Back to Mud and Stone: Opel's Frontera Gravel Roars into the Wild

Opel has decided it’s time to remind the world that the name Frontera once stood for something tougher—something unafraid of mud, boulders and untamed paths. Enter the Frontera Gravel, a concept vehicle that looks like it just rolled in from an Amazon expedition, machete and map in tow.

In collaboration with BlackFish and XS studios, Opel has crafted a machine whose matte beige body, contrasting black roof and fiery orange accents strike a balance between eye-catching flair and off-road grit. The front bumper could rival a freight truck in heft, the winch is ready to pull out friends or foes alike, and the Thule Canyon XT roof rack has enough room to pack a life’s worth of gear, plus a partner and two dogs.

This vehicle doesn't skimp on illumination. Roofline LED bars and hood-mounted lights blaze bright enough to replace the sun itself. Beneath it all spin 16-inch Borbet CWE wheels wrapped in toothy BFGoodrich tires built for clawing through the dirt.

But here’s the catch: beneath all that rugged exterior beats the same old Frontera heart—a 156-horsepower front-wheel-drive electric motor paired with a 54 kWh battery. No all-wheel drive. No mechanical diff locks. It's more jungle camp ornament than true trailblazer.

Still, concept or not, the Frontera Gravel stirs something deeper—a yearning for Opel to finally commit and create a real off-roader. Something that doesn’t just look the part on Instagram but actually climbs mountains.

The public unveiling is set for May 30 at the XS Car Night Wörthersee festival in Austria. Will it ever go into production? For now, nothing is certain. But hope, as always, is the last to die.