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74-746: The Opel Zafira is a car manufactured and marketed across three generations between 1999 and 2019 by Opel . Based on the Opel Astra platform, it is developed to occupy the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment. The Zafira was also marketed under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom until June 2018, the Holden marque in Australia until June 2005, and under a number of other market-specific brands and names. The name "Zafira" derives from

148-524: A self-supporting ("unibody") all-steel body, closely following the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant . This was one of the most important innovations in automotive history. Launched in 1935, the Olympia was light and its aerodynamics enhanced performance and fuel economy. The 1930s was a decade of growth, and by 1937, with 130,267 cars produced. Opel's Rüsselsheim facility was Europe's top in terms of vehicle production, and ranking seventh worldwide. 1938 saw

222-531: A turbocharged 240 hp (180 kW) 2.0 L performance version of the Zafira B as well. A CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) version of the new Zafira with a 1.6 L engine is also available. In November 2015, the London Fire Brigade issued an alert in response to a "spike" in reports of fires with the model. In December 2015, safety officials in the United Kingdom asked Vauxhall to initiate

296-886: A 125 PS (92 kW) 2.2-litre option in January 2002. The Zafira A body was used in GM/Opel's concept hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle the GM HydroGen3 . A facelift was launched in February 2003 at the Geneva Motor Show . The Zafira ranked third in the European Car of the Year for 2000, behind only the Fiat Multipla and Toyota Yaris . In TüV's ranking of the quality of three year old cars,

370-534: A 7% share of PSA, becoming PSA's second-largest shareholder after the Peugeot family. The alliance was intended to enable $ 2 billion per year of cost savings through platform sharing, common purchasing, and other economies of scale. In December 2013, GM sold its 7% interest in PSA for £250 million, after plans of cost savings were not as successful. Opel was said to be among Europe's most aggressive discounters in

444-742: A compact MPV, the Zafira . In 1999, Opel unveiled its first sports car, the Speedster (Vauxhall VX220 in the UK). However, it was not a success and was discontinued in 2005. The company moved into the city car market in early 2000 with the Agila launch. The third generation Opel Corsa was launched in 2000, followed by a new version of the Vectra in 2002 and the Astra in 2004. Three generations of Vectra gave way to

518-562: A decade, but when production finished, there was no direct successor due to declining sales of executive saloon models from mainstream brands. A Corsa-based coupe, the Tigra , was also launched around this time and lasted in production for six years. The second generation Opel Vectra was launched in 1995, with the Vectra nameplate now extending to the Vauxhall version in the UK. The first Opel MPV,

592-640: A facelift was unveiled for 2017 (with sales starting at the end of 2016), dropping 'Tourer' from the name when sold as an Opel. As part of the upgrade, new front and rear bumpers and new interior brought styling in line with the Opel Astra K . OnStar navigation was also introduced as part of an updated IntelliLink infotainment system, complete with 4G LTE hotspot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Other new options for MY2017 included adaptive LED headlights, "Opel Eye" front camera, high beam assist, traffic sign assist, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. In June 2018,

666-463: A full safety recall of the model Zafira B, due to a worrying level of car fires apparently or alleged to have been caused by 'Improper Repairs'. The fires continued, even those recalled, and a second full safety recall was announced in May 2016, with all owners advised not to use the fan in speeds regulated by the "resistor pack" which contained a solder based unreliable safety critical thermal fuse, until

740-408: A length of 74 cm (29 in), weighing 7 kg (15 lb) empty and 16 kg (35 lb) with fuel. The maximum thrust was 45 to 50 kp, with a total burning time of 132 seconds. These properties indicate a gas pressure pumping. The first missile rose so quickly that Sander lost sight of it. Two days later, a second unit was ready to go, Sander tied a 4,000-meter (13,000 ft)-long rope to

814-479: A new product in 1886: he began to sell high-wheel bicycles , also known as penny-farthings . Opel's two sons participated in high-wheel bicycle races, thus promoting this means of transportation. In 1888, production was relocated from a cowshed to a more spacious building in Rüsselsheim. The production of high-wheel bicycles soon exceeded the production of sewing machines. At the time of Opel's death in 1895, he

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888-477: A parking garage at Stavanger Airport, Sola to be destroyed. No people were harmed. The third generation of the Zafira, called the Zafira Tourer, was previewed in concept form at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show , as the 'Zafira Tourer Concept'. It was largely based on the Opel Astra J, and when the Zafira Tourer C went on sale, the Zafira B remained on sale from 2011 up to 2014, albeit in facelifted form as

962-479: A record speed of 238 km/h (148 mph) in front of 3,000 spectators and world media representatives, including Fritz Lang , director of Metropolis and Woman in the Moon , world boxing champion Max Schmeling , and many other sports and show business celebrities. A world speed record for rail vehicles was reached with RAK3 at a top speed of 256 km/h (159 mph). After these successes, von Opel piloted

1036-531: A wholly owned subsidiary. In 1935, Opel became the first German car manufacturer to produce over 100,000 vehicles annually. This was because of the popularity of the Opel P4 model. The sales price was 1,650 marks and the car had a 23  PS (17  kW ) 1.1 L four-cylinder engine achieving a top speed of 85 km/h (53 mph). Opel also produced the first mass-production vehicle in Germany with

1110-465: Is a part of new strategy in which Opel will introduce seventeen new engines, in a period from 2014–2018. Opel Opel Automobile GmbH ( German pronunciation: [ˈoːpl̩] ), usually shortened to Opel , is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and

1184-517: Is still headquartered in Rüsselsheim am Main. The company designs, engineers, manufactures, and distributes Opel-branded passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and vehicle parts; together with its British sister marque Vauxhall, they are present in over 60 countries around the world. The company was founded in Rüsselsheim , Hesse , Germany, on 21 January 1862, by Adam Opel . In the beginning, Opel produced sewing machines . Opel launched

1258-573: The Arabic word meaning to succeed . Since 2011, it received an additional moniker as the Zafira Tourer . The first generation Zafira was internally designated as the Zafira A . Co-developed with Porsche , it debuted in concept form at the 1997 Frankfurt Auto Show and entered series production in January 1999, with sales beginning in April of that year. The Zafira shared the T platform with

1332-878: The Calibra , being launched the following year. Soon afterward, Opel launched a high-performance version of the Omega – the Lotus Omega (Lotus Carlton in the UK) – which featured Lotus-tuned suspension and had a top speed of 175 mph. Opel's first turbocharged car was the Opel Rekord 2.3 TD , first shown at Geneva in March 1984. In the 1990s, Opel was considered GM's cash cow, with profit margins similar to Toyota's. Opel's profit helped to offset GM's losses in North America and to fund GM's expansion into Asia. 1999

1406-571: The Chevrolet brand. Opel traces its roots to a sewing machine manufacturer founded by Adam Opel in 1862 in Rüsselsheim am Main . The company began manufacturing bicycles in 1886 and produced its first automobile in 1899. With the Opel RAK program, the world's first rocket program, under the leadership of Fritz von Opel , the company played an important role in the history of aviation and spaceflight: Various land speed records were achieved, and

1480-668: The Insignia in 2008, with the new model becoming the company's first European Car of the Year award winner for 22 years. Following the 2008 global financial crisis and the Chapter 11 reorganization of GM , on 10 September 2009, GM agreed to sell a 55% stake in Opel to a consortium including Magna group and Sberbank – with the approval of the German government. The deal was later called off. With ongoing restructuring plans, Opel announced

1554-497: The PSA Group agreed to buy Opel, its English twin sister brand Vauxhall and their European auto lending business from General Motors for US$ 2.2 billion. In return, General Motors will pay PSA US$ 3.2 billion for future European pension obligations and keep managing US$ 9.8 billion worth of plans for existing retirees. Furthermore, GM is responsible for paying about US$ 400 million annually for 15 years to fund

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1628-524: The PSA Group prior to its merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to form Stellantis in 2021. Most of the Opel lineup is marketed under the Vauxhall brand in the United Kingdom since the 1980s. Some Opel vehicles were badge-engineered in Australia under the Holden brand until 2020, in North America and China under the Buick , Saturn (until 2010), and Cadillac brands, and in South America under

1702-757: The Sintra , was launched in Europe in 1996, imported from the US where it was sold as a Pontiac , but discontinued after three years due to disappointing sales. The Vauxhall-badged UK market version was also slated in motoring surveys for its dismal build quality and reliability. 1997 saw the demise of the Calibra coupe after an eight-year production, with no immediate replacement. The Opel Astra hatchbacks, saloons, and estate were wholly revamped for 1998 and, within two years, had also spawned coupe and cabriolet versions, as well as

1776-538: The "Zafira Family", to act as a smaller and cheaper version, as the Zafira Tourer C increased in size, to act as a proper rival to the Ford S-Max . A hybrid/electric version was expected to follow during 2012. This car indirectly replaced the Opel Sintra , the only previous full sized Vauxhall/Opel MPV in Europe, which was discontinued in May 1999 after just three years on sale, as a slow selling product built in

1850-638: The 1920s, Fritz von Opel initiated together with Max Valier , co-founder of the "Verein für Raumschiffahrt", the world's first rocket program, Opel-RAK , leading to speed records for automobiles, rail vehicles and the first manned rocket-powered flight in September 1929. Months earlier in 1928, one of his rocket-powered prototypes, the Opel RAK2, piloted by von Opel himself at the AVUS speedway in Berlin, reached

1924-585: The 1980s there. The factory opened in 1982, and its first product was the Opel Corsa (imported to the UK as the Vauxhall Nova from 1983). The Ascona switched to front-wheel drive for an all-new General Motors J-Car global model format in 1981, with the Cavalier nameplate continuing for the UK market. The Kadett was revamped again in 1984, and became the company's first winner of the European Car of

1998-543: The 1998 Astra G , sharing much commonality with that car. The Zafira seated seven passengers in three rows. Using a system marketed as Flex 7 , the split back seat could fold into the floor to increase cargo space, without requiring removal. Offered with a series of petrol engines and initially a single diesel offering, the "X" engines were replaced by the newer "Z" engine generation in 2000. These featured variable intake manifolds and were able to meet Euro 3 emissions standards. The 2.0-litre turbodiesels were complemented by

2072-649: The 2.0 CDTI (130PS) engine and it gained a Start/Stop system to make it more economical, emitting 119g/km of CO 2 , as for petrol variants they were 1.4T ecoFLEX with a Start/Stop system with same amount of power (120 and 140 PS) like standard versions but with lower CO 2 emissions – 144g/km and better fuel efficiency. In 2013, two all new engines were introduced: 1.6 SIDI Turbo petrol engine with 170 PS and 200 PS, and newly developed 1.6 CDTI diesel engine with 136 PS. In September 2014, Opel introduced its all new generation of engines – Large Diesel engines, starting with 2.0 CDTI engine with 170 PS and 400 Nm, which

2146-779: The Japanese automobile industry. He attended Keio High School and graduated from Keio University in 1939, with a degree in Economics, and soon began to work for his father's company, with a position on the Board of Directors in 1941, CEO in 1945, and Chairman in 1985. Due to the vehicles being imported, Yanase had a reputation of selling large luxury cars, because European and North American vehicles did not comply with Japanese government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement. Therefore, vehicles imported by Yanase were taxed for their larger dimensions. A meeting with

2220-527: The Opel RAK collaborators were able to attain powered phases of more than thirty minutes for thrusts of 300 kg (660-lb.) at Opel's works in Rüsselsheim," again according to Max Valier's account. The Great Depression led to an end of the Opel-RAK program, but Max Valier continued the efforts. After switching from solid-fuel to liquid-fuel rockets, he died while testing and is considered the first fatality of

2294-536: The Opel versions. The Opel Ascona of this era was sold on the UK market (and made in British and continental factories) as the Vauxhall Cavalier . Both of these cars had mild styling changes, as did the flagship Opel Rekord and Vauxhall Carlton saloon and estate ranges, which went on sale towards the end of the 1970s. By the 1970s, Opel had emerged as the stronger of GM's two European brands; Vauxhall

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2368-765: The Philippines after they stopped selling the Opel Astra in 2003. Although sold as the Chevrolet Zafira, it was sold alongside other Opel vehicles until it the Opel name was pulled out of the Philippine-market by its distributor, GM Philippines. The Zafira was produced and sold in the Thailand from 2000 to 2005. it was sold alongside other Opel vehicles until it the Opel name was pulled out of

2442-910: The Thai-market by its distributor, GM Thailand. Thailand’s domestic family wagon segment with 3,946 units sold. The Zafira A was sold in Malaysia as the Chevrolet Nabira . The Zafira was sold in Japan from August 2001 through to November 2004 as the Subaru Traviq alongside the standard Opel vehicle. In exchange, Subaru supplied the Subaru Forester as the Chevrolet Forester in India since 2003. According to Subaru,

2516-591: The Tokyo Commercial High School in 1904, he worked for the Mitsui OSK Shipping Lines when the company was previously known as Osaka Shipping. When Yanase began the importing company with Mitsui, he also imported petroleum mineral oil products. The mineral oil business became Yanase Shoji Co. Ltd. while the importing of automobiles became Yanase Automobile Co. Ltd, where Mr. Yanase served as president. The automobile business

2590-525: The Traviq name was a combination of the words "travel" and "quick". Imported from Thailand, the Traviq was originally only available with the bigger 2.2 litre engine, although a 1.8 L, lower priced alternative was added in July 2003. The engines used were not Subaru supplied boxer engines, but were conventional in line units that were uncharacteristic to market recognised Subaru products, and all-wheel drive

2664-520: The United States. The production version debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and went on sale November 2011. A natural gas version of the Zafira Tourer was announced in December 2011. A dual fuel vehicle, its CNG tank driving the car 530 kilometres, and a 14-litre petrol tank provided additional range or operation when a CNG filling station was not available. In June 2016,

2738-541: The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer was discontinued from the United Kingdom, citing the rise of SUV and crossover vehicles. In 2019, it was replaced by LCV -based Zafira Life . All engines had a six speed manual gearbox as standard, bar the 1.8 petrol, which had a five speed manual gearbox as standard. An automatic gearbox was available as an option on the 1.4T and 2.0 CDTI (165 PS), both without S/S. An EcoFLEX version went on sale in 2012, equipped with

2812-585: The Year accolade. The Rekord's successor, the Opel Omega (still Vauxhall Carlton in the UK), achieved the same success two years later. The long-running Ascona nameplate was discontinued in 1988, with its replacement being sold as the Vectra , although the UK market version was still sold as the Vauxhall Cavalier. The Opel Manta coupe was also discontinued in 1988, with its Vectra-based successor,

2886-526: The Zafira Family . This name change occurred in markets including Germany. In Mexico the Chevrolet Zafira was discontinued after the 2006 model year, and replaced by the five-passenger Chevrolet HHR . The Zafira B's engine line was partly carried over from the previous Astra/Zafira generation. Opel replaced the 2.0 and 2.2 turbodiesel I4 engines with 1.9 L common rail turbodiesels developed by Fiat (Multijet). Opel Performance Center developed

2960-543: The Zafira was by far the best Opel; only slightly behind the winning Ford Focus . Zafira A production ended on 25 May 2005, in Bochum . It was replaced by Zafira B in Europe, but was still sold in most other markets until 2012 (albeit that its cousin the Chevrolet Astra was discontinued in 2011), except for Australia and New Zealand, where the model was cancelled altogether. Introduced at Geneva in February 2001,

3034-412: The closure of its Antwerp plant in Belgium by the end of 2010. In 2010, Opel announced that it would invest around € 11 billion in the next five years. €1 billion of that was designated solely for the development of innovative and fuel-saving engines and transmissions. On 29 February 2012, Opel announced the creation of a major alliance with PSA Peugeot Citroen , resulting in GM taking

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3108-433: The company's American leadership had rejected an "invitation" to switch to munitions manufacture a few months earlier. In 1942 Opel switched to wartime production, making aircraft parts and tanks. Truck manufacture continued at the Brandenburg plant , where the 3.6-liter Opel Blitz truck had been built since 1938. These 3 short tons (2.7  t ) trucks were also built under license by Daimler-Benz in Mannheim . After

3182-417: The company's SUV line-up in 1994, but had been dropped from the UK and continental markets by 2000 due to disappointing sales. At the end of 1992, the company unveiled a completely new Corsa, which, like the original model, was produced at the Zaragoza plant. This car carried the Corsa nameplate on the UK market as a Vauxhall. A second generation Omega was launched in early 1994. It remained in production for

3256-420: The country's largest automobile exporter in 1928. The "Regent" – Opel's first eight-cylinder car – was offered. The RAK 1 and RAK 2 rocket-propelled cars made sensational record-breaking runs. Opel as a company and its co-owner Fritz von Opel , grandson of Adam Opel, were instrumental in popularizing rocket propulsion for vehicles and have an important place in the history of spaceflight and rocket technology. In

3330-427: The dawning space age. Sander's technology was confiscated by the German military in 1935. He was forced to sell his company and was imprisoned for treason. He died in 1938. In March 1929, General Motors (GM), impressed by Opel's modern production facilities, bought 80% of the company. The Opel family gained $ 33.3 million from the transaction. Subsequently, during 1935, a second factory was built at Brandenburg for

3404-410: The early post-war years. Opel GT This two seater sports car was introduced in 1968 and was produced until 1973. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Vauxhall and Opel ranges were rationalised into one consistent range across Europe. The 1973 version of the Opel Kadett was later rebadged in hatchback, saloon, and estate form as the Vauxhall Chevette for the UK market, with German factories producing

3478-451: The end of the war, with the Brandenburg plant dismantled and transported to the Soviet Union, and 47% of the buildings in Rüsselsheim destroyed, former Opel employees began to rebuild the Rüsselsheim plant. The first postwar Opel Blitz truck was completed on 15 July 1946 in the presence of United States Army General Geoffrey Keyes and other local leaders and press reporters. Opel's Rüsselsheim plant also made Frigidaire refrigerators in

3552-430: The existing pension plans in Great Britain and Germany. Yanase (car dealership) Yanase currently has 174 stores selling new cars in Japan and 31 stores that sell used cars under direct management. There is a related company or subsidiary organization dealing with a particular brand of imported cars, some in rural areas. On May 25, 2015, the Yanase car dealership network celebrated its 100th anniversary. Yanase

3626-451: The late 1920s in Rüsselsheim. According to Max Valier 's account, Opel RAK rocket designer, Friedrich Wilhelm Sander launched two liquid-fuel rockets at Opel Rennbahn in Rüsselsheim on 10 and 12 April 1929. These Opel RAK rockets were the first European, and after Goddard, the world's second, liquid-fuel rockets in history. In his book Raketenfahrt Valier describes the size of the rockets as of 21 cm (8.3 in) in diameter and with

3700-401: The less expensive manufacturing process), but by the 1930s, this type of vehicle would cost a mere 1,930 marks – due in part to the assembly line, but also due to the skyrocketing demand for cars. Adam Opel led the way for motorised transportation to become not just a means for the rich, but also a reliable way for people of all classes to travel. Opel had a 37.5% market share in Germany and was

3774-405: The licensed Opel Darracq version discontinued in 1907. In 1909, the Opel 4/8 PS model, known as the Doktorwagen ( lit.   ' Doctor's Car ' ) was produced. Its reliability and robustness were appreciated by physicians, who drove long distances to see their patients back when hard-surfaced roads were still rare. The Doktorwagen sold for only 3,950 marks, about half as much as

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3848-408: The luxury models of its day. The company's factory was destroyed by fire in 1911, and a new facility was built with more up-to-date machinery. Opel's cars were initially tested on public roads, leading to complaints about noise and road damage. Under public pressure, Opel began construction of a test oval in 1917. The track was completed in 1919, but not open to the public until 24 October 1920 under

3922-462: The market. GM reported a 2016 loss of US$ 257 million from its European operations. It is reported that GM has lost about US$ 20 billion in Europe since 1999. Opel's plant in Bochum closed in December 2014, after 52 years of activity, due to overcapacity. Opel withdrew from China, where it had a network of 22 dealers, in early 2015 after General Motors decided to withdraw its Chevrolet brand from Europe starting in 2016. In March 2017,

3996-418: The new version of the Kadett – entered production in 1979, initially built in Germany and Belgium. It was sold in the UK alongside the stronger-selling Vauxhall version – the Astra – which entered UK production in 1981. During the 1970s, Opel expressed interest in building an additional production facility in Spain and eventually settled on a location near Zaragoza , intending to develop a new supermini for

4070-422: The official name of Opel-Rennbahn (Opel Race Track). In the early 1920s, Opel became the first German car manufacturer to build automobiles with a mass-production assembly line. In 1924, they used their assembly line to produce a new open two-seater called the Laubfrosch (Tree frog) . The Laubfrosch was finished exclusively in green lacquer. The car sold for an expensive 3,900 marks (expensive considering

4144-418: The partnership was dissolved after two years, following which Opel signed a licensing agreement in 1901 with the French Automobiles Darracq France to manufacture vehicles under the brand name Opel Darracq. These cars consisted of Opel bodies mounted on Darracq chassis, powered by two-cylinder engines. The company first showed cars of its design at the 1902 Hamburg Motor Show . Production began in 1906, with

4218-452: The platform and mechanical parts with the Opel Astra H. In February 2007, the Zafira B was launched in Singapore . By March 2007, the model had only been introduced in Europe and Singapore. It went on sale in Mexico in April 2006, and Chile in September 2007. In both countries, it was branded as the Chevrolet Zafira . Although this generation was replaced in the end of 2011 by the Zafira C, this model remained in production until May 2014 as

4292-464: The presentation of the highly successful Kapitän . With a 2.5 L six-cylinder engine, all-steel body, front independent suspension, hydraulic shock absorbers, hot-water heating (with electric blower), and central speedometer. 25,374 Kapitäns were made before the intensification of World War II brought automotive manufacturing to a temporary stop in the autumn of 1940, by order of the government. Opel automobile production ended in October 1940, after

4366-480: The production of " Blitz " light trucks. In 1929 Opel licensed the design of the radical Neander motorcycle and produced it as the Opel Motoclub in 1929 and 1930, using Küchen, J.A.P. , and Motosacoche engines. Fritz von Opel attached solid-fuel rockets to his Motoclub in a publicity stunt, riding the rocket-boosted motorcycle at the Avus racetrack. After acquiring the remaining shares in 1931, General Motors had full ownership of Adam Opel AG and organized it as

4440-482: The recovery efforts. Yanase also imported REO Motor Car Company vehicles and chassis. After World War II , Yanase resumed importing operations, selling Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen under the direction of Yanase's son, ill|Jiro Yanase. Jiro Yanase was born June 28, 1916, and passed away on March 13, 2008. He was inducted into the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001, and the North American Automotive Hall of Fame in 2004 for his contributions in pioneering

4514-473: The rocket. After 2,000 m (6,600 ft) of rope had been unwound, the line broke, and this rocket also disappeared in the area, probably near the Opel proving ground and racetrack in Rüsselsheim, the "Rennbahn". Sander and Opel also worked on an innovative liquid-propellant rocket engine for an anticipated flight across the English Channel. By May 1929, the engine produced a thrust of 200 kg (440 lb.) "for longer than fifteen minutes, and in July 1929,

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4588-427: The second recall, starting August 2016, had been carried out. On 3 May 2018, a criminal investigation into Vauxhall's handling of the fires of the Zafira B and recalls was launched in the United Kingdom. On 31 August 2019, major damage occurred in a parking garage in Cork, Ireland when an Opel Zafira caught fire. On 7 January 2020, there was a spontaneous fire in an Opel Zafira, which caused over 200 to 300 cars in

4662-403: The then Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida (1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954) convinced Jiro Yanase that imported cars should be sold as a luxury good, making imported vehicles more expensive than Japanese domestically produced vehicles, thereby allowing Japanese companies to sell their products that were priced lower than imported vehicles. During the economic expansion period starting in

4736-414: The turbocharged Zafira OPC went on sale in October 2001. With 192 PS (141 kW), this was the fastest minivan on sale in Europe. Only available with a five speed manual transmission, 0–100 km/h (62 mph) can be reached in 8.2 seconds and the top speed is 220 km/h (137 mph). The Zafira was marketed in the Philippines from 2001 to 2005, as the last Europe-based Opel marketed in

4810-406: The two companies formed the backbone of GM's European operations – later merged formally in the 1980s as General Motors Europe . In March 2017, PSA Peugeot Citroën agreed to acquire Opel, the British twin sister brand Vauxhall and the European auto lending business from General Motors for €2 billion ($ 2.3 billion), making the French automaker the second biggest in Europe, after Volkswagen . Opel

4884-434: The two companies' operations and product families into one did not start until the 1970s – which had Vauxhall's complete product line replaced by vehicles built on Opel-based platforms – the only exception to the rule being the Bedford CF panel van. This only solely Vauxhall design was marketed as an Opel on the continent. By the turn of the 1980s, the two brands were, in effect, the same. Opel's first front-wheel drive car –

4958-435: The world's first public rocket-powered flight using Opel RAK.1 , a rocket plane designed by Julius Hatry . World media reported these events, including Universal Newsreel in the US, causing "Raketen-Rummel" or "Rocket Rumble" immense global public excitement, particularly in Germany, where, among others, Wernher von Braun was highly influenced. Opel RAK became enthralled with liquid propulsion, building and testing them in

5032-408: The world's first rocket-powered flights were performed in 1928 and 1929. After listing on the stock market in 1929, General Motors took a majority stake in Opel and then full control in 1931, making the automaker a wholly owned subsidiary , establishing an American ownership of the German automaker for nearly 90 years. Together with British manufacturer Vauxhall Motors , which GM had acquired in 1925,

5106-565: Was also not available. The sale of the Zafira as a Subaru created a conflict with previously established Yanase Co., Ltd. retail dealerships, in that Yanase was already selling Opel products, like the Zafira. When production of the Traviq ended, Yanase continued to import Opel products into Japan until 2006. It was replaced later in 2008 by the Subaru Exiga – developed from the Subaru Legacy platform. The second generation Zafira, internally designated Zafira B , debuted in Europe on 12 February 2005, with sales starting on 9 June 2005. It shared

5180-492: Was established in Hibiya , Tokyo in 1915 initially as a truck and bus builder by Chotarō Yanase, as a part of the Mitsui Group. By 1920 the company became an importer of General Motors products, primarily Buicks and Cadillacs. Yanase was born in Toyooka village (now Takasaki) , Usui, Gunma, Japan December 5, 1879, and died July 11, 1956. He was a graduate of the Tokyo Commercial High School , having earlier attended Tokyo Metropolitan High School at Hibiya . After graduation from

5254-457: Was in danger of going bankrupt, until the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923, where his company was instrumental in importing General Motors GMC trucks to help with the disaster recovery efforts, and continued to provide vehicles as the transportation infrastructure was rebuilt. Mr. Yanase was abroad on a business trip, and when he learned there was an earthquake back home, he immediately exported to Japan 2,000 Chevrolet Superior trucks to assist in

5328-543: Was the last time when Opel was profitable for an entire year after almost 20 years. The first major Opel launch of the 1990s was the 1991 Astra, which spelled the end for the Kadett nameplate that had debuted more than 50 years earlier. The company also turned to Japanese Isuzu for its first SUV, the Frontera , which was also launched in 1991 but produced in Europe despite its Japanese origins. The larger Monterey joined

5402-634: Was the leader in both markets. The first cars were designed in 1898 after Opel's widow Sophie and their two eldest sons entered into a partnership with Friedrich Lutzmann, a locksmith at the court in Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt , who had been working on automobile designs for some time. The first Opel production Patent Motor Car was built in Rüsselsheim early 1899, although these cars were not very successful (A total of 65 motor cars were delivered: eleven in 1899, twenty-four in 1900 and thirty in 1901) and

5476-608: Was the third-best-selling brand in Great Britain after the British Motor Corporation (later British Leyland ) but made only a modest impact elsewhere. The two companies were direct competitors outside of each other's respective home markets. Still, mirroring US automaker Ford's decision to merge its British and German subsidiaries in the late 1960s, GM followed the same precedent. Opel and Vauxhall had loosely collaborated before, but serious efforts to merge

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