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89-677: The Opel Omega is an executive car engineered and manufactured by German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2004. The first generation, the Omega A (1986–1994), superseded the Opel Rekord . It was voted European Car of the Year for 1987, and was available as a saloon or estate . The second generation, the Omega B, was manufactured from 1994 to 2004. Rebadged variants of the Omega were marketed worldwide, including in North America as

178-529: A Buick -derived 3.8-litre V6 between 1988 and 2004 or 5.0-litre V8 between 1988 and 1999, both manufactured by Holden , to a new 3.6-litre V6 from 2004 also built and exported by Holden and fully imported Chevrolet V8 engines, beginning with a 5.7 litre version in 1999, upgraded to a 260 kW 6.0 litre version in 2006. These vehicles were equally available in New Zealand. In the United Kingdom,

267-585: A "common rail" fuel system. In an effort to better compete with the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class , Opel decided to install a V8 engine into what was at the time their flagship model, the Opel Omega. Prototypes of sedan and station wagon versions were built (equipped with multimedia systems, and named V8.com). The V8.com concept car project was meant to be a "mobile office" it

356-561: A European organization founded to test car safety. The term was coined in the 1960s to describe cars targeted at successful professionals and middle-to-senior managers. It was used by businesses as an incentive for employees in senior roles and to exploit Britain and Europe's tax schemes as a company owned vehicle. Early executive cars typically offered engines with displacements of 2.0–3.5 L (122–214 cu in), compared with 1.6–2.4 L (98–146 cu in) for an equivalent sized—but less luxurious—"large family car". Prior to

445-461: A high-performance version of the Omega built in cooperation with Lotus . This version was named the Lotus Omega or Lotus Carlton depending on whether the base car was sold as an Opel Omega or Vauxhall Carlton in their respective European markets. The car was built using a variety of parts from other GM suppliers and manufacturers. The engine was based on Opel's standard 3.0-litre, 24-valve, which

534-469: A larger differential from Holden's Commodore with a 45% LSD, whereas the gearbox was a six-speed manual ZF gearbox fitted to the Corvette ZR1 . The tyres were custom made by Goodyear, and can be recognised by the small Greek letter Ω ( Omega ) on the side. These were required, as this car could reach 280 to 300 km/h (174 to 186 mph), which made this Omega the world's fastest production sedan at

623-729: A modern exterior design, but a traditional rear-wheel drive chassis. The engine range was all new. Its MV6 model was rebadged and sold in the United States as Cadillac Catera between 1997 and 2001. The Omega B's platform was also modified to form the basis of the Australian third-generation Holden Commodore up to 2006, commencing with the 1997 VT series . This generation also helped succeed the Opel Senator as GM's executive car offering in European markets. The Vauxhall version

712-547: A performance engine project out of his own initiative, but had lacked factory support or approval. Thus, in July 1974, GM started to offer the 250-S engine as an option for the Opala 4100. It was slightly different from the version launched two years later: the project engine was similar to the four-cylinder units, did not get a vibration damper, and used the cooling fan from the standard 2500, with four blades instead of six. The Opala

801-584: A rear spoiler. The car had a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph), and accelerated from 0–100 km/h in 8.8 seconds. The catalyzed version of the engine originally only had 156 PS (115 kW). The uncatalyzed model was discontinued in August 1988. In countries where the Omega 3000 was sold as a Vauxhall , it was called the Carlton GSi 3000. In October 1989, the Omega 3000 received an optional new engine with 24 valves, two overhead camshafts , and

890-669: A six-cylinder since 1928. However, when the B-body line was downsized in 1977, the engine was reintroduced. The base six cost about US$ 334 less than a V8, and weighed some 188 lb (85 kg) less. Overseas, the engine was also mass-produced in Brazil . It was used in the Chevrolet Opala from 1969 (230) to 1992 (250). It was also used in light trucks, including the Chevrolet Veraneio . The Brazilian version of

979-456: A two-barrel intake fitted with a Rochester Varajet carburetor and dual take down exhaust manifold were used in trucks and vans. The "integrated" cylinder head and intake manifold claimed to have resulted in increased low end torque and fuel economy inclusive of a smoother operation, lowering NVH ( noise, vibration, and harshness ). The engine was sold in various states of tune and under several different RPO codes over its production life. The L22

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1068-406: A variable intake manifold (Opel Dual Ram system). It also used a more advanced engine control unit . Power increased to 204 PS (150 kW), which increased top speed to 240 km/h (149 mph), and 0–100 km/h time dropped to 7.6 seconds. At the same time, output of the catalyzed two-valve version increased to 177 PS (130 kW), the same as the uncatalyzed original. This

1157-549: Is " Obere Mittelklasse " (lit. upper-middle class) as defined by the German federal authorities. Luxury cars larger than this are referred to as Oberklasse ("upper class"). Mercedes-Benz has produced large luxury cars since the early 1900s. Following World War II, Mercedes Benz's first all-new models were the Mercedes-Benz W120 executive cars. This lineage continues through to the present and has been marketed as

1246-606: Is used. The Turbo-Thrift 230 (also known as the High Torque 230 in Chevrolet trucks), with 230 cu in (3,768 cc) displacement, replaced the long-stroke 235 cu in (3.9 L) version of the Stovebolt six beginning in 1963. Bore and stroke were 3 + 7 ⁄ 8  in ×  3 + 1 ⁄ 4  in (98 mm × 83 mm). It was also used by Chevrolet and GMC trucks, primarily for

1335-718: The vollgasfest test. The solution to this problem would take longer than the planned production of the Omega. Holden did equip its Commodore (which was a reengineered Omega for Australian market) with the same V8 engine. A version of this platform was used for the Holden Monaro , which was marketed in the United States as the fourth-generation Pontiac GTO , and in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Monaro. These Australian sedans are larger in all body dimensions and have featured less sophisticated suspension designs, different interior styling, and powertrains ranging from

1424-558: The Autobahn for long periods of time. While cooling was resolved by using the larger Holden Commodore radiator, the transmission problem remained. The Chevrolet Corvette (C5) had a transaxle transmission; the only gearbox suitable for the Omega V8 was the GM 4L60-E 4-speed automatic transmission. However, the transmission's flexplate repeatedly broke at 250 km/h (155 mph) during

1513-1055: The Cadillac Catera , in Great Britain as the Vauxhall Omega , and South America as the Chevrolet Omega . As with the Rekord which preceded it, re-engineered versions of the Omega were manufactured in Australia from 1988 as the Holden Commodore (and its derivatives) since 1999. Commodore-based cars were in turn exported to South America as the Chevrolet Omega and to the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina . Production of

1602-523: The Chevrolet Opala and the Ford Maverick were the main contenders. The Maverick's engine was almost one liter larger than the Opala's, however. Drivers Bob Sharp and Jan Balder, who shared a ride to second place in the "24 Hours of Interlagos" in August of that year in an Opala, pressured General Motors do Brasil to field a more powerful racing engine. By coincidence, engine development manager Roberto B. Beccardi had already been working on such

1691-759: The Chrysler 300 was marketed in Europe as the Lancia Thema. Maserati's first executive is the Maserati Ghibli , which has been in production since 2013. Toyota has been producing large luxury cars since the 1955 Crown was released. The Crown remains in production today and is currently in its fifteenth generation. In 1991, the Crown-derived Aristo began production, and from 1993 until 2020 were marketed under Toyota's luxury sub-brand as

1780-530: The Family II design, whilst the six-cylinder units and the 2.4 L four-cylinder were based on the older Opel cam-in-head engine family. In Brazil, the car was sold as the Chevrolet Omega and powered by 2.0 L I4 (C20NE and C20YE) or 3.0 L I6 (C30NE) Opel engines until 1994. Since the discontinuation of the Omega A in Germany, General Motors do Brasil needed new engines to continue production and

1869-754: The Ford Scorpio was released, being sold in the U.K. as a Ford Granada until 1994. Vauxhall entered the executive car market with the 1978 Vauxhall Carlton and related Vauxhall Royale/Senator , which were based on the Opel Rekord E. In 1986, the Vauxhall Carlton Mark II switched to the German-built Opel Omega A, which was replaced in 1994 by the Vauxhall Omega (a rebadged version of the Opel Omega B). In

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1958-971: The GMT400 – the Brazilian Chevrolet Silverado – is powered with a 4.1 instead of the Vortec 4300 V6 . Brazilian-produced sixes manufactured to the 2001 model year gained multipoint fuel injection, unlike the US-manufactured sixes, which retained the Rochester Monojet one-barrel carburetor. These inline-sixes and their four-cylinder siblings were converted for marine usage by Mercruiser and Volvo Penta , and also used in stationary applications (such as power generation) and in Clark forklifts . Aftermarket port fuel injection and re-engineered cylinder heads have been

2047-493: The High Torque 250 in trucks) version was introduced in 1966, with the same 3.875 in (98.4 mm) bore as the 230 and a longer 3.53 in (90 mm) stroke for a larger 249.8 cu in (4.1 L; 4,093 cc) displacement. Between 1975 and 1984, an integrated cylinder head was produced (intake manifold and cylinder head were a single casting with a bolt on exhaust manifold). One-barrel intakes were used in passenger cars and trucks through 1978. Starting in 1979,

2136-521: The Honda Legend and had a front-wheel drive layout. In 1999, the 800 series was replaced by the Rover 75 , which was produced until 2005. The 75 straddled the executive and compact executive categories due to its size, although a long wheelbase version was available. The first executive car to be badged a Triumph was the 1946–1954 Triumph 1800/2000/Renown versions. Triumph's next and final entry to

2225-791: The Lancia Lambda , Lancia Artena , and Lancia Aprilia . The Lancia Flavia was an executive car that began production in 1961 and was replaced by the Lancia 2000 in 1971. The 2000 was replaced by the Lancia Gamma , which was released in 1976. In 1984, the Gamma was replaced by the Lancia Thema , then the Lancia Kappa in 1994. The Lancia Thesis , produced from 2001-2009 is the last executive car produced by Lancia. From 2011–2015,

2314-587: The Lexus GS . Nissan's longest-running executive car began production in 1959 as the Prince Gloria , which was later renamed the Nissan Gloria, following the merger of Nissan and Prince. The Gloria was produced for 12 generations until 2004. Another Nissan executive car was the 1960 Cedric , which was produced until 2004 (although a taxi/fleet version remained in production until 2015). The Cedric

2403-511: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class since 1993. The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class four-door fastback was added to the company's model range in 2004, with a shooting brake body style also produced from 2012-2017. BMW's first large luxury car was the 1936–1941 BMW 326 . After a hiatus of 21 years, BMW's next executive car models were the 1962 New Class Sedans . In 1972, the New Class was replaced by the BMW 5 Series , which remains in production today. Over

2492-850: The Sentia , which was produced until 1999. The Millenia , also sold as the Xedos 9 and the Eunos 800, was produced from 1993 until 2002. Honda introduced their first executive car, the Legend (sold as the Acura Legend in the United States) in 1985. The Legend was produced until 2012, and then from 2014 until 2021. It is believed that the standard of Korean Executive Cars came from the 3rd generation Hyundai Grandeur model launched in 1998. Previous models, Kia Potentia and Hyundai Grandeur, belonged to

2581-533: The Volvo 760 in 1982 and then the Volvo 960 in 1994. The 960 was renamed the S90 (sedan models) and V90 (wagon models) in 1996. The Volvo S80 was released in 1998, and was replaced in 2016 by a new generation of Volvo S90 / V90 sedans and wagons that presently remain in production. Daimler Company produced luxury cars in various sizes starting in the late 1890s. The lineage that led to their executive cars began with

2670-535: The "Chevrolet 110" for their Opel K 180 compact car. Pontiac's 215 cu in (3.5 L) (1964–1965) was a smaller bore of 3.75 in (95.25 mm) version of the 230 cu in (3.8 L) Chevrolet straight-six engine. One oddity is the crankshaft bolt pattern; in lieu of the Chevrolet V8 bolt pattern (also shared with the rest of the third-generation six), the Pontiac V8 bolt pattern

2759-517: The 1923–1929 Daimler 16 and Daimler 16/55 models, which were followed in 1932 by the Daimler Fifteen . The Fifteen was replaced by the 1937 Daimler New Fifteen and then the 1939 Daimler Consort (originally called the "Daimler 2½ Litre"). The Consort was replaced by the 1953–1958 Daimler Conquest . In 1962, the Daimler 2.5 V8 (later renamed the "Daimler V8-250") was released, based on

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2848-506: The 1930s. Peugeot began producing large cars in the early 1900s. Following the Peugeot 601 being discontinued in 1935, Peugeot ceased production of large cars until the Peugeot 604 was introduced in 1975. The 604 was replaced by the Peugeot 605 in 1989, which in turn was replaced by the Peugeot 607 in 1999. Following the end of the 607's production run in 2010, Peugeot no longer produces any executive cars. Citroën's first large car

2937-587: The 1990s, executive cars were typically sedans , however in recent years they have also been produced in other body styles, such as estates ( station wagons ), convertibles , coupés , and five-door hatch versions. They typically need to be "comfortable, refined and display some form of driving pleasure" on occasion. In general, executive cars are 4-door saloons , though may include estate , 5-door hatchback or 2-door coupé variants. Rover , Saab , Renault and Citroën formerly have been known to prefer hatchbacks, with Ford also offering alternatives through

3026-588: The 1990s. Audi , BMW and later Mercedes-AMG have recently offered hatchbacks as separate models for their executive cars since 2010s. One of the first Chinese-built executive cars was the 2006 Roewe 750 , based on the Rover 75 . In 2012, the Roewe 950 was introduced, which is a re-bodied version of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse . In 2020, BYD Han officially goes on sale in China. Several overseas brands have produced long wheelbase versions of cars specifically for

3115-451: The 2.0 L I4 was replaced by 2.2 L I4 engine (C22NE) with 116 PS (85 kW; 114 hp) and 197 N⋅m (145 lb⋅ft). The 3.0 L I6 was replaced by the locally produced 4.1 L (250ci) Chevrolet Straight-6 engine (C41GE) with 168 PS (124 kW; 166 hp) and 285 N⋅m (210 lb⋅ft). As fitted to the Omega, this engine was tuned by Lotus and equipped with multi port fuel injection. The Chevrolet Omega

3204-463: The 70th Geneva Motor Show (2–12 March 2000). The V8-engined version was to be put on sale in Autumn 2000, but it was cancelled after 32 pre-series cars had been completed. The reasons for cancelling production plans were concerns regarding the transmission and about whether the engine was vollgasfest ( German , "full throttle resistant"). The engine might overheat and be damaged if driven flat out on

3293-633: The Brazilian Chevrolet Silverado , after which the engine line was discontinued. Latter-day Brazilian-produced engines featured electronic multipoint fuel injection, distributorless ignition system and redesigned cylinder heads with smaller intake ports. GM did not produce another straight-six engine in North America until the introduction of the GM Atlas engine in late 2001. When long distance racing restarted in Brazil in 1973,

3382-730: The Chevrolet Impala was launched, but was discontinued. Renault Korea sold the SM7 based on the Nissan Teana from 2004 to 2020. In the Korean market, semi-large cars boast significant sales volume as a symbol of the middle class, and the Hyundai Grandeur ranks high in sales in the Korean automobile market. Currently, the semi-large business sedan models sold in the Korean market include Hyundai Grandeur and Kia K8 , and

3471-522: The Chinese market, due to the preference Chinese owners have for being driven by a chauffeur. Examples include the "XF L" version of the 2016 Jaguar XF (X260) , the "Li" version of the 2017 BMW 5 Series (G30) and other models from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. In France, executive cars are known as " Routière ", a class of comfortable long-distance cars that first emerged on the French market in

3560-487: The Exeo, which is basically a rebadged Audi A4 on the B7 platform, with some minor modifications to the front and rear fascias. Although it was not an E-segment vehicle but a segment D. It remained successful as a company car until 2013. Also, it was used as a police cruiser for the Guardia Civil highway corps. It was available in sedan and station wagon variants. It was the first vehicle from the brand equipped with diesel direct common raíl injection. Saab's first executive car

3649-453: The G10 in 1965 and 1966; it was not available in the C/K10 1 ⁄ 2 -ton trucks. The engine produced peak power of 120 hp (89 kW) ( gross ) and 177 lb⋅ft (240 N⋅m) of torque. The 194 variant ended production in North America after 1967, but remained in use by General Motors' Argentinian subsidiary until the mid-1970s. GM de Argentina also developed a 109.7 cu in (1,797 cc) four-cylinder version called

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3738-428: The Jaguar Mark 2. In 1966, the Daimler Sovereign was introduced, based on the Jaguar 420. The Sovereign and V8-250 were produced alongside each other until they both ended production in 1969. Jaguar began production of executive cars in 1935 with the first of the Jaguar Mark IV models. These were replaced by the 1948–1951 Jaguar Mark V . The Mark V's successor increased in size to the full-size luxury car segment, so

3827-526: The Omega A was afforded a facelift , which encompassed slight alterations to front and rear fascias, as well as interior materials and additional sound dampening. The until then base 1.8 L engine was dropped. The LS and GLS trim levels were also dropped, while the CD was joined by Club and CD Diamant. This options package was introduced in 1988, and could be added onto the GLS, LS, and CD trim versions. It included alloy wheels, metallic paint, tinted windows, stereo with cassette player, various leather trim in

3916-408: The Omega was discontinued in 2004. It was succeeded by the Opel Signum . The original Omega went into production in September 1986, as a replacement for the final version of the Opel Rekord , which had been in production since 1978. Sales began in November. The body was designed as an evolution of the previous Opel design theme engineered more towards aerodynamics in view of higher fuel prices and

4005-411: The Philippines, the Omega was replaced by the Chevrolet Lumina . Stories and photographs of a "new" successor appeared in the motoring press one year later. In the case of Auto Express , though, its October 2004 article simply featured the Holden Torana TT36 concept car, which itself previewed the 2006 Holden Commodore . Nevertheless, Holden contributed in the Omega badge remaining alive by it, for

4094-429: The Stovebolt: The first use of the new engine series was the 194 cu in (3.2 L) Hi-Thrift version in the 1962 Chevy II ; the following year, Chevrolet passenger cars adopted the 230 cu in (3.8 L) version across the range. Studebaker and Checker also began using the engine in 1965. Chevrolet and GMC trucks, which previously used the Stovebolt and GMC V6 engines , also switched to using

4183-448: The Turbo-Thrift from 1963 through 1988, as did Pontiac in 1964 and 1965. A 153-cubic-inch (2.5 L) inline-4 version of this engine was also offered in the Chevy II/Nova line through the 1970 model year. After several years of steadily declining sales (just 3,900 units in the 1972 model year ), the straight-six was dropped from Chevrolet's full-sized cars for 1973, the first time the full-sized Chevrolet had not been available with

4272-733: The United Kingdom. In Japan, the Omega A (and Vectra ) were the first Opels to be distributed by Isuzu Motors Ltd. rather than by long-standing importer Toho Motors (東邦モーターズ), beginning in July 1989. In the Isuzu lineup, it was slotted above the Isuzu Aska . All the Omega models used a longitudinally mounted engine with a rear-wheel drive setup, with a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic transmission . The engine range consisted of 1.8 L, 2.0 L, and 2.4 L four-cylinder units (as well as 2.0 L, 2.3 L diesel , and 2.3 L turbodiesel ) to 2.6 L, 3.0 L, and 3.0 L-24v six-cylinder units. The 1.8 L and 2.0 L four-cylinder petrol engines were all based on

4361-402: The United States, executive cars are referred to as full-sized cars. The first executive car produced by a Vietnamese company is the VinFast LUX A2.0 , which debuted at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Production started in 2019 and it achieved success in the Vietnamese domestic car market. Chevrolet Turbo-Thrift engine There were other major differences between the Turbo-Thrift engine and

4450-450: The Vauxhall Omega proved to be a successful model, despite being slated in many reviews for heavy depreciation and unreliability. Omegas and Carltons were a regular sight on United Kingdom roads, sporting police livery and as covert traffic surveillance cars. However, just four years after the introduction of its latest incarnation, Omega B2 , and seventeen years since introduction of Omega A , production of this model ended. On 25 June 2003,

4539-464: The Year for 1987, ahead of the highly acclaimed new versions of the Audi 80 and BMW 7 Series . Compared to the Rekord, the Omega featured many modern technological advances, which were new to Opel in general, if not to the volume segment European automotive market. These included electronic engine management, ABS, on-board computer (which displayed parameters such as momentary fuel consumption or average speed), air-conditioned glove compartment, and even

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4628-423: The brand was dissolved in 1967. Rover entered the executive car market in 1948 with the Rover P3 . The P3 was replaced by the Rover P4 in 1949, which was produced until 1964. The 1963 Rover P6 was the next executive car produced by Rover, which was replaced by the Rover SD1 in 1976 (marketed as the Standard 2000 in India). The SD1 was replaced by the 1986 Rover 800 series , which was a jointly developed with

4717-532: The entry-level model of its new Commodore. Unlike prior models since 1978, this new Holden was no longer based on an Omega platform. Ironically, a version of this Commodore would get exported to the UK market as the Vauxhall VXR8 from 2007 to 2017, effectively becoming the flagship of the brand. Being a high-performance sports sedan, it was the first such vehicle in Vauxhall's lineup since the Lotus Carlton/Omega . As of July 2020, only 3297 Vauxhall Omegas and 306 Carltons (including some rebadged Rekords ) are left on

4806-403: The executive car market was the 1963–1977 Triumph 2000 , which was a sales success in Britain. Ford Europe's first executive car was the 1950 Ford Zephyr . The Zephyr— and related Consul, Zodiac, and Executive models— were produced over four generations until 1972. The 1972 Ford Granada was initially built in the United Kingdom before switching to being imported from Germany in 1976. In 1985,

4895-399: The executive car segment in 1975 with the Renault 20/30 models. They were replaced, in 1983, by the Renault 25 which featured a fastback rear end. In 1992, the 25 was replaced by the Renault Safrane . The Safrane was replaced by the Renault Vel Satis hatchback in 2002, which in turn was replaced by the Latitude in 2010 and later the Talisman . The equivalent class for cars in Germany

4984-401: The general drive towards more fuel efficiency. The result was a remarkable drag coefficient of 0.28 (0.32 for the Caravan). The whole development program cost 2.5 billion Deutschmarks or £1.5 billion. The UK market version of the final generation of Rekord had been marketed as the Vauxhall Carlton , and this nameplate was retained for the new car. Late in 1986, it was voted European Car of

5073-441: The half-tons. It produced a peak 140 hp (104 kW) at 4,400 rpm and 220 lb⋅ft (298 N⋅m) at 1,600 rpm. North American production of this variant ceased in 1970. It was also built in Latin America and was in production in South Africa until at least 1982, where it powered a multitude of different cars. A four-cylinder version of this engine was also built, the Super-Thrift 153 . The Turbo-Thrift 250 (also known as

5162-481: The interior, and a painted grille and door mirrors. It sold well and the package was kept after the facelift and a similar system with the same name was used for the Omega B. The Omega 3000 was the sports version of the Omega A model range. It featured a straight-six , 3.0 litre, 12-valve engine, which produced 177 PS (130 kW). Other modifications from the base model included a lowered suspension and limited-slip differential , as well as different fascias and

5251-413: The large car position and were shopper-driven, but were relegated to owner-driven from the XG model. Afterward, the launch of Kia Opirus and Daewoo Magnus formed the semi-large car market. In the 2000s, Daewoo Motors (now GM KOREA) sold the Holden Commodore under the name Daewoo Statesman from the Australian Holden company and sold the Holden Caprice as the follow-up model as the Daewoo Veritas. Afterwards,

5340-429: The last Omega rolled out of the factory in Rüsselsheim – it was a silver 3.2 L V6 Omega B2, number 797,011. Following the demise of its direct rivals, the Ford Scorpio and Rover 800 , the former due to its controversial styling, Opel/Vauxhall found themselves competing against BMW's 5 Series , with minimal sales success. Apart from the Australian re-engineered Holden Commodore models that carried on until 2006 for

5429-460: The luxury brand is the Genesis G80 . SEAT's first executive car was the 1963–1973 SEAT 1500 , then in 1973, it launched the 132 which was the same FIAT 131 of the era since all cars from the brand were produced under license from FIAT. It was produced until 1982 when it was replaced by the Málaga in 1984, which was the first to be produced in-house entirely, to be replaced afterward with the Toledo, in 1991. Many years later, in 2009, SEAT launched

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5518-479: The model code U25DT, this was updated to the Euro 2 compliant X25DT engine during 1996. In late 1999, the Omega received a facelift and a 2.2 L 16-valve engine was added to the range as an eventual replacement for the 2.0 L which was discontinued within a year. The following year, a 3.2 L V6 engine replaced the 3.0 L V6 unit, and a 2.6 L V6 engine replaced the 2.5 L V6 unit. 2001 brought also brand new diesel 2.5 DTI engine from BMW , with

5607-402: The new saloon as coupé -like, speculating a release in 1992 or 1993. Meanwhile, the Cadillac Aurora (which also served as the basis for the Oldsmobile Aurora ) presented by General Motors at the 1990 Chicago Auto Show in February, was the concept car that bore close resemblance to the Omega B's eventual design style. The Omega B2 was launched in Autumn 1999 as a facelift of the B. It

5696-409: The next executive car was the 1955 Jaguar Mark 1 . In 1959, the Mark 1 was replaced by the Jaguar Mark 2 . In 1963, the Jaguar S-Type was introduced and sold alongside the Mark 2. Both models were replaced by the 1966-1968. The Jaguar XJ series began in 1968 and received updates (with a redesign in 2010) until 2019. Following a 30-year hiatus from the executive car market, Jaguar returned in 1998 with

5785-421: The norm, although parts for the inline-six, such as aftermarket intake manifolds (from a three-carburetor setup or a single 4-barrel carburetor), exhaust headers, and hybrid cylinder heads based on Chevrolet's small-block engine are costlier than those for the small-block , unlike the rival AMC inline-six (which has a cult following with Jeep enthusiasts, especially with the 4.0 L). Chevrolet's inline-six engine

5874-447: The retro-styled S-Type . The S-Type was replaced by the 2007 Jaguar XF (X250) and then the 2015 Jaguar XF (X260) , which currently remains in production. Humber's first executive car was the 1945 Humber Hawk . The Hawk was available with features such as two-tone and metallic paintwork, leather upholstery, wood trim, and a sunroof. Production of the Hawk, along with the similarly sized Humber Super Snipe and Imperial , ceased when

5963-403: The road conditions. It was powered by a GM LS1 V8 engine. The car debuted at Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1999. Opel was planning to upgrade its flagship Omega model with a powerful GM LS1 V8 engine used in the Chevrolet Corvette . Unlike the V8.com which was a concept car , this model was intended to go into serial production . The Omega V8 was shown publicly for the first time at

6052-423: The road in the United Kingdom. Executive car Executive car is a British term for a large car, and is considered equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars ), but smaller than luxury saloons / full-size luxury sedans . The term has also been adopted by Euro NCAP ,

6141-417: The sedan (wagons and utilities until 2007), production of the Omega ended in 2003. The position that the Omega held as Opel's flagship model (after the demise of the Senator ) would be taken over by the smaller Opel Signum which used an extended-length platform of the Opel Vectra and incorporated practical features of both MPVs and station wagons into one package. Remaining stocks were sold into 2004. In

6230-420: The separate intake (with a Rochester Monojet carburetor) and exhaust manifolds as used with the short deck motors (194–250). Availability of the 4.8 L engine was slowly curtailed from the late 1970s until production ceased entirely in 1989, and it was replaced by the 4.3 L V6. By 1987, it was only available (outside of California) as an option in 3 ⁄ 4 -ton and 1-ton R/V-series trucks, and as

6319-472: The seven generations of the 5 Series, it has been produced in sedan, wagon, and four-door hatchback body styles. The first large luxury car produced by Audi was the Audi 100 , which was released in 1968. The Audi 100 was replaced by the Audi A6 in 1994, which remains in production today. In 2010, the Audi A7 four-door fastback model range was added. The Ford Granada is an executive car produced by Ford Europe from 1972-1994. Fiat's first large luxury car

6408-524: The then fashionable LCD instrument cluster (available in CD version from 1987, but dropped in 1991). More importantly, the Omega came with a self-diagnosis system (which is now a standard feature in present-day cars), whose output could be read by appropriately equipped, authorised service stations. The Omega was one of the first cars to offer (individual) heated seats in the rear. The Omega was sold in most European countries, albeit with "Vauxhall Carlton" badging in

6497-422: The time. This was a controversial fact given that the other major German manufacturers producing high-performance cars had been fitting speed limiters to not allow maximum speeds higher than 250 km/h (155 mph). The 1,663 kg (3,666 lb) car accelerated from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.3 seconds and 0–160 km/h (99 mph) in 11.5 seconds. The 1994 Omega B was an all new car with

6586-620: Was a limited series model produced together with Irmscher . 500 examples were built so that Opel could compete in the DTM . The car had a three-litre straight-six engine producing 230 PS (169 kW). The car accelerated from 0–100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and had a top speed of 249 km/h (155 mph). The racing version used on the track had 380 PS (279 kW), accelerated to 100 km/h (62 mph) in about 5 seconds, and could reach nearly 300 km/h (186 mph). It did not, however, achieve great success. In 1989, Opel sanctioned

6675-469: Was also manufactured in Argentina and South Africa. The Hi-Thrift 194 was introduced as the optional engine in the 1962 Chevy II . Bore and stroke are 3 + 9 ⁄ 16  in ×  3 + 1 ⁄ 4  in (90 mm × 83 mm), for a total displacement of 194 cu in (3,185 cc). It was also optional in the 1964 G10 Chevy Van 1 ⁄ 2 -ton vans, and standard in

6764-428: Was approximately 2 inches (51 mm) shorter and 1 ⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm) lower. Flywheel bolt pattern is the same as the six and V8, with 1 ⁄ 2 inch (12.7 mm) bolts for the flywheel if produced after the 1966 model year. Production of the engine was shifted to Mexico in 1980, and later variants of this engine were marketed as the High Torque 4.8 L and by its RPO code L25 It retained

6853-480: Was built on Omega station wagon, which was elongated by 130 mm, to provide more space for the passengers and additional equipment; it contained separate 9.5-inch LCD screens for all passengers, Internet access, and integrated video conference mobile phone system with separate cameras and microphones providing passengers hands-free operation – hence the name. The car was also equipped with xenon headlights, and Advanced Frontlighting System, automatically adjustable to

6942-484: Was distinguished by minor revisions to the front and rear styling, centre console, and the introduction of an electronic stability program . Gradually, new engines of slightly larger displacement also replaced the earlier ones; the new ones were generally Euro 3 emissions compliant. Major changes: The engines were not a major departure from the Omega A, aside from the shift from Opel's own (outdated) 2.3-liter diesel to BMW's M51 turbocharged inline-six. Originally with

7031-479: Was handed to Lotus to modify. As a result, engine capacity rose to 3.6 litres; in addition, two Garrett T25 turbochargers were installed along with a water-cooled intercooler . The engine management was also modified, and the ignition changed to an AC Delco type (same system as the Lotus Esprit uses). The result was a 377 bhp (281 kW; 382 PS) high-performance engine. This Omega also inherited

7120-494: Was now much faster than the Maverick GT and Ford did not waste time. It quickly homologated a version with four-barrel carburetor, called "Quadrijet" in Brazil (no relationship to GM's own Rochester Quadrajet ), with performance roughly equivalent to the 250. The 250-S has 171 hp (126 kW) and 229.7 lb⋅ft (311 N⋅m) at 2,400 rpm. The High Torque 292 engine, displacing 292 cubic inches (4.8 L),

7209-403: Was produced until 1998. The four basic trim levels were LS, GL, GLS, and CD (from least to most expensive). The base LS was clearly intended for the fleet market, with the sedan unavailable to individual customers in some markets. The LS Caravan was also available as a panel van with rear side windows covered, with body-coloured foil rather than replaced by solid panels. For the 1991 model year,

7298-410: Was replaced by the 4.3 L V6 (essentially a 350-cubic-inch (5.7 L) Chevy small-block V8 with the two rear cylinders removed). It was also used in a number of large sedans by Chevrolet of South Africa until 1982. Production continued in Brazil (known as the 4.1 there) until 1998 in passenger cars, when the Chevrolet Omega A was replaced by rebadged Australian Holdens . It was used until 2001 in

7387-673: Was replaced by the 2004 Fuga , also sold as the Infiniti M from 2003 until 2012, and the Q70 since 2012. Mitsubishi began producing executive cars in 1964 with the Debonair . The Debonair was replaced in 1999 by the Proudia , which was discontinued in 2001 and then returned from 2012 until 2016 as a rebadged Fuga. Mazda's first executive car was the 1969 Luce . In 1991, the Luce was replaced by

7476-529: Was the Fiat 24-32 HP , which was introduced in 1903. Other large luxury Fiats produced before World War II include the Fiat 510 , Fiat 520 , Fiat 527 , and Fiat 2800 . In 1959, the Fiat 1800 and 2100 executive sedans and station wagons were introduced. These models were replaced by the Fiat 2300 in 1961. Fiat's last executive car was the Fiat 130 , which was produced from 1969 until 1977. Lancia produced several large luxury cars prior to World War II, including

7565-521: Was the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant . In 1955, the Traction Avant was replaced by the iconic Citroën DS , which was replaced in 1974 by the Citroën CX and then the 1989 Citroën XM . The XM was discontinued in 2000 and for five years Citroën did not produce an executive car. The 2005 Citroën C6 was produced until 2012, and Citroën has not produced any executive cars since. Renault entered

7654-451: Was the 1984 Saab 9000 , which was produced in sedan and liftback body styles. The 9000 was replaced by the Saab 9-5 . In 2010 the second generation of the 9-5 switched to a platform shared with various General Motors models until Saab went bankrupt in 2012. Volvo began producing executive cars in 1968 with the Volvo 164 . In 1974, the 164 was replaced by the Volvo 260 , which was replaced by

7743-564: Was the first to feature the brand's corporate 'V' grille which also appeared on the facelifted MK3 Astra later in 1994. This was 1995 Semperit Irish Car of the Year in Ireland, and 1995 RJC Car of the Year for Import Car of the Year in Japan. Leaked images of a design studio mockup , featuring Opel badges and "D" plates, emerged in Europe in February 1990. The media at the time described

7832-612: Was the passenger car version, sold until 1979. The LD4 was the truck version, sold until 1978. The LE3 replaced the LD4 in 1979 and was produced until 1984. In the late 1970s, the Chevrolet 200 , Chevrolet 229 and Buick 231 V6 engines gradually replaced the 250 straight six in passenger cars in North America, with use of the engine discontinued after the 1979 model year. The 250 engine continued to be used in GM trucks until 1984, after which it

7921-535: Was used in Chevrolet and GMC trucks beginning in 1963 and Step-Van/Value-Vans beginning in 1964. It was also the standard engine in the Chevy Van/GMC Vandura G20 and G30 from 1975 to 1978. It is differentiated from the 194/230/250 engines by a 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 inches (44.5 mm) taller block deck and relocated passenger-side engine mount. Although it had had a larger displacement than its 261-cubic-inch (4.3 L) Stovebolt predecessor it

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