An Opel Embassy in Berlin

[Oracle of Delphi]

Back in 2005, Opel opened in all respects, an embassy in Berlin, to be able to wheel and deal with the German politicians as they saw fit. GM, needs to set this up in Washington, D.C. as far as I am concerned, to help with North American Auto issues.

For those that have visited the German capital, this is the Opel building you see there. One that is near and dear to me.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder opens ‘Opel in Berlin’

2002.05.14.

Rüsselsheim/Berlin. The German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, along with the Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, and the Chairman of Opel's Board of Management, Carl-Peter Forster, today opened ‘Opel in Berlin', Opel's new coordination center in the German capital.

Located on Friedrichstraße, right next to the government district in the center of Berlin , the new complex provides the company with a direct link to the capital's political and business communities. 'Opel in Berlin ' will also serve as a forum for lively exchanges of ideas with trade and industry associations, the media and the general public. Among the 600 or so guests at the opening ceremony were many famous politicians and actors.

“With our new 'Embassy' in the center of the German capital, we will be able to project our image as a modern, innovative and future-oriented company. We want to offer everyone an open forum, a place to meet and find out all the latest information about our cars and the Opel brand”, said Carl-Peter Forster in his welcoming speech. With a permanent exhibition of the latest models and numerous changing displays – extending from some of the cars from Opel's legendary past to the very latest state-of-the-art engineering and technology – 'Opel in Berlin' will be a genuine attraction for visitors. Art exhibitions and lectures will also be held from time to time, and there is an 'Auto-Media Café' for the general public, too.

All in all, the company has invested around 12 million euros in the new complex since building work began in April 2000.

In addition to the showrooms themselves, the building will house a boardroom and the eastern Germany sales office that was formerly located beside Berlin 's river Spree . The office has twelve staff whose job it is to look after the Opel dealer network in the eastern part of Germany .

The 'Opel in Berlin ' center is located in a modern office and residential complex on Friedrichstraße, which is just next to the international commercial center. Adam Opel AG occupies around 4000 square meters in this representative building, spread over three floors.

“The new location marks an important step in the history of Opel in Berlin ,” said Carl-Peter Forster at the opening of the new coordination center. The links between Rüsselsheim and the German capital have always been very good. It was as long ago as 1906 that the first official Opel branch began operating in Berlin , and in 1937 Opel began assembling refrigerators there. From 1964, the company manufactured bearing shells, connecting rods and flange bearings in the suburb of Lankwitz. Just one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, in 1991, the Opel partners in Berlin joined forces and opened a 1200 square meter showroom ‘Opel an der Spree' next to the Friedrichstadt Palace. This will now be closed with the opening of the new ‘Opel in Berlin ' coordination center.

Link: http://gm-press.com/HU/site/article.php?aid=589

[Camino LS6]

Not a bad idea, but it might have been more effective here had such a facility opened in, say, 1968.