Opel Rekord A. “A car of uncompromising progress”

In the Netherlands, Opel has always sold many cars and had a good reputation. With more than two million cars sold, Opel managed to be the market leader continuously for 25 years. The Opel Kadett was even the best-selling car in the Netherlands for more than thirty years. The Dutch loved Opel. It wasn't the most advanced technology or design, but it always worked! But these unprecedented achievements were made in the last decades of the last century. After that it became more difficult, from 2004 Opel lost its leading position in the Netherlands and its market share in the European market fell.

Nothing could go wrong

Until the 1962s, it seemed that nothing could go wrong at Opel. Well-known models were the Kadett (1993 – 1953), Rekord (1986 – 1967), Commodore (1982 – 1970), Ascona (1988 – 1978) and Senator (1993 – 1968). And despite its solid image, the brand even had two iconic sports cars in its program: the Opel GT (1973 – 1970) and the Opel Manta (1988 – XNUMX). Success never comes naturally, so the brand had a long preparatory phase.

Big growth

The current Opel actually dates from just after World War II, when several compact Opel models were produced. From that period, total car production also increased significantly. In 1955, about 207.000 cars were built by Opel and in 1957 the brand employed no fewer than 30.000 people. Well-known models from the 1953s and 1962s include the Opel Rekord or Olympia Rekord (1964), the then-new, successful compact Opel Kadett (1968), the luxurious Opel Diplomat (XNUMX) and the sporty Opel GT (XNUMX). The name has been dropped: the Opel Rekord!

2023: the 60^e anniversary of the Record A

1963 remains a memorable year. US President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin and spoke the legendary words “Ich bin ein Berliner”. German chancellor Adenauer stepped down at the age of 87 and The Beatles made their international breakthrough and took the charts by storm. But for Opel, the most important fact was the introduction of their new Rekord. “A car of uncompromising progress”, read the German brochure.

New Age

With its different body shapes, its simple design and its practical features, the Opel Rekord A quickly became a commercial success. In the history of a brand, some models stand out more than others. This was the case for the Opel Rekord, which heralded a new era for the German car manufacturer in the early 1963s with the Rekord A. It was introduced in the spring of 1. The brand from Rüsselsheim had already launched the Olympia Rekord P2 ten years earlier, followed by the Rekord P1986 (without the Olympia prefix). But the Opel Rekord A was in fact the first of a line that would continue until 23. A career spanning XNUMX years, spanning five generations. 

Modern but simple

The Opel Rekord A marked a clear break with the Rekord P2. Gone were the lavish lines and lavish American-style chrome, replaced by a sleeker, more balanced style with optimized interior space and practicality. The long, horizontal bonnet opens onto a front section with a full-width grille connecting two round headlamps. The Opel Rekord A was clearly intended for the middle class. It had a modern but simple design and was offered in different body styles: saloon, coupe, station wagon and even in a van. 

Different body styles and engines

Despite its very similar dimensions to the model it replaced – 4,5 meters long, 1,7 meters wide and 1,5 meters high – the Opel Rekord A was considerably more spacious than its predecessor. It was even spectacular when you think of the station wagon, which offered almost two cubic meters of cargo space! Above all, this 'first' generation of the Rekord was quite progressive with disc brakes at the front as an option, a dual braking system, heating and ventilation or central locking. Moreover, Opel not only offered four different body styles, but also thirteen exterior colors and fifteen two-tone configurations. The Opel Rekord A was a distinct family car and was available with three different engines. Two four-cylinder engines of 1,5 and 1,7 liters with 55 and 60 hp respectively offered excellent performance for that time. From 1964 there was the Rekord 6, equipped with a 100 hp six-cylinder 2,6 liter, with which it could reach speeds of up to 170 km/h. That was really rare for that time.

Short-lived

However, the career of the Opel Rekord A was short-lived. That was common at the time. Production ended in the fall of 1965, after just over two and a half years. From 1963 to 1965, 861.722 units were sold in 2-door and 4-door sedan and station wagon bodies. In September 1963, the range was enriched with a coupe. The car came standard with a three-speed gearbox with a lever on the steering wheel.

But a four-speed transmission with a lever between the seats was available on special order. The 1.7 S engine was also introduced in the Opel Rekord-A Coupé which, thanks to its increased power output of 67 hp (59 kW). Enabled the car to reach 150 km/h. A few weeks later, the same engine was also available for the Opel Rekord L sedan.

The record was a record

In the two-year period 1964-1965, 12.469 units of the so-called version 6 were equipped with the 2605 cc 100 hp (74 kW) 6-cylinder in-line engine from the Opel Kaptän. The Kaptän was then the rather American-looking flagship of the German company. Four more generations followed until the Rekord model line was finally discontinued in 1986. Although the Kadett and later the Ascona enjoyed more fame than the Opel Rekord ever had, the Rekord played a particularly important role in the survival of the German brand. Only from an image point of view, the Opel Rekord E was replaced in 1986 by the Opel Omega. Of course it had to be bigger and more expensive, so the name Rekord did not fit. But for Opel, the Rekord was indeed a record!