The 1862, ο Adam Opel, he could not even imagine that his company would become one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe. Using his father's locksmith shop, in Risselheim, Germany, he built sewing machines and the 1886 bicycles, while by the middle of his decade ?20, was the world's largest manufacturer. Later he started building motorcycles and the 1899 cars, being the second oldest car manufacturer in Germany after Daimler-Benz.

CHRONIC STATIONS

The 1902, Opel presents the patented Lutzmann with engine 10/12 hp, and they follow the Doktorwagen (1909) and Puppchen (1914). In his decade 1920 launches Laubfrosch (tree frog) and Rakete (rocket). The 1924, was the first German car manufacturer to use an automated assembly line, launching missile tests at the same time. In fact, the 1928, the rocket-powered Opel breaks the speed record (238 km / h) on the Berlin Avus circuit. The 1929, the Opel-Sander RAK1 takes off from a square in Frankfurt. She was the first, albeit short, manned flight of a rocket-propelled vehicle.

NEW ERA

The 1929 a global economic crisis breaks out and Opel collaborates with the American giant General Motors. The 1935 surpasses them 100.000 units of annual production. The new Blitz truck and the famous Olympia stand out, the first German production model with a self-supporting body made of steel. The 1936 the history of compact models begins: from the first Kadett, up to the current Astra.

In short...The War put everything on hold. It just finished, the German economic miracle was associated with several Opels: Olympia, Olympia Record, Rekord P1 and Kapitan, but also Frigidaire home refrigerators. The 1962, opens a second factory in Bochum, while his decade ?60 many sports models are manufactured: Commodore, Manta and GT. The 1972 a front-wheel-drive Kadett is produced for the first time, and 1980 displays a full range of catalysts. Many safety systems follow and we arrive at today's electric Ampera (and with a gasoline engine for autonomy 500 km).

Source : sport-fm.gr