Opel Zafira Tourer Concept

Expected to make its debut Down Under in 2013, the new people mover from Opel is aimed not at families but at prestige buyers, featuring a 'lounge on wheels' aesthetic

Geneva International Motor Show

Now that Opel has confirmed it will enter the Australian market in 2012, expect to see this new seven-seat people mover vehicle in 2013.

Though the Zafira Tourer Concept is just that, a concept, it is a preview of the next generation people mover that is expected to be unveiled in production form at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in Germany.

However unlike many people movers, the new model appears to be promoted less as a family minivan and more as a lifestyle vehicle for the socially inclined.
If the features in the concept make their way into the production vehicle, we could be looking at a Mercedes-Benz R-Class rival rather than a Kia Carnival competitor.

The new styling of the Zafira Tourer Concept previews a fresh fascia for the people mover, complete with LED daytime running lights. The concept is being touted as a "lounge on wheels" thanks to its 2+3+2 layout, panoramic glass windscreen and roof, iPad integration, plus a luxurious high tech interior.

"We have transferred the idea of a relaxing lounge to a vehicle and created an automobile wellness oasis, a place to relax and enjoy," says Mark Adams, Vice President of Design at Opel.

"Passengers can retreat in the lounge - it is a comfortable, roomy space where you really want to be, regardless if it's for a business trip or to relax for a long journey,"

The glass roof boasts integrated ambient lighting, which can be lit in various colours to suit the mood of occupants, while the rearmost seats in the third row are amply proportioned, leather upholstered and boast electrically-adjustable headrests that can even swivel 90-degrees.

The trio of second row seats can be transformed to two at the touch of a button, with the central seat morphing into armrests. The idea behind the Opel Zafira Tourer Concept is that everything should be push-button operated to ensure effortless comfort and practicality.

The concept car is powered by a four-cylinder 1.4-litre petrol turbocharged engine and though specifications have not been released, it follows that outputs would be around the 100kW/200Nm mark. Opel could confirm that the Zafira Tourer Concept would be packed with stop-start engine technology to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions.

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