Paris LIVE: Stylish Opel Adam debuts to take on MINI

The Adam Opel that debuted in Paris is full of personalization options.

Opel's new city car that takes its name from the automaker's founder made its public debut this week at the Paris Motor Show.

Set to go on sale early next year in Europe (and in the United Kingdom, where it will be badged as a Vauxhall), the three-door hatchback will be available in over 1 million different styles thanks to a broad choice of colors and trim add-ons. The Adam is essentially a much more stylish version of the company's Corsa mainstream subcompact.

The four-seater will have a choice of three ecoFLEX four-cylinder gasoline engines, though, curiously, no diesel is available. At launch, there will be a 1.2-liter, 69-horsepower engine and both 86-horsepower and 99-horsepower versions of a 1.4-liter. A five-speed manual will mate to all, while a start/stop system will be an option. A new, forced-induction engine will come later, as will a six-speed manual.

Adam will get three trim levels, the aptly-named JAM, GLAM, and SLAM. Each offers its own design twist.

Inside, buyers will have an option of a star-like LED ceiling, while Bluetooth, iOS and Android smartphone connection support will be built into the same entertainment system used in the Chevrolet Sonic and Spark in North America. GPS navigation will also be available from the seven-inch, color touchscreen in the dash. A heated steering wheel will also be available. Another option will be the Advanced Park Assist II system, which will work the steering to park the car into a parallel parking spot.

There are 16-, 17-, and 18-inch wheels available, while stability control with a hill start assist feature is standard on all.

The car will compete with the likes of the MINI Cooper and Fiat 500, along with Volkswagen's highly-publicized Up!.

As for its name, in the mid 1800s, German inventor Adam Opel founded a bicycle-manufacturing firm bearing his name. The company's founder never lived to see the day of the automobile, but a trust he set up ensured the brand's success as the bicycle world transitioned into motorcars. Today, Opel's official name in Germany remains Adam Opel AG.

The Adam isn't likely to make it to North America any time soon, however.