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As GM's largest brand in Europe, Opel/Vauxhall unveiled its ecoFLEX models at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. These especially pro-environmental automobiles combine economy and driving enjoyment with low fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions in each vehicle class.

Hans Demant, GM Europe Vice President, Engineering and Managing Director of Opel, presents the new Corsa Hybrid Concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Powered by the next-generation GM Hybrid system and diesel engine technology, the Corsa Hybrid concept car requires just 3,75 liters of diesel per 100 km and emits only 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

General Motors presents the third variant of its electric vehicle architecture E-Flex, the Opel Flextreme. Its energy source is a battery that powers the electric motor. Another energy source on board – such as a hydrogen fuel-cell or combustion engine – provides more power to increase operating range. In the case of the Flextreme, this is a 1.3-liter CDTI diesel engine. Electric propulsion and a combustion engine are used in a manner fundamentally different from that of conventional hybrid propulsion vehicles.

The BLS wagon and sedan will be the first Cadillac models to be offered in Europe with the option of a low-emission, bio-ethanol engine. The BLS 2.0L Flexpower will go on sale in November (Wagon) or December (sedan) 2007. Like the three turbocharged gasoline engines and the two turbo-diesels, the 147 kW (200 hp) Flexpower engine offers the dynamic performance customers have come to expect from Cadillac, while using Bio-ethanol (E85) as an alternative to traditional gasoline.

With the HydroGen4, GM presents the fourth generation of its fuel cell technology. “Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights General Motors’ commitment to take the car out of the environmental debate and reduce our dependency on oil,” said Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe, at a press conference in Frankfurt. “HydroGen4 is powered by GM’s most ad¬vanced fuel cell system and marks an important milestone on the road toward com¬pletely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile.

Specially trained experts are available at the GM stand to explain the environmental strategy and details of GM’s environmental initiative to visitors - an interactive approach that has met with great success at other motor shows. Four touch-screen monitors are also available to provide IAA visitors with information about the “Well-to-wheel” chain, the process of fuel production from raw materials through to its actual use in a car.

GM demonstrated the combustion process, known formally as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition or HCCI, for the first time in two driveable concept vehicles, a 2007 Saturn Aura and Opel Vectra. When combined with the enabling advanced technologies, direct injection, electric cam phasing, variable valve lift and cylinder pressure sensing, HCCI provides up to 15 percent fuel savings, while meeting future emissions standards.

Opel presents a range of especially economical and low-emission vehicles at the IAA in Frankfurt (September 13 – 23, 2007). The current models showcase how automotive technology will look in the near future: the Corsa Hybrid concept car uses innovative technology with starter generator and stop/start automatic transmission which contributes to an average consumption of about 3,75 liters of diesel per 100 km (99 g CO2/km). The Vectra Flexpower with a 2.0-liter turbo engine designed for operation with bioethanol/gasoline mix also makes its debut at the IAA.

In essence, the environmental strategy of General Motors Europe is to reduce CO2 emissions in the short term and introduce new propulsion technologies in the long term. The goal is to offer customers vehicles that can operate on many different energy sources. “The multi-tiered approach includes accelerating the development of electrically powered vehicles, stepping up efforts to replace fossil fuels and increasing the efficiency of gasoline and diesel engines,” explains Carl-Peter Forster, GME President.

General Motors Corp. and A123Systems, Inc. will co-develop cells with A123System's nanophosphate battery chemistry for a long-lasting, safe and powerful battery for use in GM’s electric drive E-Flex system. The agreement is expected to expedite the development of the batteries for both electric plug-in vehicles and fuel cell variants of the E-Flex architecture.

In addition to becoming Cadillac’s first station wagon, the BLS Wagon sets another milestone for the brand. The BLS Wagon marks the introduction of two new engines in the BLS range: a 2.0L Flexpower version that runs on E85 bio-ethanol and a powerful turbo diesel engine with 132 kW (180 hp).

Plácido Domingo, the world-famous Spanish tenor, is spending one month in Madrid working on a new challenge: He will debut with a complete "Madame Butterfly" opera at the "Teatro Real" while at the same time running "Operalia", an international competition for new opera singers.