125 years of seats innovations at Opel: exceptional comfort in the new Grandland and Frontera

Famous Opel “125 years of automotive production” . For 125 years, the Blitz brand has made tip technologies accessible to everyone – from effective and sustainable engines to adaptive suspension systems, including ultramodern driving system that improves the safety of all road users. The seats are also essential for safety and comfort, because ergonomic and back seats allow drivers to stay relaxed, even during long journeys. Opel attaches great importance to this aspect since the production of its first automobile, the Patentmotorwagen System Lutzmann. Today, customers can discover the latest advances in terms of seats in the new Opel Grandland And Opel Frontera.

A soothing experience: Intelli-Seats in the new Grandland and Frontera

The new Opel Frontera and Opel Grandland appeal to their characteristic design, their advanced technologies, their many practical solutions and their innovative seats. The new Intelli-Seats developed for the driver and the front passenger are already available on the Opel Frontera, a family and very affordable Opel Frontera model. A special slit in the middle of the seat reduces the pressure on the coccyx. This patented Intelli-Seat feature guarantees relaxing driving comfort, even during long journeys on the highway. If you wish, the heating of the seats provides an even more pleasant feeling during cold days. In addition, the richly designed and sculpted seats are available in fabrics entirely made from recycled materials, thus part of the “Greenovation” ecological approach of Opel.

In the brand new high-end Grandland SUV, the Ergonomic Functionality Intelli-Seat is included as standard in all front seats. For those who are looking for even more comfort, the new winner of the “Golden Vole 2024” is also available with the Ergonomic Speed ​​Intelli-Seat Pro (Nappa leather), certified by AGR (Aktion Gesunder Brücken EV). Opel has perfected this seat and added new comfort features. In the Grandland, it is equipped for the first time with adjustable side reinforcements. The two air cushions integrated into the flanks of the files improve lateral support and can be adjusted according to personal preferences. In addition, the driver and front passenger seats offer ventilation, various massage programs and many other features. The Intelli-Seat Pro represents the current high-end in the Opel range in terms of comfort and individual adjustment options.

Comfort from the start: the “Lutzmann” with soft leather bench

At the end of the 19th century, the technologically technologically sophisticated seats were unimaginable – at the time, the accent was on the power of the engine, the comfort was secondary. Cars still looked like carriages, just like seats. For example, theOpel Patentmotorwagen “System Lutzmann” From 1899: not only the whole car, but also the seats with their rigid right position recalled a carriage. Of course, there was not yet any possibility of adjusting the seats. Opel therefore focused on another detail which represented a great advantage in terms of comfort at the time: the bench was already luxuriously covered with leather.

Thirty years later, in 1929, the seat of theOpel 4/20 “Moonlight Roadster” was still a fixed and rigid bench. However, it was positioned much lower, allowing passengers to extend their legs forward, as is the case today. In the four -door and limousine version, the front seats could be folded down. The next development stage arrived quickly followed with theOpel 1.8 liter : The front seats could now be adjusted longitudinally. The brochures of the time declared: “Adjustable front seats are like club armchairs: deep and comfortable, with pleasant files”. The Opel 1.2 liter Regent presented another remarkable characteristic: “Large, comfortable and welcoming front and rear seats. The large trunk is accessible by folding down the rear back ”. Thus, in 1931, Opel already combined comfort and practicality.

This type of seats was already dreaming at the time ”: Kapitän, GT and Monza

From the early 1950s, the seats of theOpel Olympia were fixed at a metal frame and also adjustable in length. To facilitate access to rear passengers, the front seats files could be folded forward. In 1956, theOpel Kapitän L went even further in terms of seats. “The occupant of each front seat adjustable individually can tilt the backrest continuously to a horizontal position, simply by pulling on a lever and relying behind,” according to the description. This is how the so -called “relax” or “reclining” seat was born. “A slight movement is enough to” personalize “the position of the seat”. The rails on which the seats slipped was sloping, which meant that the height of the position changed according to the longitudinal adjustment. Already at that time, the importance of security seats was highlighted: “Especially in turns, we feel how well these seats are designed and provide optimal support. Result: a pleasant and safe driving feeling that you will never want to lose again. ”

In 1968, theOpel GT was produced in series. This legendary model was distinguished by its daring sporting style, both outside and inside. The passengers settled comfortably in seats with a sporting form. The cushions of elongated seats and a clearly improved shoulder section showed the direction taken by development. From the end of the 1960s, Opel equivalent gradually various models of optional headrests, such as the Kadett B, Rekord C, Commodore has And Olympia.

The important next step arrived in 1978: True to the motto “Comfort is a function of technology”, Opel introduced the height -adjustable seat into various variants of finishing models Monza And Senator. “To guarantee each driver, whatever its size, optimal position and perfect visibility, the driver’s seat can be continuously adjusted in terms of longitudinal position, reclining backrest (…) and even seat height on the Senator CD”, according to the description of the adjustment options in the Opel brochures.

Redefined flexibility: the flex7 seats system in the Opel Zafira

In the 1990s, the seats ofOpel Omega B were available as an option with electrical settings. The reinforced files of the rear seats and the lateral airbags made a significant contribution to passive security; Collision tests developed with a payload were carried out for the first time. According to the finish version, the three rear seats were equipped with three-point safety belts and headrest.

Opel presented a global innovation in 1999 with the introduction of Van Compact Zafira With the integrated Flex7 seats system. For the first time, a compact minivan with seven places could be transformed, into no time, into a two -seater utility vehicle with a large loading space – without having to remove the seats and store them outside the vehicle. Thanks to an ingenious mechanism, the two individual seats of the third row could be folded down in the floor of the trunk. Then, the cushions and files of the second row seats could be folded down, pushed against the seats of the first row and fixed. This transformed family minivan for seven into a utility offering up to 1,700 liters of transport volumes (VDA standard – German Association of the Automobile Industry). With this concept, Opel brought flexibility to a higher level and continued to develop it to the lounge seats system, with adjustable outdoor seats on the central row.