The Opel Rekord was Opel’s large family car, built in eight generations between 1953 and 1986, with about ten million sold. It began life as the Olympia Rekord, a replacement for the pre-war Olympia, and in 1986 its name was taken over by the Omega.
Opel Rekord at a glance
| Maker | Adam Opel AG, Rüsselsheim |
|---|---|
| Production | 1953–1986 |
| Generations | eight |
| Sold | about ten million |
| Olympia Rekord | 1953–1957, around 580,000 cars |
| Rekord P1 | July 1957 – July 1960 |
| Rekord P2 | 1960–1963, 787,684 cars |
| Rekord A | 1963–1965, 885,292 cars |
| Engine, 1953 | 1,488 cc, 40 PS |
| Top speed, 1953 | about 121 km/h |
| Wheelbase, 1953 | 2,487 mm |
| Successor | Opel Omega |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Opel Rekord.
History of the Opel Rekord
Olympia Rekord (1953–1957)
The Opel Olympia Rekord was introduced in March 1953 as the successor to the Opel Olympia, a pre-war design dating back to 1935, and stayed in production until 1957 in four versions, with around 580,000 built. The 1953–54 saloons looked like scaled-down versions of the contemporary Chevrolet, which was no coincidence, since both companies belonged to General Motors. The car had a 1,488 cc engine of 40 PS, a 2,487 mm wheelbase and a top speed of about 121 km/h, and cost between DM 6,410 and 6,710 in two-door saloon, cabriolet and Caravan estate forms.
Each year brought a facelift: a larger rear window and new grille for 1955, when a base model called simply Olympia and a delivery van were added at DM 5,850 to 6,710; a new grille and bumpers without guards for 1956, with power up to 45 PS and prices from DM 5,410; and for 1957 a flatter roof and chrome strips along the belt line, with the cabriolet dropped. Production ran from 136,028 cars in 1953/54 to 169,721 in 1957.
Rekord P1 and P2
The Rekord P1 of July 1957 brought a larger, more modern body with wrap-around windscreen and rear window, introducing two-tone paintwork to Germany. The standard car was the Opel Olympia Rekord, while a reduced-specification version was sold as the Opel Olympia and known as the “Bauern-Buick”, or peasant’s Buick. A new base model with a 1,196 cc engine appeared in 1959 as the Opel 1200. A semi-automatic gearbox called Olymat became available for 1959, and a 1,680 cc engine of 55 PS for 1960. Prices ran from DM 5,785 to 6,845 and 509,110 cars were made in 1958–59, with a further 307,000 P1s and 67,952 Opel 1200s after that. Autenrieth of Darmstadt converted a few P1 saloons into coupés and cabriolets at DM 9,380 and 11,180.
The P2 of 1960 was bigger and had a completely new body without wrap-around windows, in two- and four-door saloons, a three-door Caravan estate and delivery van, a pickup and a convertible. A works coupé came in August 1961 and a more luxurious L version in June 1962 with a 1,700 cc S engine. Prices were DM 6,545 to 7,770, and 787,684 cars were built.
Rekord A and beyond
The Rekord A of 1963 repeated the P2’s line-up, but with completely new bodies and a wheelbase stretched to 2,620 mm. March 1964 brought the Rekord L-6 with the Kapitän’s 2.6-litre six, and 885,292 Rekord As were built between 1963 and 1965, at prices from DM 6,830 to 9,370, with front disc brakes a DM 200 option. Karl Deutsch of Cologne sold a handful of convertibles with the 1700 S or 2600 engine. Further generations followed until 1986, when the Omega took the Rekord’s place, and derivatives of the Rekord D and E were built by Vauxhall in Britain and, in the case of the E, by Holden in Australia.
Design and features
- Ten million cars: one of the most successful Opel models ever built.
- American looks: the 1953 car echoed the contemporary Chevrolet.
- Never badged with its generation: names such as Rekord P1 and Rekord A were used by historians, not on the cars.
- Wide range of bodies: saloons, estates, vans, pickups, coupés and coachbuilt convertibles.
Opel Rekord versions
- Olympia Rekord (1953): saloon, cabriolet and Caravan estate.
- Rekord P1 (1957): wrap-around glass and two-tone paint.
- Opel Olympia and Opel 1200: the cheaper versions of the P1.
- Rekord P2 (1960): new body and a works coupé from 1961.
- Rekord A (1963): new body and the 2.6-litre L-6.
- Rekord D and E: the later generations, the E also built by Holden.
The Rekord was replaced by the Omega, and the Commodore was its six-cylinder version. More cars are in the Opel collection.
Video: Der Checker – Opel Rekord D
Video by Truckerfighter on YouTube.
Sources
- Opel Rekord, English Wikipedia: generations, prices, production figures, engines
