after all of these years, we can hardly imagine the automaker would have simply brought these models into a trade show that brought 29 041 visitors from 22 countries without the intent of selling them.
Related: How It Started: Opel Corsa
At the show, Stellantis further added that it has shifted its focus more towards customer satisfaction which is underpinned by Stellantis’ Customer Care Pledge and includes a 5-year/100 000 km warranty, a mobility guarantee for vehicles under warranty that require more than 48 hours at the dealership or 30 days at an approved repairer, and optional security detail for roadside assistance.
Would these make a welcome addition to the Opel lineup locally?
