Opel Ready to Rock Minicar Market with Adam Crossover

Next year General Motors Co.'s Opel Adam brand will launch an SUV-styled minicar based on the Adam Rocks concept unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March, according to Automotive News Europe, which cites an unnamed source.

ANE says the car, which has not been formally named, is due in late 2014. The new model will compete with such crossover-styled minicars as the Fiat Panda 4x4 and Volkswagen Cross Up!..

The Geneva concept had a cloth top, previewing a possible convertible Adam that would compete against the Citroen DS3 and Fiat 500C.

Opel needs innovative new products to help reverse declining sales in Europe. Sales of Opel and sister brand Vauxhall fell 5% to534,100 units in the first eight months of this year, according to the European industry association ACEA.