The Opel K 180 was a version of the Opel Kadett built by GM Argentina from 1974 to 1978. It differed from the German car mainly in its engine, a 1.8-litre unit designed in Argentina and derived from the locally built Chevrolet 194.
Opel K 180 at a glance
| Maker | GM Argentina S.A. |
|---|---|
| Production | 1974–1978 |
| Based on | GM T-car, as the Opel Kadett |
| Engine | 1.8 litre, derived from the Chevrolet 194 |
| Carburettor | Bendix downdraught |
| Compression | 8.2:1 |
| Power | 83 hp (62 kW) SAE at 5,200 rpm |
| Sporting version | Rally, from 1976 |
| Luxury version | LX, from 1977 |
| Award | Car of the Year 1977, by APICA |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Opel K 180. The article is short, so this page is shorter than usual.
History of the Opel K 180
Argentinian engine, German body
The K 180 was a variation of General Motors’ T-car platform, which also underpinned the Opel Kadett, the Chevrolet Chevette and the Isuzu Gemini. The body was the familiar Kadett shape, but under the bonnet sat an engine designed in Argentina and derived from the locally built Chevrolet 194. With a downdraught Bendix carburettor and a compression ratio of 8.2:1 it was claimed to develop 83 hp at 5,200 rpm, and it gave the K 180 a character of its own compared with the German original.
Rally and LX
In 1976 GM Argentina added a sporting Rally version, with a rev counter, black bumpers, black striping and other decorations that set it apart from the standard car. The next year came the more luxurious K 180 LX. The model was well received by the Argentine press: in 1977 it was named Car of the Year by APICA, the association of Argentine automotive journalists, which made it one of the country’s best-known Opel-badged cars.
An Opel badge on a worldwide platform
The K 180 belongs to a family of T-car derivatives sold around the world: the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Vauxhall Chevette and Bedford Chevanne in Britain, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in Brazil and the United States, the Daewoo Maepsy in South Korea and the Isuzu Gemini and Buick Opel in Japan. Production of the K 180 ended in 1978. Such was the life of the platform in Argentina that it was replaced only in 1992, by the GMC Chevette — fourteen years after the last K 180 had left the line.
Design and features
- Argentinian 1.8: a local engine derived from the Chevrolet 194, with 83 hp.
- Rally version: rev counter, black bumpers and striping from 1976.
- LX: the better-equipped model from 1977.
- Car of the Year 1977: chosen by Argentine automotive journalists.
Opel K 180 versions
- K 180 (1974): the standard car.
- K 180 Rally (1976): the sporting version.
- K 180 LX (1977): the luxury version.
The K 180 was the Argentinian version of the Kadett. More cars are in the Opel collection.
Sources
- Opel K 180, English Wikipedia: engine, versions, award
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