▁as ▁was ▁custom ary ▁for ▁Op el ▁models . ▁Develop ed ▁with ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁Por sche , ▁the ▁Z af ira ▁was ▁first ▁shown ▁in ▁concept ▁form ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Frankfurt ▁Auto ▁Show , ▁and ▁entered ▁series ▁production ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁with ▁sales ▁beginning ▁in ▁April . ▁The ▁Z af ira ▁achieved ▁third ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Car ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁behind ▁only ▁the ▁F iat ▁Mult ip la ▁( s ic ) ▁and ▁Toy ota ▁Y aris . ▁ ▁The ▁car ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁T ▁platform ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁A stra ▁G , ▁and ▁shared ▁much ▁in ▁common ▁with ▁that ▁car . ▁The ▁Z af ira ▁A ▁body ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁G M / Op el ' s ▁concept ▁hydro gen - power ed ▁fuel ▁cell ▁vehicle ▁the ▁H ydro Gen 3 . ▁Of fer ed ▁with ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁pet rol ▁engines ▁and ▁initially ▁a ▁single ▁dies el ▁offering , ▁the ▁" X " ▁engines ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁newer ▁" Z " ▁engine ▁generation ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁These ▁featured ▁variable ▁int ake ▁manif olds ▁and ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁meet ▁Euro ▁ 3 ▁em issions ▁standards . ▁A ▁fac el ift ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁Op el ▁Z af ira ▁had ▁seven ▁seats ▁arranged ▁in ▁three ▁rows , ▁the ▁back ▁row ▁of ▁which ▁could ▁be