“125 years and not a bit quiet”: Opel at the RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA 2024

• “125 Years of Opel Automobile Construction”: Legendary automobiles from Opel Patent Motor Car System Lutzmann to Opel Aero GT and all-electric Opel Manta GSe
• “40 Years of DTM”: Opel racers from Kadett GSi to “Cliff” Calibra to Vectra GTS V8
• 6 to 8 December: Exhibition at the Nuremberg Trade Fair daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Shortly before the end of the year there is a real highlight for car lovers: the classic car fair RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA . It will be held from December 6th to 8th at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre as the “traditional end of the season for driving culture”. Opel has a very special place this year. Because 2024 is the year in which the brand with the lightning bolt will celebrate “125 years of Opel automobile construction” . Opel Classic will be supplying numerous classics for the special exhibition “125 years and not a bit quiet – Opel celebrates 125 years of automobile construction at RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA” – from the Monza GSE to Sepp Herberger’s Rekord B, from the Admiral to the 1899 Patentmotorwagen, the first Opel car produced in-house. They will all delight the audience in Hall 3C – just like Opel Manta GSe . The fully electric concept vehicle with electric drive and Opel Vizor brand face shows what Opel understands by the anniversary motto "Forever Forward since 1899" and how a rich tradition can be combined with inspiring, future-proof mobility. The numerous exhibits of the Opel Classic collection are complemented by other classic cars from the Alt-Opel IG on the stand right next door.

But that's not all: There are further highlights for motorsport fans to experience in Hall 3A of the Nuremberg trade fair. Famous racing touring cars are being presented there in a large special exhibition under the title "40 Years of DTM" . Legendary ITC Opel Calibra V6 4x4 "Cliff", an Astra V8 Coupé and a Vectra GTS V8 are among the most exciting exhibits here. In addition, four historic rally vehicles from Rüsselsheim will be on display, including a 1982 Ascona 400 from the Röhrl/Geistdörfer team.

"RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA has become a magnet for all lovers of vintage cars, youngtimers and neo-classics. A highlight at the end of the year, which we are happy to celebrate with a wide range of anniversary items from '125 years of Opel automobile manufacturing'. Visitors experience the Opel model history in a variety that they will rarely find outside of Rüsselsheim," says Opel Classic Director Leif Rohwedder, inviting visitors to Nuremberg.

RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA opens to the public from Friday, December 6th to Sunday, December 8th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can also look forward to the RETRO NIGHT on the opening day. The event, which runs until 10 p.m. and is already included in the ticket price, features live music as well as interesting greetings and discussions that give an overview of the highlights of the trade fair.

“125 years of Opel automobile construction: Forever Forward since 1899!”

Opel is putting the RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA under the sign of the characteristic lightning bolt to mark the end of the anniversary of "125 years of Opel automobile construction". The Classic department from Rüsselsheim is travelling to Nuremberg with no fewer than 21 automotive rarities from almost every decade of the company's history. At both the "125 years of Opel automobile construction" exhibition in Hall 3C and the "40 years of DTM" in Hall 3A, great classics are just as important as legendary racing cars and concept cars. Here are a few examples that will certainly increase the desire to visit RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA:

In the spring of 1899, the first automobile manufactured by Opel, the Patent Motor Car System Lutzmann, rolled out of the Rüsselsheim factory - and marked the start of what would become more than 75 million Opel vehicles. The 1,000th vehicle was built in 1906. With models such as the 4/12 hp "Laubfrosch" from 1924, Opel was quick to turn a prestige vehicle for the wealthy into a means of transport for broad sections of the population.

Fritz von Opel, the eldest grandson of the company's founder Adam Opel, is on a very special mission on May 23, 1928. At 10 a.m., a futuristic racing car with wings on the side whizzes along Berlin's Avus. It is the RAK2 with 24 powder rockets in the rear. With it, Opel spectacularly ushers in the rocket age in front of running cameras - and lays the first foundation stone for manned space travel.

Opel's success with series vehicles continued unabated. In 1956, the two millionth vehicle with the lightning bolt rolled off the production line - a Kapitän . To mark the occasion, the company made the "anniversary" a one-off: As a unique flagship of the brand, the cream-white painted Opel model was given a 24-carat gold coating on all decorative and chrome parts.

"Only flying is more beautiful..." - these four words are enough to awaken longings and pure emotions. Just as the slogan went down in advertising history, the advertised car has itself become a timelessly beautiful classic since its launch in 1968: Opel GT. In Nuremberg, visitors can take a look at a particularly unusual example. 1969 Aero GT convertible study with an electrically retractable rear window and removable roof will be on display - one of only two examples produced.

In addition, numerous rally and touring car classics are on display in Hall 3A. One unforgettable example is Opel Ascona 400, in which the exceptional driver Walter Röhrl and his co-driver Christian Geistdörfer first won the 1982 Monte Carlo Rally and then spectacularly won the drivers' world championship. 

Black Opel "Cliff" Calibra is just as legendary: high-tech coupé with a 500 hp V6 engine dominated the 1996 International Touring Car Championship, winning both the constructors' and drivers' titles.

As a desirable sports coupe for everyone, Opel Manta has secured a firm place in Opel history and in the hearts of numerous fans. Opel Manta GSe shows just how true this still is today . It combines the appearance of the style icon with the latest technologies and a locally emission-free electric drive - and wherever it has been driven since 2021, it continues to attract attention with its Opel Pixel Vizor, bright yellow and black paintwork and rejuvenated drive train.

Opel Classic presents new virtual “160 Years of Opel” anniversary tour

• Now online: New tour shows highlights of Opel history from 1862 to today
• For all interests: “160 Years of Opel” complements the previous theme tours “Alternative Drives”, “Rally Racing”, “Roaring Twenties” and “Mobility for Millions”
• For fans and friends of the brand: Virtual tours developed with great attention to detail

Virtual Tour Opel Classic

In 2022, Opel is celebrating the company's 160th birthday. To mark this anniversary, Opel Classic has a special gift for all fans and friends of the brand: they can now immerse themselves in the company's history in the new "160 Years of Opel" theme tour at opel.com/opelclassic. From the comfort of their couch at home, users can take a virtual tour back to the beginnings of the company and enjoy numerous highlights from 160 years of Opel engineering. Opel Classic takes them on a varied tour from the first sewing machines and bicycles "made in Rüsselsheim" to the current "Golden Steering Wheel" title holder Opel Mokka-e 1 – around the clock, 365 days a year.

"New anniversary tour was developed with great attention to detail. Team first had to meticulously archive and document all the exhibits and precisely align them for filming so that online visitors can view the vehicles from all sides. Bilingual '160 Years of Opel' tour offers completely new Opel perspectives to all those interested. It's really worth clicking on and taking the tour," says the new Opel Classic Director Leif Rohwedder, looking forward to numerous online visitors.

"160 Years of Opel": Virtual tour from the beginning to today

New 360-degree tour takes visitors virtually into the "hallowed halls" of the Opel Classic Collection in Rüsselsheim. Here, the brand with the Blitz shelters a veritable treasure trove of 600 historic vehicles and studies as well as 300 other exhibits ranging from Opel sewing machines to aircraft engines. The highlights of the "160 Years of Opel" tour include a look at the beginnings in the 1860s as well as the following decades. By clicking on the yellow info points, Opel Classic reveals important information about the selected exhibits – short and sweet, right to the point.

"Wanderjahre Adam Opels" (Adam Opel's wandering years) are discussed as well as historically valuable exhibits such as the "Quintuplet" – a five-seat bicycle – on which the five sons of the company founder had themselves photographed for publicity purposes at the end of the 19th century. The pioneer among Opel automobiles can also be seen for the first time in a virtual tour: the Patentmotorwagen "System Lutzmann" from 1899, which marked the beginning of car production in Rüsselsheim.

Then interested visitors can continue on various paths through the historic halls. They will not only encounter numerous Opel icons and bestsellers, but also innovative record-breaking vehicles such as the Opel Elektro GT. 

Five decades ago, this car demonstrated at the Hockenheimring what is possible with zero emissions. Tour through 160 years of Opel history leads to further groundbreaking developments such as the first fully electric vehicle suitable for everyday use, the Opel Ampera, and the battery-electric Opel Mokka-e. Current e-car with the Blitz won the "Golden Steering Wheel 2021"1 with its convincing driving performance as well as its very own style and rounds off the journey through time in the Opel halls.

"160 Years of Opel" tour now complements the Opel Classic online tours that were successfully launched in 2021. Here, visitors can also explore and enjoy the subjects of "Alternative Drives", "Rally Racing", "Roaring Twenties" and "Mobility for Millions".

[1] “Golden Steering Wheel 2021” Opel Mokka-e (power consumption according to WLTP 16.2-15.8 kWh/100 km, CO2 emission 0 g/km, range up to 338 km, efficiency class A+++). AUTO BILD edition 45/2021 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 46/2021, category for “Best car under €25,000” incl. environmental bonus.

!NEW! Opel Cabrio Glamor at the Techno Classica Essen

• Opel convertibles with flair: 14 models as symbols of open-air driving fun
• Over 100 years of elegant automotive history at Stand 125 in Hall 2
• Visitor highlight: Photos in Opel Motor Car “System Lutzmann” from 1899
• New Cascada continues Opel mid-size convertible tradition

Opel Patent Motor Car System Lutzmann (1899)

With 14 cars spanning more than 100 years of car manufacturing, Opel exhibits a selection of its most popular convertibles at this year’s Techno Classica in Essen, Germany from April 10-14. The glamorous exhibit includes the first Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann of 1899, the 10/18 Doppelphaeton with its ‘American top’, the Rekord A Cabrio from the company Deutsch, the Monza Keinath C5, and the new mid-size Opel Cascada convertible presented at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

A special highlight for visitors to Opel Stand 125 in Hall 2: They can revive the past and get their picture taken in a real “Lutzmann” from 1899. Models from Carlottas Mode dressed in 19^th century clothing bring an extra special touch to the ambience for visitors daily from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. from Friday, April 12 to Sunday, April 14 .The scene is set in front of a large screen that gives visitors the feeling of driving down a picturesque, tree-lined road in a gentle breeze. This personal souvenir photo from the Techno Classica can be taken during the duration of the show.

As in previous years, Adam Opel AG’s historical vehicle department shares the over 700 square meter stand at the 25^th Techno Classica with Alt-Opel-IG, the largest Opel brand club in the world.

Cascada as modern interpretation of Opel Kapitän and Co.

The elegant Cascada extends a tradition for premium convertibles, like the famous Opel Kapitän presented 75 years ago which was offered as a two and four-door sedan and convertible at its debut in 1938. At Opel’s stand in Essen, the Cascada and Kapitän convertibles will be flanked by conversions from renowned coachbuilders who constructed dream cabrios based on Opel cars well into the 1980s.

Using the stately Opel Admiral of 1937 as a basis, the Hebmüller Karosserie company in Wülfrath created a luxurious, two-seat sports cabrio, and Gläser of Dresden took a similar approach with the Opel Super 6 in 1936. Coachbuilder Deutsch from Cologne converted the four-seat Rekord C in the late 1960s, and Keinath in Dettingen crafted an attractive cabrio from the sporty Monza coupé.

Opel’s Essen display also includes: an Opel 6/12 from 1910, the successor to the legendary 4/12 Doctor’s Car, an ultra-chic 1.1-liter luxury two-seater; a sporty 1.8-liter Moonlight Roadster from 1933 and an Olympia cabrio sedan from 1950. All are part of Opel’s Classic collection in Rüsselsheim.

The beginning was open

The very first Opel was, in fact, a cabrio. Like all cars built at the dawn of the automobile age, the Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann from 1899 followed traditional carriage design principles and had a body without an integral roof. By the time production ended in 1901, 65 Patent Motor Cars had left the Rüsselsheim factory.

The Opel 10/18 hp from 1908 and the 6/12 hp from 1910 also came without a top – a roof and side panels were available at extra cost. While an open body was still standard as late as the 1920s, closed bodies followed in the 1930s and open-air driving then became a symbol of luxury and status.

Vehicles from Rüsselsheim inspired famous coachbuilders to create their own beauties using Opel models as a starting point. The Deutsch company from Cologne-Braunsfeld built 51 units of their sporty Moonlight Roadster. The basis for this racy two-seater was the 1.8-liter model line presented in 1931, with which Opel became the first volume manufacturer to introduce an affordable straight-six engine in the mid-size class.

Groundbreaking vehicle and engine design

To celebrate the company’s 75^th anniversary, Adam Opel AG presented two novel vehicles with trend-setting design on February 17, 1937: the Super 6 and the premium class Admiral model. Both cars were equipped with advanced overhead valve engine technology. The Super 6, for the upper mid-size class, featured a smooth-running 2.5-liter straight-six with 55 hp, and the premium class Admiral had a powerful six-cylinder with 3.6-liter displacement and 75 hp. Both models were offered ex-works as a sedan, as well as a two-door, and in the Admiral’s case, also as a four-door cabrio.

In addition to coachbuilders Buhne (Berlin), Autenrieth (Darmstadt) and Hebmüller (Wülfrath), Gläser from Dresden built special bodies based on the Super 6. The Gläser cabrio was a roadster-like convertible with two jump seats in the long rear body. Based on the Admiral, the sport cabrio from Hebmüller featured similar elegant, but even larger, design and was more luxurious and exclusive.

Another cabrio for more discerning tastes is the Kapitän convertible presented in 1937, which was available in addition to the sedan. The first Opel Kapitän – whose successors were among the best-selling six-cylinder cars in Germany into the early 1960s – achieved sales of 25,374 units, 4,563 of which were cabrios. The Super 6, Admiral and Kapitän were, for the time being, the last cabrios offered by the company.

The diversity of open-top driving was then reduced to one model. Unlike a full cabrio, the Opel Olympia cabrio sedan had fixed window frames connected to the windshield – a pre-war style of open-top driving that was well-established with manufacturers and popular with buyers. In 1956, the last car with this design, in the shape of the Olympia Rekord model line, rolled off the assembly line. The role of a popular compact cabrio was then assumed by various versions of the Kadett and Astra.

Into the future with the Cascada – and back to the roots of cabrios

Predecessors of the new four-seat Cascada include creations from Karl Deutsch in Cologne. The coachbuilder converted the Rekord A of 1963 into a cabrio, as it did with the Rekord C in 1966 and its sporty sister model the Commodore A. The entry-level price for a two-door Rekord C base car was 7,590 German marks, and the conversion cost another 4,000 marks. Only around 30 open-air Rekord A and B models were built, while about 50 Rekord C and Commodore A cabrios were produced before the model change in 1972. Instead of a mid-size class sedan, Opel’s partner, Keinath in Dettingen, chose the sporty upper-class Monza coupé as the basis for its conversion in the early 1980s. Just like the production model, the sophisticated Keinath C5 – with two individual Recaro seats in the rear cabin and a modified notchback – was available with four or six-cylinder engines with outputs up to 180 hp. The base price was 81,000 marks and the total units built of the exclusive custom-made model remain in the two digits.

The tradition of large convertibles is experiencing a renaissance with the new Opel Cascada. The nearly 4.7-meter long mid-size convertible has four full-sized seats, high-quality, classic soft-top technology and a load volume of up to 380 liters. The Cascada features a wide range of economical, technically sophisticated engines, the highlight of which is the 1.6-liter SIDI Turbo from the new family of mid-size gasoline engines. The 125 kW/170 hp Turbo with direct injection offers excellent refinement and smooth power development – the perfect basis for gentle and calm cruising. The new Cascada is once again being built in an Opel plant, just like the Kapitän and Admiral in their day.

!NEW! Let the Sun Shine in – the Story of Opel Convertibles

From Kapitän to Cascada – Opel at the Techno Classica

Opel Kapitän convertible (1938)

Opel Cascada convertible (2013)

With thirteen cars spanning more than 100 years of car manufacturing, Opel exhibits a selection of its most popular convertibles at this year’s Techno Classica (April 10-14, 2013) in Essen, Germany. The display includes the first Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann of 1899, the 10/18 Doppelphaeton with its ’American top‘, the Rekord A Cabrio from the company Deutsch, the Monza Keinath C5, and the current Opel Cascada presented at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

Opel Monza KC 5 convertible (1985)

The elegant Cascada extends a tradition for premium convertibles, like the famous Opel Kapitän presented 75 years ago which was offered as a two and four-door sedan and convertible at its debut in 1938. At Opel’s stand in Essen, the Cascada and Kapitän convertibles will be flanked by conversions from renowned coachbuilders who constructed dream cabrios based on Opel cars well into the 1980s.

Using the stately Opel Admiral of 1937 as a basis, the Hebmüller Karosserie company in Wülfrath created a luxurious, two-seat sports cabrio, and Gläser of Dresden took a similar approach with the Opel Super 6 in 1936. Coachbuilder Deutsch from Cologne converted the four-seat Rekord C in the late 1960s, and Keinath in Dettingen crafted an attractive cabrio from the sporty Monza coupé.

Opel’s Essen display also includes: an Opel 6/12 hp from 1910, the successor to the legendary 4/12 hp Doctor’s Car, an ultra-chic 1.1-liter luxury two-seater; a sporty 1.8-liter Moonlight Roadster from 1933 and an Olympia cabrio sedan from 1950. All are part of Opel’s Classic collection in Rüsselsheim.

As in previous years, presents the traditional division of Adam Opel AG during the 25th Techno Classica worldwide on more than 700 square meter stand in Hall 2, together with the Vintage Opel IG, the largest Opel brand club.

The beginning was open

The very first Opel was, in fact, a cabrio. Like all cars built at the dawn of the automobile age, the Opel Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann from 1899 followed traditional carriage design principles and had a body without an integral roof. By the time production ended in 1901, 65 Patent Motor Cars had left the Rüsselsheim factory.

The Opel 10/18 hp from 1908 and the 10/24 hp from 1911 also came without a top – a roof and side panels were available at extra cost.

Opel 10/24 hp Torpedo Double Phaeton (1911)

While an open body was still standard as late as the 1920s, closed bodies followed in the 1930s and open-air driving then became a symbol of luxury and status.

Vehicles from Rüsselsheim inspired famous coachbuilders to create their own beauties using Opel models as a starting point. The Deutsch company from Cologne-Braunsfeld built 51 units of their sporty Moonlight Roadster. The basis for this racy two-seater was the 1.8 liter model line presented in 1931, with which Opel became the first volume manufacturer to introduce an affordable straight-six engine in the mid-size class.

Opel Moonlight roadster (1933)

To celebrate the company’s 75^th anniversary, Adam Opel AG presented two novel vehicles with trend-setting design on February 17, 1937: the Super 6 and the premium class Admiral model. Both cars were equipped with advanced overhead valve engine technology. The Super 6, for the upper mid-size class, featured a smooth-running 2.5-liter straight-six with 55 hp, and the premium class Admiral had a powerful six-cylinder with 3.6-liter displacement and 75 hp. Both models were offered ex-works as a sedan, as well as a two-door, and in the Admiral’s case, also as a four-door cabrio.

Opel Super 6 convertible (1936)

In addition to coachbuilders Buhne (Berlin), Autenrieth (Darmstadt) and Hebmüller (Wülfrath), Gläser from Dresden built special bodies based on the Super 6. The Gläser cabrio was a roadster-like convertible with two jump seats in the long rear body. Based on the Admiral, the sport cabrio from Hebmüller featured similar elegant, but even larger, design and was more luxurious and exclusive.

Opel Admiral convertible (1937)

Another cabrio for more discerning tastes is the Kapitän convertible presented in 1937, which was available in addition to the sedan. The first Opel Kapitän – whose successors were among the best-selling six-cylinder cars in Germany into the early 1960s – achieved sales of 25,374 units, 4,563 of which were cabrios. The Super 6, Admiral and Kapitän were, for the time being, the last cabrios offered by the company.

Opel Kapitän convertible (1939)

The diversity of open-top driving was then reduced to one model. Unlike a full cabrio, the Opel Olympia cabrio sedan had fixed window frames connected to the windshield – a pre-war style of open-top driving that was well-established with manufacturers and popular with buyers. In 1956, the last car with this design, in the shape of the Olympia Rekord model line, rolled off the assembly line. The role of a popular compact cabrio was then assumed by various versions of the Kadett and Astra.

Predecessors of the new four-seat Cascada include creations from Karl Deutsch in Cologne. The coachbuilder converted the Rekord A of 1963 into a cabrio, as it did with the Rekord C in 1966 and its sporty sister model the Commodore A. The entry-level price for a two-door Rekord C base car was 7,590 German marks, and the conversion cost another 4,000 marks. Only around 30 open-air Rekord A and B models were built, while about 50 Rekord C and Commodore A cabrios were produced before the model change in 1972.

Opel Rekord C convertible (1967)

Instead of a mid-size class sedan, Opel’s partner, Keinath in Dettingen, chose the sporty upper-class Monza coupé as the basis for its conversion in the early 1980s. Just like the production model, the sophisticated Keinath C5 – with two individual Recaro seats in the rear cabin and a modified notchback – was available with four or six-cylinder engines with outputs up to 180 hp. The base price was 81,000 marks and the total units built of the exclusive custom-made model remain in the two digits.

Opel Monza KC 5 convertible (1985)

The tradition of large convertibles is experiencing a renaissance with the new Opel Cascada. The nearly 4.7-meter long mid-size convertible has four full-sized seats, high-quality, classic soft-top technology and a load volume of up to 380 liters. The Cascada features a wide range of economical, technically sophisticated engines led by the new 1.6 liter SIDI Turbo ECOTEC gasoline engine with 125 kW/170 hp and direct injection. The Opel convertible is once again being built in an Opel plant, just like the Kapitän and Admiral in their day.