HISTORY.

1862

Adam Opel opens a sewing machine factory in Rüsselsheim

1886

Start of bicycle production

1899

First automobile is produced: The Opel Patent Motorwagen “System Lutzmann”

1902

First model built entirely by Opel introduced to market

1911

Major fire destroys a large part of the plant; production of sewing machines ends

1924

High-volume production of the “Laubfrosch” begins; first assembly line in Germany

1928

Fritz von Opel reaches a top speed of 238 km/h in the rocket-propelled RAK 2 on the AVUS track in Berlin

1929

General Motors becomes majority stockholder in Adam Opel AG

1936

The Olympia is the first series production vehicle with an all-steel body. Opel builds the first compact car, the Kadett

1937

After building over 2.6 million units, bicycle production is ceased

1940

Production switched to war commodities (airplane cockpits, charge-air coolers, etc.)

1946

Begin of post-war production with the Opel “Blitz” (1.5 ton commercial vehicle) and “Frigidaire” refrigerators

1947

Passenger car production resumes with the Opel “Olympia”

1962

New Opel plant opened in Bochum

1966

Start of production in component plant in Kaiserslautern; test center in Dudenhofen begins operations

1981

New paint shop in Rüsselsheim becomes first in the world to use water-based paints in series production

1991

Laying of foundation stone for new assembly plant in Eisenach

1999

“100 Years Opel Cars”; the 50 millionth Opel rolls off the assembly line

2002

Start of production in new plant in Rüsselsheim

2011

Today

1862

First sewing machine

1888

Opel bicycle from 1888

1899

Opel Patent Motorwagen “System Lutzmann”

1901

Begin of motorcycle production

1902

Opel Motorwagen 10/12 hp

1909

Opel 4/8 hp “Doctor’s Car”

1913

Grand Prix Race Car

1924

Opel 4/12 “Laubfrosch”

1928

Rocket car “RAK 2”

1928

4/16 luxury two-seater from 1928

1935

Opel Olympia

1936

Opel Kadett

1937

Opel Admiral

1952 & 1956

Opel Kapitän and Opel Blitz

1956

The 2 millionth Opel: An Opel Kapitän L

1960

Opel Olympia Record P2

1962

Opel Kadett A

1968

Opel GT

1983

Opel Kadett D GT/E

1990

Opel Calibra

1994

Opel Omega B

2008

Opel Insignia

2011

Opel Ampera

1862

First workshop

1868

First factory building

1901

Motorcycle production around 1901

1911

Plant destroyed by fire

1912

Bicycle production

1912

Assembly plant for “large cars”

1926

Assembly-line production

1926

Assembly-line production of 4/16 hp

1929

Group picture with new Opel owners

1934

Loading in Opel train station

1930er

Opel plant in the late 1930s

1949

Loading Kapitän onto train

1950

Bodyshell assembly

1952

Aerial shot of new manufacturing plant K40

1958

Sale of Opel refrigerators “Frigidaire”

1962

Opel plant Bochum

1963

Final assembly

1966

Opel Test Center Dudenhofen

1981

Paint shop in Rüsselsheim

1995

Opel Eisenach

1995

Frame construction in Eisenach

1998

New company headquarters “Adam Opel Haus”

2003

The new plant in Rüsselsheim

Today

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