Opel has announced a major initiative that will improve General Motors' organisational structure in Europe.

Effective from the 1st July 2014, a newly-established 'Opel Group' assumes full responsibility for General Motors' business in Europe. Through this new entity, the company aggregates the responsibilities for Opel/Vauxhall as well as all other operations of GM in Europe - including Russia.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, the management board of the Opel Group, will steer GM's European business. The Opel Group will also take over economic responsibility for all GM brands in Europe. Consequently, Adam Opel AG will be able to strengthen its financial basis while Opel's operative business remains unaffected by this reorganisation. The new entity, similar to the Adam Opel AG, will be based in Rüsselsheim.

"Today, we are more than just Opel/Vauxhall. With the Opel Group, we align our organisational and legal entity structure in Europe with the business operations. We streamline our decision making processes and increase our efficiency. In brief: this reorganisation is an important step in implementing our business plan DRIVE! 2022 and another sign of confidence of our parent company GM," said Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, CEO of the management board of Opel Group GmbH. By 2022, the company aims to gain market share of 8 percent in Europe, increase the profit margin to 5 percent and further improve product quality as well as customer and employee satisfaction.

The new Opel Group is a testimony of how important Opel has become for General Motors. The Opel leadership has taken over numerous GM responsibilities in Europe over the past two years. Among these are full responsibility for Russia's growing market and the planned manufacture of selected cars for Buick in the US and Holden in Australia and New Zealand.