Opel STX Concept Previews the Electric Wagon America Won’t Get

Opel's newest concept is a low, all-wheel-drive electric station wagon, and the brand says parts of it are headed for production. None of it is headed for the United States, where Opel doesn't sell cars. The STX Concept made its debut Monday at the Paris Motor Show.

The name stands for Sports Tourer eXperimental, a nod to the Sports Tourer badge Opel puts on its wagons. It is one of six Stellantis concepts at the show, and like much of what's in our guide to the Paris Motor Show debuts, it has no path to American showrooms.

What Opel is showing

Opel's description of the car is almost entirely about shape and airflow. The front wears a taller version of the brand's Vizor panel, outlined by slanted light strips that fade toward the center, with an illuminated Opel logo in the middle. Cameras replace the side mirrors. The roof ends in a steeply dropping tail, and light strips run from the rear pillars up into the roof.

Some of the aero hardware moves. Opel says blue diffuser elements extend from under the rear at speed, while vertical panels behind the rear wheels slide outward to tidy the airflow. The concept sits on three-section alloy wheels with 285/35 R22 Goodyear tires.

The technical detail stops there. Opel says the STX is electric, has all-wheel drive, and can exceed 124 mph (200 km/h). The company hasn't given power, battery size, range, dimensions, a drag coefficient, or a platform. It describes the cabin only in outline: lightweight seats and immersive lighting.

Is this the next Astra?

Opel won't say. CEO Florian Huettl says only that the study "shows characteristic features that will be found in future Opel models." He names no model and gives no date.

British outlets are less cautious. Auto Express reports that the STX, which wears a Vauxhall badge in the U.K., directly previews the next Astra wagon. The magazine says that car will be engineered as an EV first on Stellantis's STLA-One platform. Autocar also calls the concept a first look at the next Astra. None of that is confirmed by Opel.

Design chief Mark Adams told Auto Express that themes from the concept will carry over to road cars. "When you're working with an EV, aerodynamics isn't just a bonus, it really is crucial," he said.

The numbers explain the focus. Today's Astra Sports Tourer Electric makes 154 hp (115 kW), carries a 58 kWh battery, and is rated at up to 277 miles (445 km) on Europe's WLTP cycle, which is more generous than the EPA test. Its top speed is limited to 106 mph (170 km/h). The concept's all-wheel drive and 124-mph capability point well beyond that. And drag is where long-distance EVs win or lose: with Audi's record-setting A6 e-tron, Audi says air resistance accounts for about 40% of energy use on the WLTP cycle.

Why it won't come here

Americans have bought an Opel wagon before, under another name. The Buick Regal TourX was an Opel Insignia, developed and built by Opel. Buick dropped it after the 2020 model year, citing the shift to crossovers. By then GM had sold Opel to PSA Group, which is now part of Stellantis.

Electric wagons haven't had better luck. Volkswagen dropped its U.S. plans for the ID.7 in early 2025, according to Automotive News, and its Tourer wagon sibling remains a European model. The nearest thing here is the Subaru Trailseeker, a raised, Outback-style EV that starts at $39,995 and is sold in Europe as the E-Outback. Polestar's Formula 2030 concept tells a similar story: it previews another car the U.S. won't get.

What's next

The STX stays on Opel's stand through October 18. It shares the space with the GSE 27FE, the race car Opel will campaign when it enters Formula E next season; Opel quotes more than 800 hp for it. The brand arrives just as Porsche has retired its winningest Formula E car.

Opel hasn't said when the first production car with STX styling will appear, or which one it will be.