It's actually a brilliant idea that Opel Once realized in the Corsa model for the first time: an integrated bicycle rack that slides out of the rear bumper like a drawer and disappears invisibly into the rear of the vehicle after use. Easy to use, designed to save space without affecting the trunk volume and, above all, safe. The Rüsselsheim-based company calls the patented system "Flex-Fix", which in the Corsa, for example, holds two bikes weighing up to 40 kilograms. In today's bicycle boom, it should actually be a hit and would have to encourage imitators. But puff cake, nothing like that has ever happened.
Initially, installation rates of up to 15 percent were expected to be well accepted. The only system used by Opel conquered almost the entire car range and is now also available as an option in the Adam, Meriva, Astra, Mokka, Antara and Zafira. However, the proportion of copies delivered with the innovative drawer is only in the single-digit percentage range.
It almost seems as if the Rüsselsheimers themselves are not 100-percent behind their idea. The integrated bicycle rack, which was even awarded the AGR seal of approval by the "Healthy Back Campaign" (AGR) for its excellent ergonomics and low loading height, has hardly been seriously advertised. And the concept was obviously not thought through to the end.
With the new Mokka X, for example, the Flex-Fix carrier can only accommodate one bike for an additional 590 Euro. Because of the short overhang, similar to the Adam, a drawer with two rails is not included, according to Rüsselsheim. There is an extension for two more bicycles, but it is so bulky that, if not stored in the trunk, it would have a massive impact on the loading capacity. And with another 270 Euro surcharge, the whole thing becomes so expensive that the advantage over a trailer hitch that can still be used in another way, plus a bicycle rack attached, melts together. (Michael Lennartz)
