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67-569: 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 the PSA Group prior to its merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to form Stellantis in 2021. Most of the Opel lineup

134-522: 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

201-532: 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

268-430: A car, and prefer other modes of transport. Other potentially powerful automotive markets are Iran and Indonesia . Emerging automobile markets already buy more cars than established markets. According to a J.D. Power study, emerging markets accounted for 51 percent of the global light-vehicle sales in 2010. The study, performed in 2010 expected this trend to accelerate. However, more recent reports (2012) confirmed

335-742: 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

402-689: 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 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

469-562: 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,

536-551: A group of major car manufacturers including GM , Ford , Volvo , BYD Auto , Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz committed to "work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission globally by 2040, and by no later than 2035 in leading markets". Major car manufacturing nations like the United States, Germany, China, Japan and South Korea, as well as Volkswagen , Toyota , Peugeot , Honda , Nissan and Hyundai , did not pledge. The global automotive industry

603-408: 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

670-478: 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

737-500: A top producer 1950s : United Kingdom, Germany, and France restarted production. 1960s : Japan started production and increased volume through the 1980s. United States, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom produced about 80% of motor vehicles through the 1980s. 1990s : South Korea became a volume producer. In 2004, Korea became No. 5 passing France. 2000s : China increased its production drastically, and became

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804-531: 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

871-643: Is a major consumer of water. Some estimates surpass 180,000 L (39,000 imp gal) of water per car manufactured, depending on whether tyre production is included. Production processes that use a significant volume of water include surface treatment, painting, coating, washing, cooling, air-conditioning, and boilers, not counting component manufacturing. Paintshop operations consume especially large amounts of water because equipment running on water-based products must also be cleaned with water. In 2022, Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg ran into legal challenges due to droughts and falling groundwater levels in

938-463: Is a primary mode of transportation for many developed economies. The Detroit branch of Boston Consulting Group predicted that, by 2014, one-third of world demand would be in the four BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Meanwhile, in developed countries, the automotive industry has slowed. It is also expected that this trend will continue, especially as the younger generations of people (in highly urbanized countries) no longer want to own

1005-979: 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 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

1072-813: 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

1139-667: 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

1206-481: 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 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

1273-439: 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

1340-411: The PSA Group had been in the top 8 1999 to 2012, and 2007 to 2012 one of the eight largest along with the seven largest as of 2017) and the five largest in the top 5 positions since 2007, according to OICA, which, however, stopped publishing statistics of motor vehicle production by manufacturer after 2017. All ten remained as the ten largest automakers by sales until the merger between Fiat-Chrysler and

1407-757: 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

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1474-566: The United States led the world in total automobile production, with the U.S. Big Three General Motors , Ford Motor Company , and Chrysler being the world's three largest auto manufacturers for a time, and G.M. and Ford remaining the two largest until the mid-2000s. In 1929, before the Great Depression , the world had 32,028,500 automobiles in use, of which the U.S. automobile enterprises produced more than 90%. At that time,

1541-518: The article wizard to submit a draft for review, or request a new article . Search for " Opel 4 " in existing articles. Look for pages within Misplaced Pages that link to this title . Other reasons this message may be displayed: If a page was recently created here, it may not be visible yet because of a delay in updating the database; wait a few minutes or try the purge function . Titles on Misplaced Pages are case sensitive except for

1608-417: The horseless carriage . Early car manufacturing involved manual assembly by a human worker. The process evolved from engineers working on a stationary car, to a conveyor belt system where the car passed through multiple stations of more specialized engineers. Starting in the 1960s, robotic equipment was introduced to the process, and most cars are now mainly assembled by automated machinery. For many decades,

1675-485: The value chain are made to avoid these product recalls by ensuring end-user security and safety and compliance with the automotive industry requirements. However, the automotive industry is still particularly concerned about product recalls, which cause considerable financial consequences. In 2007, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road, consuming over 980 billion litres (980,000,000 m ) of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The automobile

1742-576: The 1902 Hamburg Motor Show . Production began in 1906, with 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

1809-637: 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

1876-645: 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

1943-660: 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 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

2010-527: 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

2077-481: 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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2144-657: The PSA Group in early 2021 ; only Renault was degraded to 11th place, in 2022, when being surpassed by both BMW (which became the 10th largest in 2021) and Chang'an . These were the twenty largest manufacturers by production volume in 2012 and 2013, or the 21 largest in 2011 (before the Fiat-Chrysler merger ), of which the fourteen largest as of 2011 were in the top 14 in 2010, 2008 and 2007 (but not 2009, when Changan and Mazda temporarily degraded Chrysler to 16th place). The eighteen largest as of 2013 have remained in

2211-428: The U.S. had one car per 4.87 persons. After 1945, the U.S. produced around three-quarters of the world's auto production. In 1980, the U.S. was overtaken by Japan and then became a world leader again in 1994. Japan narrowly passed the U.S. in production during 2006 and 2007, and in 2008 also China , which in 2009 took the top spot (from Japan) with 13.8 million units, although the U.S. surpassed Japan in 2011, to become

2278-585: 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,

2345-399: 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, 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,

2412-486: The automotive industry, safety means that users, operators, or manufacturers do not face any risk or danger coming from the motor vehicle or its spare parts. Safety for the automobiles themselves implies that there is no risk of damage. Safety in the automotive industry is particularly important and therefore highly regulated. Automobiles and other motor vehicles have to comply with a certain number of regulations, whether local or international, in order to be accepted on

2479-511: 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

2546-545: 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

2613-525: 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

2680-420: 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

2747-427: 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

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2814-535: 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

2881-510: 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

2948-548: The existing pension plans in Great Britain and Germany. Automobile manufacturer The word automotive comes from the Greek autos (self), and Latin motivus (of motion ), referring to any form of self-powered vehicle. This term, as proposed by Elmer Sperry (1860–1930), first came into use to describe automobiles in 1898. The automotive industry began in the 1860s with hundreds of manufacturers pioneering

3015-889: The 💕 Look for Opel 4 on one of Misplaced Pages's sister projects : [REDACTED] Wiktionary (dictionary) [REDACTED] Wikibooks (textbooks) [REDACTED] Wikiquote (quotations) [REDACTED] Wikisource (library) [REDACTED] Wikiversity (learning resources) [REDACTED] Commons (media) [REDACTED] Wikivoyage (travel guide) [REDACTED] Wikinews (news source) [REDACTED] Wikidata (linked database) [REDACTED] Wikispecies (species directory) Misplaced Pages does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for Opel 4 in Misplaced Pages to check for alternative titles or spellings. You need to log in or create an account and be autoconfirmed to create new articles. Alternatively, you can use

3082-451: 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

3149-401: 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

3216-488: The list below) currently possess the capability to design original production automobiles from the ground up, and 17 countries (listed below) have at least one million produced vehicles a year (as of 2023). These were the ten largest manufacturers by production volume as of 2017, of which the eight largest were in the top 8 positions since Fiat's 2013 acquisition of the Chrysler Corporation (although

3283-408: 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

3350-564: 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,

3417-545: The market. The standard ISO 26262 , is considered one of the best practice frameworks for achieving automotive functional safety . In case of safety issues, danger, product defect , or faulty procedure during the manufacturing of the motor vehicle, the maker can request to return either a batch or the entire production run. This procedure is called product recall . Product recalls happen in every industry and can be production-related or stem from raw materials. Product and operation tests and inspections at different stages of

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3484-573: 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

3551-478: 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

3618-587: The opposite; namely that the automotive industry was slowing down even in BRIC countries. In the United States, vehicle sales peaked in 2000, at 17.8 million units. In July 2021, the European Commission released its " Fit for 55 " legislation package, which contains important guidelines for the future of the automotive industry; all new cars on the European market must be zero-emission vehicles from 2035. The governments of 24 developed countries and

3685-519: 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

3752-592: 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

3819-780: The region. Brandenburg's Economy Minister Joerg Steinbach said that while water supply was sufficient during the first stage, more would be needed once Tesla expands the site. The factory would nearly double the water consumption in the Gruenheide area, with 1.4 million cubic meters being contracted from local authorities per year — enough for a city of around 40,000 people. Steinbach said that the authorities would like to drill for more water there and outsource any additional supply if necessary. 1960s : Post-war increase 1970s : Oil crisis and tighter safety and emission regulation 1990s : Production started in NICs . 2000s : Rise of China as

3886-589: 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,

3953-461: The second-largest automobile industry. In 2023, China had for the first time in history more than 30 million produced vehicles a year, after reaching 29 million for the first time in 2017 and 28 million the year before. From 1970 (140 models) over 1998 (260 models) to 2012 (684 models), the number of automobile models in the U.S. has grown exponentially. Safety is a state that implies being protected from any risk, danger, damage, or cause of injury. In

4020-406: The top 20 as of 2017, except Mitsubishi which fell out of top 20 in 2016, while Geely fell out of the top 20 in 2014 and 2015 but re-entered it in 2016. It is common for automobile manufacturers to hold stakes in other automobile manufacturers. These ownerships can be explored under the detail for the individual companies. Notable current relationships include: Opel 4 From Misplaced Pages,

4087-492: 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 –

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4154-433: 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

4221-457: The world's largest-producing country in 2009. 2010s : India overtakes Korea, Canada, Spain to become 5th largest automobile producer. 2013 : The share of China (25.4%), India, Korea, Brazil, and Mexico rose to 43%, while the share of United States (12.7%), Japan, Germany, France, and United Kingdom fell to 34%. The OICA counts over 50 countries that assemble, manufacture, or disseminate automobiles. Of those, only 15 countries ( boldfaced in

4288-411: 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 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

4355-627: 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 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

4422-489: 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

4489-545: 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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