Former Opel Development Director Friedrich W. (“Fritz”) Lohr died last Tuesday (9 August) at the age of 95. With his extraordinary commitment and visionary technical and entrepreneurial decisions, he significantly shaped Opel vehicle development in the 1970s and 1980s. With the Kadett D, he introduced front-wheel drive at Opel in 1979. It was a groundbreaking decision, about which there is a popular anecdote in the company: Because he had to assert himself against internal resistance with the new technology, the common international abbreviation for front-wheel drive FWD (Front Wheel Drive) at Opel was changed to “Fritz wants that”. reinterpreted. He was right with his concept for more space: the trade press celebrated the Kadett D with the largest interior in its class at the time and compact external dimensions as a revolution.
Leading representative of German automotive technology
In 51 years of service at Opel, Fritz Lohr made many courageous decisions and set the course before he retired in 1991. Cars such as the Kadett E, Omega, Vectra A and Calibra were launched under his direction. Most recently, he had a decisive influence on the Astra F, which was presented at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1991, with strategic decisions. Under his leadership, the company took on a pioneering role in environmental protection. From 1985, Opel was the first German manufacturer to offer a vehicle with a catalytic converter in every model series. In an interview on his 50th anniversary in 1990, he said: “Further reductions in fuel consumption have the highest priority.” He also had the future of e-mobility in mind more than 30 years ago: inner-city traffic.”
Many vehicles were brought onto the market under the direction of the long-time head of development, including the Kadett E.
With his visionary decisions, Fritz Lohr had a decisive influence on Opel technology – for decades.
Fritz Lohr’s career within the company was unusual: Born in Trebur, he joined the company in 1940 as an apprentice. He wanted to be a toolmaker. But as it turned out, the 13-year-old was – as he himself later admitted – “not a good craftsman.” Instead, the trainers quickly recognized his very good spatial imagination and after a year he switched to vehicle development as a technical draftsman. After military service and being a prisoner of war, he was the first recipient of a scholarship from Adam Opel AG to study mechanical engineering in Friedberg and Darmstadt. When he returned to the company after completing his studies in 1950, he initially worked in a small team of twelve colleagues in advance development. Here he got to know all areas of vehicle development. His subsequent rise in the development center was rapid.
From apprentice to head of development
In 1959, the company appointed him deputy chassis design engineer, in 1966 chief engineer in the area, and in 1969 head of department. From 1974 he was responsible for the entire advance development, in 1978 he was promoted to chief engineer for the body area. After being appointed director of product development and design in 1980, he was appointed to the board of directors in the same year. As head of development, he was responsible for the product development and construction of all passenger cars of the GM group in Europe. In 1990, the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen bestowed the honor of Dr. Ing. E.h. And even in retirement he continued his commitment as President of the Association for the Promotion of Engineering Studies in Rüsselsheim.
Aug 2022
Photos: Opel Archive