We recently published the news that Dudenhofen, Opel's largest development and testing center in Europe, has been in existence for 50 years. Reason for celebration and that Opel celebrates with an open house on Saturday 10 September. Visitors can view and experience the total of seventy kilometers of test tracks with their own eyes. Among other things, there are tests with classic rally cars. Numerous concepts and prototypes from fifty years of development history can be seen and visitors are given the opportunity to take a special course as a 'test driver'.
One of the highlights is the stopover of the Klassik Tour Kronberg rally, led by Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann. This is a rally for classic cars. Two rally trials are planned at Dudenhofen. The first takes the participants in their classics on the round high-speed circuit; for the second, special test, the participants switch to an Opel Astra, the Car of the Year 2016.
Plenty of action
Action is the motto. Opel Motorsport is turning out well. Drivers give demonstrations with the Astra GTC OPC, Astra TCR and ADAM R2, the very sporty models that compete in the VLN Endurance Racing Championship and in rallies. There is a special course for the demonstrations on the event site. The Formula Student teams supported by Opel - participants in the world's largest student racing class - are also present in Dudenhofen.
Drive yourself
Visitors can also take action themselves on a challenging test trail; whoever successfully completes this will receive a genuine certificate as proof that he or she has been recognized by Opel as a test driver. Borussia Dortmund football club - Opel partner - offers young Opel fans agility competitions and games - from football golf to racing with miniatures from the Opel ADAM.
Classic models and sightseeing
The Alt Opel IG, the club of owners of Opel vintage cars, shows around two hundred Opel cars of all time. Classics and vintage cars from the Opel Classic collection are also on site. There is a sightseeing tour about the high speed circuit, the mountain route and the 'rattle trail' to which test opels are subjected. There are also a presentation about the development of the test center and such 150 Opels, from the Astra to the Zafira, are ready for a test drive.
10 September from 10.00 hours to 16.00 hours
The test center is open on 10 September from 10.00 to 16.00 hours. Opel's test center is approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Frankfurt and can be reached from the center of the Netherlands via the A12 and the German A3 in about four hours. Shuttle buses run from the parking areas and from Rodgau-Dudenhofen station to the Opel development and testing center.