The Opel Combo is Opel’s small panel van and leisure vehicle, in production since 1986. The first Combo was a Kadett E van, the next two were based on the Corsa, and the fourth generation, launched in 2018, shares its body with the Peugeot Rifter and Partner and the Citroën Berlingo.
Opel Combo at a glance
| Maker | Opel, a General Motors brand until 2017 |
|---|---|
| Combo A (Kadett Combo) | January 1986 – August 1993 |
| Combo B | October 1993 – 2001 |
| Combo C | 2002 – 2012 |
| Combo D | December 2011 – December 2017 |
| Combo E | from March 2018 |
| Combo A basis | Opel Kadett E |
| Combo B and C basis | Opel Corsa B and C |
| Combo D basis | Fiat Doblò |
| Combo E basis | Peugeot Rifter/Partner, Citroën Berlingo |
| Plants | Ellesmere Port, then Azambuja, Portugal |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Opel Combo.
History of the Opel Combo
Kadett Combo (1986)
The Opel Kadett Combo was introduced in January 1986 and built until August 1993 on the Opel Kadett E. It was made at Ellesmere Port in Britain by Vauxhall until January 1989, when a facelift brought a new grille separate from the bumper and production moved to Azambuja in Portugal, where Opel built the vans itself. German buyers could choose a 1.3-litre petrol engine, later enlarged to 1.4, or a 1.6 and later 1.7-litre diesel; in some countries, including Britain, there was also a 90 PS 1.6 petrol. In the United Kingdom the three-door estate-based van was sold as the Bedford and later Vauxhall Astravan, and the high-roof version as the Bedford Astramax, in 365 and 560 versions named for their payload in kilograms.
Combo B (1993–2001)
The first generation to carry the Combo name alone was launched in October 1993 and based heavily on the Opel Corsa B, which had appeared six months earlier. Everything up to the B-pillar was practically identical to the Corsa, but the platform and body were extended to take a tall, boxy cargo compartment able to hold a Euro-pallet. The van had symmetrical twin rear doors opening to the side rather than a single tailgate. In the summer of 1995 Opel added a five-passenger Combo Tour with side windows in the cargo area and a three-passenger split-folding bench. All Combos came from Azambuja in Portugal, and the C replaced them in 2001.
Combo C, D and E
The second generation, the Combo C, was launched at the Frankfurt show in September 2001 and again used the Corsa, this time the C, whose Gamma platform limited the width of the van. The front clip was shared with the Corsa only back to the A-pillar, which gave the car a more integrated look. Sales began in January 2002, and the C brought sliding rear side doors for the first time, in single or double form. A Combo Tour followed, and then a Combo Tour Tramp, also called Arizona, with raised suspension, more ground clearance and chassis protection for a rugged look. The third Combo, built from December 2011 to December 2017, was based on the Fiat Doblò. Opel and Vauxhall joined Groupe PSA in March 2017, and the fourth generation, launched in March 2018, shares its platform and bodywork with the Peugeot Rifter and Partner and the Citroën Berlingo.
Design and features
- Corsa roots: the Combo B and C shared their front ends and much of their structure with the Corsa.
- Euro-pallet load bay: the boxy rear of the Combo B was sized to take a standard pallet.
- Twin rear doors: symmetrical side-hinged doors on the commercial versions.
- Leisure versions: the Combo Tour and the raised Tour Tramp/Arizona for private buyers.
Opel Combo versions
- Kadett Combo (1986): van and high-roof Astramax on the Kadett E.
- Combo B (1993): Corsa B-based van, with the Combo Tour from 1995.
- Combo C (2002): Corsa C-based, with sliding doors and the Tour Tramp.
- Combo D (2011): based on the Fiat Doblò.
- Combo E (2018): shared with the Peugeot Rifter and Citroën Berlingo.
The Combo B and C were built on the Corsa, and the first Combo on the Kadett. More cars are in the Opel collection.
Sources
- Opel Combo, English Wikipedia: generations, platforms, plants, versions
