Opel STX Concept Is The Box-Flared Bread Van Wagon Of Your Dreams

It seems like every day, we hear another story about how SUVs and crossovers have taken another 1,000% of the market share globally, and everyone wants more ride height and more room, but some automakers are brave enough to buck that trend. Some are still here to give the sickos (you and I) what we want: wagons. That is exactly what Opel has done with its latest concept, the STX. Think of this bad boy as the wagon of the future, which is exactly why Opel decided to call it the Sport Tourer eXperimental.

Opel says the STX Concept (and its Vauxhall-branded twin with the same name) is more of a preview of its future design language than a look at one specific car, but it's easy to imagine a production wagon similar to this. By my count, we've only got one-ish electric wagon in the U.S. — the Subaru Trailseeker and Toyota bZ Woodland twins — and it's not like they're that plentiful overseas either, so there's certainly room for the market to grow.

Opel

It's clear that the STX Concept is no mere Astra Tourer, with its kammback rear end that's reminiscent of the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Breadvan, and those rally car-inspired rear fender flares. This thing means business. Apparently, some of the wild characteristics of this car will appear in future Opel models, according to CEO Florian Huettl.

One of those characteristics may very well be the in-your-face... face. Opel's handsome yet conservative front end is bolder than before, and the company said it's purposefully bucking the trend of slimmed-down front ends we're used to seeing on EVs these days. The Blitz logo in the Vizor front end is huge, and it's flanked by "vertical slanting lamellas" that look wild. It would certainly be a bit menacing in your rearview mirror, that's for sure. Both the front and rear end have vertical and lights to create Opel's signature Compass motif.

The rear, while very cool-looking, is also functional. Even though the roofline drops off at such an extreme angle (or because it does?), creating that shooting brake effect, Opel says the roof has "combines the highest practical benefit through the additional space gained in the cargo compartment with modern design." The overall side profile of the car is striking, with those big fenders being filled with neat three-pointed 22-inch rims, short overhangs at each end, and some funky glass light strips that make the STX look fast even when it's sitting still.

Opel's designers focused on aerodynamics when designing the STX, adding in cool features like an active aero system that continuously adjusts depending on the driving situation to manage airflow, reduce drag and improve stability. It has extending blades in the rear bumper and diffusers that protrude out, and all the active aero bits are painted bright blue, which is quite striking.

Opel

The active aerodynamics work in concert with the STX's electric all-wheel-drive system. Sure, there's no real information on what sort of power it'll put down, but it'll apparently hit a top speed of 124 mph. Opel says "it proves that efficiency, performance and emotional driving pleasure can go hand in hand in the electric age."

The German automaker pulled the covers off this sick-looking longback at the Paris Motor Show as one of nine brand new concepts that Stellantis brands debuted at the show, and while it's unlikely we'll ever get a taste of the STX or the production cars it could spawn here in the U.S., it's still a lovely thing to look at and a sign that automakers haven't given up on this segment of vehicles altogether.