Opel Adds Online Banking in Germany

General Motors Co.'s Adam Opel unit is moving into online retail banking in Germany through its Opel Bank GmbH unit, which also provides financing for Opel vehicle sales.

The bank already has more than 200,000 financing and leasing customers. Its new services enable customers to make online cash deposits with daily or fixed maturity over as long as three years. Opel says the move will help it strengthen brand loyalty, increase customer loyalty and attract new customers.

Opel returned to automotive lending and financing in 2013 after GM's own in-house financial unit, GM Financial, reacquired its auto lending operations from Ally Financial Inc. Opel Bank says it may extend consumer banking operations to other European markets, pending their performance in Germany.