In March 1929, General Motors (GM), impressed by Opel's modern production facilities, bought 80% of the company. In 1931, he bought the remaining part of Opel and became a full owner. The Opel family earned $33.3 million from commercial activity.
Opel Automobile GmbH, or Opel for short, was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 to 2017. Leaving General Motors, Opel was transferred to Group PSA in 2017. On January 16, 2021, he joined the Stellantis automotive company, which was formed by the merger of Groupe PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Opel vehicles are sold in the UK under the Vauxhall brand. Some Opel vehicles are manufactured in Australia under the Holden brand, and in North America and China under the Buick brand.
Adam Opel (May 9, 1837 - September 8, 1895), German businessman, founder of Opel. The Opel company was originally a manufacturer of sewing machines and bicycles, but automobile production had not yet taken place during his lifetime.
Opened in 1862 to produce sewing machines, Opel started to manufacture automobiles in 1889. Opel, which was completely acquired by General Motors in 1931, was acquired by Groupe PSA in 2017. Thus, the French automaker became the second largest automobile manufacturer in Europe after Volkswagen.
In March 1929, General Motors (GM), impressed by Opel's modern production facilities, bought 80% of the company. In 1931, he bought the remaining part of Opel and became a full owner. The Opel family earned $33.3 million from commercial activity.
Opel Brand History and Historical Development
The company was founded in 1862 by its father, Adam OPEL, and is a world-renowned German automobile company. The company, which started its commercial life by producing a sewing machine in a simple barn and moved to a larger venue in the mid-1880s, began to produce high-wheeled bicycles, unlike sewing machines. This product took such a hit that in a short time it had as much sales potential as the main product sewing machine. As a result of various partnership agreements and subsequent studies, the company started to produce automobiles in 1899. As a result of its intensive breakthroughs, the company has had the largest automobile factory in Germany in just 15 years.
Since 1963, the brand logo 'lightning bolt in a circle' on all Opel models. The lightning bolt in the Opel logo is also inspired by the popular Opel Blitz truck model. The word “blitz” is a German word meaning lightning. Lightning has been the official Opel logo since 1963. Lightning represents pure energy and speed. Blitz is also a reminder of the success of the bikes and the "Blitz" truck line.
Opel is the first automobile company that has succeeded in mass production in its own line. It was completely purchased in 1931 by General Motors, which became a partner in the company in 1929. Naturally affected by the outbreak of the Second World War, Opel reduced its production to almost zero in the 1945s. After the stagnation and recession period from 1945 to 1950, the company started to attack again, with the intense effort and power of General Motors, it has come up to the present day with a tremendous rise and has now become one of the most distinguished automobile companies in the world.
1899 Opel Lutzmann
Opel was the first German manufacturer to introduce the economic assembly line system in Germany as early as 1924. This made the Opel 4/12 PS “Laubfrosch” and all subsequent Opel 4 PS models in high demand. The Rüsselsheim-based company has produced cars with the Opel P4 and Kadett, accessible to everyone since the 1930s, but with technology ahead of its time.
1962 Opel Kadett
Even while producing its sporty models, Opel put being accessible for everyone at the center of its design. This model was the dream car Opel GT, which hit the roads in 1968. The production of the Opel Kadett, Rekord and Kapitän models became symbols of post-World War II Germany's rebuilding and economic miracle-making era. These models were followed by the iconic Opel GT, Manta and Monza. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Corsa, Astra and Zafira models attracted great attention and became one of the symbols of the unification of West and East Germany.
1971 Opel Manta
After the fall of the Berlin wall and the opening of the factory in Eisanach, Opel increased its popularity even more. The first generation Astra was produced between 1991 and 1998 with 4.2 million units and went down in history as the most produced Opel to date.