30 Years Ago: MAXX Concept as Visionary Entry into Opel World

• Maximum flexibility: MAXX enables convertibles, pick-ups and more on the same platform
• Maximum innovation: Patented technology solution and efficient three-cylinder concept
• Electric entry in a fresh design: New Opel Rocks enables individual mobility on four wheels from the age of 15¹

Small, flexible and extraordinary in every respect: In 1995, Opel presented a completely new automotive concept at the Geneva Motor Show that broke the boundaries of what had previously been imaginable. Its name: Opel MAXX. The design of the MAXX made reality what previously seemed unattainable – a car of which the space, equipment and appearance could be tailored exactly to individual requirements and taste. And that could also be adapted to the changing needs of the owner over time. With the MAXX, the Rüsselsheim-based company showed a vision of the future for a possible entry into the Opel world 30 years ago – all garnished with other innovative solutions and a highly efficient drive concept.

Today, the entry into the Opel world is small, manoeuvrable and even locally emissions-free. The best thing about it: In Germany, the all-electric Opel Rocks can be driven by young people aged 15 and over¹. As a result, young drivers can now be mobile on four wheels even earlier than the developers would have dreamed of at the premiere of the MAXX 30 years ago. How much individual mobility, flexibility and style is possible in a small space, however, was demonstrated by the designers and developers of the MAXX as early as 1995.

The city car of tomorrow: Ultra-compact, modular, convertible

“People have different lifestyles, tastes and needs. Conventional cars cannot keep up, their versatility reaches its limits. But the MAXX shows a way out of this constriction,” Opel announced at the world premiere of the completely new automotive concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 1995. And indeed, maximum flexibility and variability are the core competencies of the future study intended for urban traffic.

To achieve this, Opel engineers and designers broke completely new ground in the design and development of the MAXX. For example, the outer body skin was not made of pressed steel sheets, but mainly of extruded aluminium profiles in modular design. The various sections were welded together to form a cell, partially exposed and incorporated into the exterior and interior constructions – a structure previously known from aircraft construction, but something completely new to automotive production and for which Opel secured the patent rights.

The cell created from the extruded aluminium profiles formed the basis for the modular design. It was key to the MAXX concept and the forebear of modern flexible vehicle architectures. With a length of only 2.97 metres and a width and height of 1.58 metres, the two-door MAXX offered plenty of space. If customers wanted to take a lot of luggage with them, they could opt for the MAXX as a two-seater with a loading volume of 500 litres. Even the transport of bulky objects up to two meters in length was possible. And in case additional passengers wanted a ride, a rear bench seat built into the aluminium structure offered this possibility.

In addition, the new design made it relatively easy to build vehicles with different wheelbases and lengths from the MAXX base. A convertible, a pick-up, an off-roader, a van or a taxi could all be created on the same platform. The MAXX – so the idea was – simply grew with the different requirements and customers could change the body and interior even after collecting the vehicle.

Diverse role model: Safety and efficiency as further development goals

Next to flexibility the developers also had an eye on safety. In addition to the sturdy aluminium structure, the MAXX 1995 already had a driver’s airbag and an anti-lock braking system (ABS). The McPherson strut front suspension based on the Dynamic Safety Principle (DSA) was also used on Opel Vectra and Opel Omega. Opel engineers placed the fuel tank between the rear wheels for optimal safety, while the aluminium structure protectively enclosed the rear end and created a deformable structure at the front. And thanks to the use of light metal, the MAXX weighed only around 650 kilogrammes.

The low weight and ultra-compact dimensions alone ensured that the study promised maximum efficiency. But Opel engineers were not satisfied with conventional solutions when it came to selecting the right drive. Just a few months after the Geneva premiere, the MAXX was on stage at the IAA in Frankfurt as a ready-to-drive prototype – on super-light magnesium wheels, with door panels and fenders made of carbon, and with an economical high-tech three-cylinder engine. The state-of-the-art one-litre engine at the time – the first three-cylinder engine developed by a European automobile manufacturer to series production readiness – surpassed even some four-cylinder engines of the time in terms of power delivery. But the most impressive thing was the low fuel consumption: According to the "Euromix" test cycle that was current at the time, the MAXX required only 3.9 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres at a constant speed of 90 km/h.

Locally emissions-free: Entry into Opel mobility with the new Opel Rocks

Bold concepts that ensure flexible and at the same time highly efficient individual mobility have always been Opel’s focus. Today, this means driving fully electrically and thus locally emissions-free. This is exactly what the Opel Rocks makes possible – even for young people aged 15 and over¹. The innovative light motor vehicle – which will soon be available in a fresh guise – currently represents the entry into the Opel world and the ideal companion in urban areas.

The small Opel offers an electric range of up to 75 kilometres, which can be covered at speeds of up to 45 km/h. The two-seater can be charged via any normal household socket. The corresponding charging cable is integrated behind the passenger door. With a turning circle of only 7.20 meters, drivers can steer the 2.41-meter-short and just 1.39-meter-wide (without exterior mirrors) Rocks through tight curves or into small parking spaces.

The electric quadricycle is an unconventional head turner – also because the two doors are designed identically. The passenger door swings forward, the driver’s door opens backwards in the opposite direction. In addition, the Rocks will soon be presented in a fresh look: The Opel Vizor will then shine in the characteristic black, as with all other models, while the Opel Blitz on the front and rear will shine in contrasting white. While the body below the window line will be completely light grey in the future, the black roof and wheels will remain another eye-catcher. Pure, bold, cool and simple: that’s the new Opel Rocks.

^[1] Driving licence class AM from 15 years. Applies to light quadricycles with a nominal continuous power/net power of not more than 6 kW, each with no more than two seats and a maximum speed of not more than 45 km/h determined by the design.