Vauxhall’s latest addition to the booming SUV segment, the Crossland X, will make its show premiere at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show next week. This is an unexpected move. The firm had planned to focus its attention at the show on the all-new Insignia and leave the subcompact crossover out of the party, but that has changed.

According to a report from Automotive News, the new decision comes in part thanks to the talks between parent company General Motors and PSA about acquiring Opel and Vauxhall. Word on the street says the two automakers will rush to make the deal official before the start of the show, where the new partnership will be promoted. The Crossland X could thus have an important role, as it is the first model developed as part of an agreement signed between Opel and PSA back in 2012.

“It was our original plan to focus mainly on our brand-new flagship models, the Insignia Grand Sport and Insignia Sports Tourer,” Vauxhall-Opel commented in an official statement. "Given the current media interest in PSA and Opel, we have now decided to also give the Crossland X its show premiere in Geneva, following its world premiere in Berlin last month."

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First indications that the French automaker is holding talks with GM arrived last month, when several authoritative sources, including Bloomberg and Reuters, reported PSA and Vauxhall-Opel are discussing a possible merger. The information was confirmed by a spokesman for PSA, saying the company is “in discussions with Opel to expand upon existing projects.”

2017 Opel Crossland X
2017 Opel Crossland X
2017 Opel Crossland X

As for the Crossland X, it was revealed online in January and is currently receiving its static premieres in most of the European countries as part of the X-Perience Tour 2017. The car shares the platform of the Peugeot 2008 and serves as a direct replacement for the Meriva MPV.

“As the first car to be launched out of the PSA-Opel cooperation, the Crossland X is a convincing statement of how the fruitful collaboration between the two brands has resulted in a great product," Opel said in a statement.

Source: Opel via Automotive News

Gallery: 2017 Opel Crossland X

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  • Unique crossover-interpretation of Opel’s design philosophy
  • Combination of stylish Opel signature cues and SUV functional features
  • Versatile Crossland X joins rugged Mokka X in booming B-CUV/SUV market

Rüsselsheim.  Create a design that combines the attributes of a sports utility vehicle with those of a car designed for the urban lifestyle. That was the challenge facing the designers of the Crossland X, Opel’s cool new crossover that will make its first public appearance at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show (March 7- 19). Together with the all-electric Ampera-e and the new Insignia Grand Sport and Sports Tourer flagships, the Crossland X kicks off the brand’s “7 in 17” product offensive – seven new models in 2017.

The new Crossland X lines up in the Opel model range alongside the rugged Mokka X in the vibrant B-CUV/SUV market segment. The designers have therefore created a unique crossover interpretation of Opel’s design philosophy – “Sculptural Artistry meets German Precision” – that reflects the stylish yet functional character of the Crossland X.

“The new Crossland X is clearly an Opel and a champion of style as well as functionality” said Mark Adams, Vice President Design Europe. “We are proud to have created a vehicle with such a beautiful balance of both elements, which packages maximum interior space within a compact vehicle footprint.”

The Crossland X features the skilled craftsmanship and harmony of shapes and forms typical of Opel design. Signature cues characteristic of the Rüsselsheim brand include the bold grille and the winglets that proudly embrace the Opel lightning flash emblem; the characteristic wing graphics of the headlights; and the blade along each side of the body. The surfaces are fluid and sculptural, with crisp lines of precision, while the chrome trimmed, two-tone floating roof enables a high level of personalization. The high-quality of the overall execution is displayed in the high-tech full LED headlamps, while the horizontal lines that flow around the body combine with the raised taillights to make the Crossland X look wider.

The stylish exterior is echoed by the interior design, which enhances the feeling of spaciousness and is complemented by generous storage areas. The influence of the new Insignia and the Astra is clearly visible in the sculptural, driver-focused instrument panel, which flows gracefully into the doors, creating a welcoming ambience. Richly finished decors harmonize seamlessly within the overall design, giving each trim level a distinct personality. Subtle chrome finishes around the cluster and air vents, combined with the soft finishes of the instrument panel and doors, convey a message of quality and craftsmanship. The large, easy to reach touchscreen and the 60/40-split rear seats make the interior of the Crossland X a perfect environment for families. Optionally available are rear seats that slide 150 millimeters to create more legroom or up to 520 liters of class leading trunk volume (which increases to 1,255 liters by folding down the rear seats).

Active family lifestyles and functionality are characterized by several rugged SUV cues, such as the protective lower side moldings and the skid plates at the front and rear. Inside the Crossland X, the driver and passengers enjoy the high seating positions of a typical SUV, in a body that is 16 centimeters shorter but 10 centimeters taller than that of the Astra.

Stylish and functional compact cars that are as suitable for short trips to the shops as for longer journeys to the holiday destination are increasingly popular, especially among urban families. This popularity is reflected by the sales in the B-CUV/SUV segment (where one of the bestsellers is the trend-setting Mokka X), which have risen five-fold since 2010. The Crossland X will add further impetus to this booming market and create additional growth for Opel.