While Opel may not be actively selling cars in the US, the name is still being used to register trademarks for future models, as they reportedly did back in the days of the Saturn Astra before it went on sale.
Now, MotorTrend magazine tells us that the names they registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office on December 19 of last year are Calibra and Cascada – the first designates an old 1990s coupe that was based on the Vectra of the time, while the second is a new four-seater convertible.
However, this by no means represent a sign of Opel moving to the US to counter their European decline, but rather a way for GM to secretly reserve these names for possible future Buick models.
This theory would make sense, since it’s a clearly stated goal of GM’s to better align Buick with Opel by bringing in models from the old continent, changing their grille and badges and adapting them for the specific demands of US customers.
If it does materialize, the Calibra could be the coupe version of the Cascada, and with the infusion of new style, perhaps one of the nicer looking Opels in years.
By Andrei Nedelea
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