The rise of SUVs has long threatened to kill off the estates and station wagons that we all love, but several European car manufacturers still see a future in them. This includes Opel, which has just unveiled its wild STX Concept in Paris, also known as the Sports Tourer eXperimental Concept. Long live the estate.

European estates have long been characterized by their evocative shapes and low rooflines. The STX Concept checks both boxes and, according to Opel, previews a more emotional, bold, pure, and more efficient design language that will influence future models.

Read: The Stellantis Hot Hatch You’ll Never Buy But Can Still Drive At Home

It’s been more than 70 years since Opel launched the Olympia Rekord Caravan, its first estate, and while the STX Concept looks nothing like it, it’s just as striking. The front end stands out thanks to the latest interpretation of the Opel Vizor with aggressive LEDs that gently fade towards the center. As the STX Concept has been designed around an electric powertrain, the Opel Vizor fills the space that would have historically housed the grille.

What Else Makes This Concept Special?

The hood is quite long given there’s no engine under it, allowing the concept to retain relatively traditional proportions. The wild, two-tone triangular wheel design is very untraditional by comparison, and when in motion, almost making it appear as though the concept is floating above the pavement.

For as sharp and bold as the front half of the car is, the rear is even more flamboyant. A key highlight is the bulging wheel arches and the thick C-pillars that flow seamlessly into the roof and the rear window. Unlike a typical estate, the roof and rear window of the STX Concept don’t gently taper off to a short tailgate. Instead, the window sits more upright, reminding us of the iconic Ferrari 250 GT SWB Breadvan.

Opel has not published any photos of the concept’s interior but says it will build on the ‘Painting with Light’ idea it introduced with the Opel Experimental concept from 2023 and the Opel Corse GSE Vision Gran Turismo launched two years later. Few details have been provided about the concept’s powertrain, other than the fact it has all-wheel drive and delivers enough grunt to send the car through to over 124 mph (200 km/h), a figure that won’t exactly get car enthusiasts excited.

What will get enthusiasts excited is that Opel remains committed to estates through the electric era. According to Opel chief executive Florian Huettl, “the STX Concept gives a taste of how exciting and emotional the estate of tomorrow can be – with maximum functionality and efficiency. The study shows characteristic features that will be found in future Opel models and underlines Opel’s role as an estate pioneer in Europe.”

Stellantis has shared more teasers and information about the upcoming Opel Sports Tourer eXperimental (STX) Concept ahead of its premiere at the Paris Motor Show on October 12. The model communicates the brand’s vision for the future of wagons, most likely previewing the next generation of the Opel Astra.

The new teasers are more revealing than the first one, giving us a good idea of what to expect. Overall, the STX Concept is not your typical wagon, as it adopts a sporty stance with futuristic details.

More: This Stellantis Brand Thinks A Wagon Might Make More Sense Than A Hatchback

The front end features an evolution of the Opel Vizor grille, which is now body colored with an LED pattern and an illuminated Opel Blitz emblem. This is joined by the vertical LEDs forming the Opel Compass, and a sculpted bumper with horizontal cooling intakes.

Still, the coolest detail is the view of the profile, with the wide fenders on the rear axle making it look more like a performance model than a family-focused offering.

Opel

Opel said that aerodynamic efficiency played a crucial role in the development of the concept. One example is the design of the three-section alloy wheels, which is said to reduce consumption while offering improved “directional stability and driving pleasure at high speeds on the German Autobahn”.

More: Opel Astra GSE Line Brings OPC-Like Power, But Don’t Call It A Hot Hatch

In a similar context, an earlier press release confirmed that the concept features an “active aerodynamic system that continuously adapts to the driving situation, using moving elements at the rear to optimize airflow, reduce drag and improve stability.”

Sister brand Vauxhall – which also announced a redesigned Griffin logo – has shared an additional image of the STX Concept taken from above. This reveals a pair of vents that create a V shape on the hood and form front spoiler, similar in theory to the fully electric Dodge Charger Daytona. The windshield extends on the hood, with the “TECHHUE” lettering on its base hinting at a new technology.

Vauxhall

Stellantis didn’t reveal the powertrain type of the STX Concept, but judging from their product portfolio it will be either fully electric or hybrid.

More: Opel’s Cheapest New Car Is Now A Family SUV With Three Pedals And Steelies

Opel doesn’t openly admit it, but the sporty wagon is expected to evolve into the next generation of the Astra, which is rumored to abandon the traditional hatchback bodystyle. The compact model has been confirmed to be renewed before 2030 alongside the smaller Corsa. Both will ride on the multi-energy STLA One architecture with an EV-first strategy. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually adopt range-extender tech from Leapmotor.

A potential rival of the future estate from Opel is the next generation of the Skoda Octavia. This one was previewed by the Vision O concept and is expected to hit the road in 2028 with a wagon bodystyle and a electric/range-extender powertrains.

Stellantis has introduced two new entry-level trims for the Citroen Berlingo and Opel Combo twins in Europe, making them more accessible and more practical. The base models benefit from a redesigned interior which transforms into a mobile office, and will be available with gasoline, diesel, mild-hybrid, and fully electric powertrains.

From the outside, the Citroen Berlingo Van First and the Opel Combo Start have slightly different faces compared to the rest of the lineup. The lower bumper appears to be carried over but the upper portion sheds the body-colored finish for unpainted plastic and gains a simplified design for the grille. The rest of the bodywork remains unchanged.

More: Opel’s Cheapest New Car Is Now A Family SUV With Three Pedals And Steelies

Note that the Berlingo Van has different headlights compared to the Berlingo which is better aligned with Citroen’s passenger car and SUV lineup.

More Practicality Inside The Cabin

More substantial changes take place inside the cabin, making us wonder why Opel and Citroen didn’t apply this treatment to the entire lineup of the Combo and Berlingo vans. The dashboard and door panels have been redesigned with the goal of improving “robustness” and “ergonomic handling” for business owners and fleet operators using the LCVs for delivery services and on construction sites.

Highlights include the extra shelfs on the dash, the new drawer under the driver’s seat, and the standard FlexiSeat for the front passenger. The latter can be folded upwards, creating extra space for packages, tool boxes or other equipment and increasing the van’s total load volume by 0.5 cubic meters (17.7 cubic feet).

More: This Smart Kit Turns Your Stellantis Van Into A Camper On The Go

More importantly, the FlexiSeat can be optionally combined with the ModuTable. This costs €300 ($350) and offers a surface that can be used as an extra shelf with cupholders or as a mobile desk for your laptop. When not in use, the ModuTable can be stored behind the cabin wall in the cargo area. Still, Citroen said that professionals drive alone for about 80% of the time so it will likely be used quite often.

Finally, the FlexCargo/Moduwork configuration adds a third seat at the front which turns into a load-through when transporting longer items.

Citroen Berlingo Van First

The compact vans remain available in two body lengths, delivering a load volume between 3.3-4.4 cubic meters (116.5-155.4 cubic feet). The maximum payload capacity is unchanged at 1,000 kg (2,205 lbs).

Multiple Powertrain Options

As with the rest of the lineup, the entry-level vans offer the option between gasoline, diesel and fully electric powertrains, with a mild-hybrid variant set to join the lineup in 2027.

More: Stellantis Turns ICE FWD Vans Into 4x4s With Rear Electric Motor Conversion

The turbo 1.2-liter engine is good for 109 hp (81 kW / 110 PS), while the 1.5-liter turbodiesel produces 101 hp (75 kW / 102 PS) or 129 hp (96 kW / 131 PS). All ICE variants are exclusively offered with a six-speed manual gearbox, although the upcoming mild hybrid will get a dual-clutch automatic. Finally, the EV has a single electric motor generating 134 hp (100 kW / 136 PS), and a 42 kWh battery offering up to 270 km (168 miles) of WLTP range.

Pricing

The base Opel Combo Start with the gasoline engine is priced from €22,400 ($26,000) before VAT in Germany, lowering the entry point in the compact van’s lineup by €1,000 ($1,200). The diesel starts from €23,200 ($26,900) and the electric from €28,500 ($33,100).

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Citroen has yet to announce pricing for the Berlingo Van First, but we expect similar figures with its Opel twin. It will be interesting to see whether the same treatment will be applied to the nearly identical Peugeot Partner, Fiat Doblo, and Toyota ProAce City.

Opel Combo Start

Stellantis has shared the first teaser of the Opel Sports Tourer eXperimental (STX) Concept ahead of its unveiling at the Paris Motor Show on October 12. The concept is believed to preview a future production wagon, that could replace the Opel Astra before the end of the decade.

According to the automaker, the Opel STX Concept represents “its vision for the future of estate cars”. Opel has been offering family-friendly wagons since the Olympia Rekord Caravan from 1953, while the Sports Tourer moniker is used for the estate variant of the current Astra.

More: Opel Astra GSE Line Brings OPC-Like Power, But Don’t Call It A Hot Hatch

Florian Huettl, Opel CEO, said: “As the name indicates, the Opel STX Concept will give our vision of the future of an aero-efficient estate – a body style that Opel played a pioneering role in establishing in Europe. It shows our next generation design language and feature elements that you will see in future production models.”

The announcement is accompanied by a single teaser that doesn’t reveal much about the design. What we can see is STX concept lettering on what appears to be a portion of the front bumper, featuring a carbon-style finish against a blue or silver bodywork. The company didn’t mention anything about the concept’s powertrain type, but chances are it will feature some sort of electrification.

Stellantis has confirmed that the next generation of the Astra will arrive before 2030. The model will ride on the new STLA One architecture, offering the option between fully electric and hybrid powertrains.

More: This Stellantis Brand Thinks A Wagon Might Make More Sense Than A Hatchback

Furthermore, the Opel CEO has revealed that an estate variant of the next Astra has been locked in, while hinting that the hatchback’s shape may evolve into a non-traditional bodystyle. Reading between the lines, the Astra could evolve into a sporty compact wagon and the upcoming concept might give us a good idea of what to expect.

The official debut of the Opel STX Concept is scheduled for October 12 at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, although the automaker might share more teasers and additional information as we move closer to that date. The wagon will be joined by the GSE 27FE single seater for the upcoming Formula E championship, the fully electric Corsa GSE hot hatch, and the new Astra GSE Line trim.

The Opel Astra is one of the most popular compact cars in Europe, but the latest generation never got a proper hot hatch variant to rival the VW Golf GTI. While this is still the case, Stellantis has dialed up the power with a new Astra GSE Line trim, matching the power output of long-gone Astra OPC models in its most potent fully electric form.

Opel used to offer a GSe variant of the Astra with 222 hp (165 kW / 225 PS) from a plug-in hybrid powertrain, while featuring sportier looks and a sharper chassis setup. The new GSE Line is a replacement for the sporty GS trim, and will be available with every available powertrain option in the Astra lineup, including gasoline, mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric models.

More: Opel’s New Corsa GSE Beats Peugeot’s GTI Using Peugeot’s Own Powertrain

The big news is that the flagship Opel Astra GSE Line will inherit the single electric motor from the new Corsa GSE and Mokka GSE siblings, producing 276 hp (206 kW / 280 PS). This matches the output of the turbo 2.0-liter engine in the Astra OPC J, sold between 2012 and 2018. Still, don’t expect it to be a full-blown hot hatch.

Visually, the GSE Line adopts a sportier stance than the GS it replaces and the rest of the facelifted Astra lineup. The front bumper molding is the same, but there’s extra glossy black trim around the side intakes with discreet “GSE Line” lettering.

More: This Stellantis Brand Thinks A Wagon Might Make More Sense Than A Hatchback

Other changes include the trim-specific LED color in the Opel Vizor grille and 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, which are optionally available in an 18-inch version. The company only showed photos of the hatchback, so we don’t know whether the GSE Line treatment will be applied to the wagon.

Inside, designers added bright yellow stitching and piping to the steering wheel, door cards, and center armrest, alongside aluminum sports pedals and an optional pair of sports seats with integrated headrests. As with the lesser Astra trims, the digital cockpit comprises dual 10-inch displays.

Opel didn’t mention any chassis tweaks, suggesting the GSE Line will likely get a standard suspension, although that may vary depending on the powertrain under the hood. Note that the Astra GSe PHEV did have a sportier setup, including a recalibrated steering, new ESP settings, and a 10 mm (0.4 inches) lowered suspension with new springs and oil-filled Koni FSD dampers.

More: Stellantis Confirms The Next Astra And Corsa Land Before 2030

Marc Fetzer, Opel Vice President Current Product, said that the Astra GSE Line will show how the “extra sportiness” of the GSE models can be combined with “maximum practicality for everyday use”, while giving customers a “free choice” between powertrains.

The new Opel Astra GSE Line will make its first public outing at the Paris Motor Show next month, followed by a market launch in spring 2027. Opel has confirmed that further GSE Line models will follow later in 2027, likely including the Grandland SUV.

Stellantis