Stellantis flexes its muscles in Brussels

THE 101st Brussels Motor Show has welcomed over 100 exhibitors and 63 car companies to its halls, showcasing the latest models and technologies, and with over 90 per cent of the brands present in the Belgian car market.

Alongside five world premieres, 14 European premieres, and 56 Belgian premieres are seven concept cars, and a generous serving of new or updated Stellantis product, including two from all-electric brand Leapmotor.

Leapmotor C10 REEV

Since its launch in Europe in September 2024, Leapmotor has expanded rapidly, with 400 sales points across 13 markets. The brand plans to offer five new models over the next three years, including the C10 and T03 already on sale.

In Brussels, Leapmotor unveiled its Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV) technology on the C10, combining electric power with a range extender (petrol motor) to achieve a total driving range of over 950km and with CO2 emissions as low as 10 grams per kilometre (WLTP).

Leapmotor says the REEV technology offers three charging modes (AC, DC and via the onboard generator), a 1.5-litre petrol engine, 65kW DC fast charging, and 160kW and 320Nm of system output.

Priced from €37,400 ($A62,200), European deliveries of the Leapmotor C10 REEV will commence in March.

Opel Frontera, Grandland, and Mokka

Holden fans might remember the Frontera name from the Isuzu-sourced off-road offering of the early 2000s. Now, with the nameplate front and centre on Opel’s electrified SUV, Frontera takes on a new image, offering seating for seven and what Opel says is an exemplary price to performance ratio.

Highlights of the Frontera include dual 10.0-inch screens for infotainment and instrumentation, a newly designed steering wheel, between 460 and 1594 litres of cargo space, and a “clear, modern design with many practical solutions”.

Available in HEV (€23,990 or $A39,900) or all-electric form (€28,990 or $A48,200), the Frontera is available in two grades.

Motive choices include a 74kW or 100kW 1.2-litre petrol-electric hybrid with six-speed dual-clutch transmission and fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per 100km or a battery electric offering 305km range from its 44kWh lithium-ion battery and 83kW electric motor.

The Grandland meanwhile is a top-of-the-line “BEV native” based on the STLA Medium platform and offering numerous “groundbreaking technologies”.

Fresh from its November debut, the Grandland is also based on Stellantis’ STLA Medium underpinnings and offers both 73kWh and 82kWh battery packs for a driving range of 523km and 582km respectively. Both grades feature a 157kW/345Nm electric motor.

Opel says the Grandland offers two widescreen displays, optional head-up display, Pure Mode – which minimises instrumentation content for improved night vision as per early SAAB models – ergonomic seating, and up to 1645 litres of cargo space.

Finally, the Opel Mokka – a vehicle the German brand calls the youngest SUV in the market – is said to inspire customers with its design, while offering a new interior design including Opel’s next-generation multimedia and navigation arrays.

With a 10.0-inch instrumentation screen, as found in the Frontera and Grandland, the Mokka also boasts “Hey Opel” voice control capable of learning and suggesting destinations based on the habits of the linked driver.

The new Opel Mokka offers 115kW of system power and up to 403km (WLTP) driving range.

Fiat, Fiat Professional, and Abarth

The Fiat Grand Panda took to the Brussels stage at the same time Belgian orders for the model opened. It joined the 500e on stage – in stylish Giorgio Armani trim – and Fiat 600 Hybrid La Prima, a three-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid with Level 2 assisted driving capabilities.

Fiat’s busy stage was further shared by the Topolino, a quadricycle Fiat says is “devoted to sustainable and accessible urban mobility”, and both the Abarth 600e Scorpionissima and Abarth 500e, the former finished in a vivid hue dubbed Hypnotic Purple.

Finally on display is the Fiat Professional Ducato, positioned on the area dedicated to Stellantis Pro One, the Group’s Business Unit for commercial vehicles. The vehicle on exhibit represents one of Fiat most successful nameplates, having been in continuous production since 1981 and sold in over 80 countries worldwide.