Flextreme hits Red Dot spot

The Opel Flextreme concept car has been recognised by an international jury for its outstanding design and has received the prestigious Red Dot award in a ceremony in Singapore. The international Red Dot design award ranks among the largest and most renowned design prizes in the world. The Singapore prize is awarded to the best design concept 'that has the power to improve our world in the future'. It is granted to products by an international panel of design experts who base their criteria on degree of innovation, functionality and formal quality. In 2007, the Saab Aero X concept car won the prestigious award. The Opel Flextreme was conceived at General Motors" European Design Centre and premiered in 2007 at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The car is a study of the future design of the monocab segment, incorporating alternative energy propulsion with fresh, bold styling. Opel claims to be the European leader in monocabs, a segment it helped pioneer with the Meriva and Zafira. The Flextreme uses rear-hinged 'flex doors" that enable comfortable access to the interior, a large transparent roof and twin tailgate doors that open from the side and swing upward. The concept car features GM"s innovative extended-range electric vehicle technology system recently showcased in the Chevrolet Volt. An electric motor, powered by a lithium-ion battery, propels the Flextreme for up to 55km on electric drive only. A 1.3 turbo-diesel onboard engine operates as a range extender and is used to drive an electric generator when the battery"s energy has been depleted. The range extender is able to generate additional electricity to power the car for hundreds of additional kilometres.