Summarize

Now here’s an interesting story. Suppose that I missed the crux until now makes it even more fascinating, but I never picked up that the Opel Grandland X and Peugeot 3008 were co-developed. In fact, I had no idea until I did a little research – I actually believed that they were totally different cars.

So, platform sharing can work very well, but this runs deeper than that. What I had missed was that PSA Peugeot and General Motors came to agreement to co-develop the two, a move that would eventually see the General selling Opel to Peugeot to in effect make these two, which started out more as friends from across the border, into actual siblings.

Likely based on this entente, PSA snapped Opel up when GM dropped it – it knows French cars can be difficult to sell in some markets and a good old German brand would help there. So, voila – Opel is now part of PSA and on the brink of a renaissance set to spread through every facet of the business as they start to build a German version of the French cars. Suppose you could even say that these two were the spark that flamed the fire.

Even I was blissfully unaware of this latest piece of brand engineering – yes, looked at a second time there are nuances, but to me the Opel is very much an Opel and vice-versa for the Peugeot – and I must say both look pretty cool. 

Step inside and the differences become obvious – the slick, chic latest generation Peugeot i-Cockpit is a stunning piece of work with that central screen and tiny wheel and even a drive selector as if it was a 4x4. Some however felt that Gallic flair goes a step or two too far and that the Opel’s more conventional cabin is perhaps a better solution. 

See, the advantages of co-habiting a common base with such diverse characters? Seems PSA will have its cake and eat it as it satisfies all the people, all the time.

There is no difference under the skin though – both are propelled by the same pretty handy 121kW 240Nm turbo-four-pot 1.6-litre along with a common drivetrain and chassis bits, to deliver identical claimed data, although the Opel was somehow quicker in our tests and their fuel consumption and emissions seem a tad more than we’d maybe have expected.

On the road, both are comfortable, family friendly, versatile and even fun to drive – perhaps more street athletic than bundu-bashers, but that really is a fair compromise. And then the Opel – sold through a totally independent new dealer body to the Peugeot – carries a small premium over the Peugeot in this market – an aspect we will continue to monitor going forward, for ours seems to be one of those that seems to place a premium on German tin…

But what these two do best of all is to take brand engineering to a new level, using a common base and dressing it up so differently, that some of us will remain blissfully unaware that under their respective Gallic and Teutonic skins, each will appeal to such different audiences, lies a pretty solid common base.

Never mind that they also very clearly mark out how different today is from yesterday, and how things will continue to change into tomorrow for these two brands. But that’s life, isn’t it? – Michele Lupini

Images – Michele Lupini

THEME TEST: Opel Grandland X Peugeot 3008 

Model 1.6 Turbo Cosmo 1.6 T GT Line

Output:         121kW 240Nm 121kW 240Nm

Engine:        1598cc turbo petrol I4 1598cc turbo petrol I4

Drive: 6-speed auto FWD 6-speed automatic FWD

TESTED: 

0-100km/h: 8.72 sec          8.97 sec

0-160km/h: 21.63 sec 23.69 sec

400m: 16.1 sec @ 141km/h 16.4 sec @ 138km/h

80-120km/h: 6.03 sec         6.56 sec

120-160km/h: 9.63 sec        11.08 sec

CLAIMED:       

VMax: 200km/h 201km/h

Fuel: 7.0 l/100km 7.0 l/100km

CO2: 156 g/km 156 g/km

Warranty/Service  5y 90K/5y 120K         5y 100K/ Stepped

LIST PRICE: R565K R519K

RATED:         81% 82%