Opel Adam is a little beaut

The biggest surprise of the new range though is the new one-litre, three-pot petrol-turbo engine.

Add smart German design, top-notch craftsmanship and oodles of smile-inducing driving fun and you have a small car with a big heart and. Its standout, cheeky looks were the main magnets for the flood of stares and questions from strangers and zillions of photo grabs during the month we had it on test in Cape Town.

OK, so our Adam was the only one of its kind on the road in Cape Town and one of a only a handful across the country (it only hit the dealer showroom floors in January), but this new baby Opel has the sort of appeal that is not going to dilute in a hurry. The new Adam is available in three guises and two different power plants. The entry level Adam is pushed along by a normally-aspirated 1.4 engine which produces 74kW and 130Nm which is good enough for a standstill to treble figure dash of 11,5 seconds.

The tiny tot has a surprise!

The biggest surprise of the new range though is the new one-litre, three-pot petrol-turbo engine that adds zippy appeal to the two more expensive Opel Jam and Opel Glam variants. The pikkie engine feels nippier than it actually is, probably because of the car's compactness, and it will do the 0-100km/h sprint two seconds faster than the 1.4 model. Opel claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.1-litres/100km, CO² emissions of 119g/km and a top speed of 196km/h for these two versions.

On the trot, the tiny tot feels stable and solid.

On the trot, the tiny tot feels stable and solid, even when hustled along through the corners. The cabin is well insulated, the suspension is on the right side of comfort and the steering set-up has a pleasantly firm feel (and can even be adjusted via a "City" mode to make for easier parking). I was also particularly impressed by the pleasant transmission set-up that is quick-throw and smooth and the torque kick that comes into play virtually from take-off.

Built at Opel's plant in Eisenach, Germany, the A-segment, 3-door, 4-seat hatchback is smartly finished inside and the cabin bristles with fancy features, starting with a colour-coded key fob that matches the Adam's exterior colour and two-tone colour schemes to splatterings of chrome, ambient lighting and soft-touch padded door trims.

No room for the Boks

Although described as a four-seater, the cabin is compact and with two big ones up front even garden gnomes will find the rear accommodation cramped. The best use of the rear seat is to fold it flat to extend luggage space or to use it as a storage space for shopping baskets when the boot is full.

Personalisation options for Adam begin with nine exterior paint colours with funky names such as Red 'n Roll, Purple Fiction, Pump Up The Blue, The Greyfather, James Blonde, Saturday White Fever, I'll Be Black and continues with a choice of wheels, a comprehensive choice of factory-fitted customisation options, dealer-fitted accessories and cabin trinkets according to individual tastes.

There isn't much room in the back, but there are compensations.

Our test model Adam Jam offers factory options include a choice of white or black, an OPC-line pack that comes with 17-inch Hurricane alloys and OPC body kit.

Look up... and be starstruck

Being the top dog, the Glam version takes things further, even offering a panoramic sunroof or the unique '64 Starz' interior roof-lid which features 64 individual LED elements to create the effect of a starry night sky.

The numerous technologies are much too detailed to describe in detail so best you ask you Opel dealer to tell you about energy consumption monitoring equipment, the IntelliLink infotainment system (with pre-loaded apps) which is linked to a 7-inch touchscreen and the multi-function steering wheel, Advance Park Assist, and the Bluetooth and USB-powered setup which includes audio streaming, photo and video playback and the BringGo navigation.

Once connected, users also have full access to BringGo's text-to-speech voice guidance, lane guidance, signpost display, 3D buildings and landmarks, speed limit warnings, millions of on-board Points of Interest (POIs), ECO features and much more.

Safety features are high on Opel's priority list and the Adam is decked out with six airbags, ABS with EBD and BAS, ESP Plus, Hill Start Assist, dual pretensioned front seat belts, Opel Pedal Release System, integrated pedestrian protection, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, a rigid passenger cell body, and ultrasonic blind-spot warning system (which functions up to speeds of 140km/h) and individual tyre pressure monitoring.

Designed to draw attention, the Adam's cocky exterior is a piece of automotive art, from its stubby, rounded bonnet, neatly edged roofline and chrome tinsel to a perky rear and tailgate sans lid release handle (the boot lid is opened by pressing down on the Opel logo), it demands second looks and closer inspection.

With its combination of perky performance, cabin luxuries, numerous personalisation options and look-at-me pose, the Adam is going to catch the eyes and wallets of both the Adams and the Eves of the trendy set.

At the time of publishing, the Adam's final prices have not yet been finalised but they are expected to be between R200,000 and R250,000 which may dampen the ardour of those buyers who attach more weight to practicality and cost than hi-tech features, slinky looks, driving fun and individual styling - but judged by pre-delivery orders the sales of Opel's newest baby are going to boogie.

For more information visit www.opel.co.za

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