Opel just handed its next big EV to the Chinese — and the badge could be a familiar one
Opel is reshuffling its lineup with a brand-new electric crossover built on Leapmotor tech. The Antara name could return — but the car will be nothing like the old one.
Opel is planning a revolution — and it’s not pulling it off alone. The new electric crossover, set to become one of the brand’s key models after 2028, is being developed alongside Stellantis’ Chinese partner Leapmotor. That’s according to Spain’s Motor.es. And here’s the curious bit: Opel plans to slot the car between the Frontera and the Grandland — exactly the niche where the Germans have been losing ground for years.
The name hasn’t been confirmed yet. But the source floats the idea of bringing back a legend — Antara. For Opel, it would be a slick move. Take a familiar badge, stick it on a completely different car. No longer the conventional SUV of the past, but a compact electric crossover riding on Chinese tech.
The dimensions promise to stay modest. Length of around 4.4 meters, 4.5 at most. That makes the newcomer smaller than the Grandland, which has grown noticeably and effectively taken the place of the bigger family model. Antara (if the name does come back) is meant to plug a mass-market gap — the segment where buyers count every euro and judge cars by range, equipment and practicality.
The technical foundation has been named as the Leap 3.5 platform. Leapmotor is expected to supply the electric architecture, motors, energy management system and batteries. Opel keeps design, chassis tuning, steering and that signature behind-the-wheel character. It’s the classic split of a modern auto alliance — the Chinese deliver the hardware, the Germans deliver the handwriting.
The styling is supposed to stay pure Opel. Early material points to an evolution of the Vizor front end: dark panel, integrated headlights, hidden assistance sensors and a light signature with the Blitz logo. Door handles will be flush with the body. The silhouette will be sportier than your average dull family crossover.
Production, according to preliminary plans, will be set up in Zaragoza at the Figueruelas plant. For Spain, that’s a serious project: an EV on the joint Opel-Leapmotor platform will keep the factory busy and lock it into Stellantis’ new strategy. Expect an LFP battery with gross capacity of around 70 kWh and a range of just over 420 km. There’s also talk of an extended-range version — EREV — that could push close to 1,000 km of total autonomy. But that variant hasn’t been confirmed.
The main goal of the project is to slash the cost base. Stellantis isn’t leaning on Leapmotor for exotic flair or for a glossy press release. It needs a cheaper platform, faster development and a competitive sticker. For Opel, that matters more than most: the brand needs to fortify its European lineup and stop losing buyers to rivals offering more battery and more kit for less money.
If the project reaches production as advertised, the new Antara won’t be nostalgia. It will be Opel’s reset in the hottest segment of the market. And success won’t hinge on memories of an old badge — it’ll come down to price, range, and how German the car can stay with a Chinese soul.