The Astra in cult yellow, the “Green Monster”, the “Black Widow” – in the pop-up exhibition, the many thousands of visitors to the “Open Day” will experience their blue wonder – represented by OPC models. It’s wonderfully colorful when the Rüsselsheim-based automobile manufacturer shows which legendary Opel models have dominated the street scene over the past 125 years, but are also currently shaping it – true to the motto “Forever forward since 1899”.
In addition to two dozen automobiles, there is also a bicycle on display – the yellow-painted ZR III racing bike. This meant that the Rüsselsheim factory riders dominated the cycling scene in the 1930s. “Yellow became the company’s first corporate color back then – and it still stands for the brand with lightning today,” says brand designer Daniele Martini, who organized the pop-up exhibition together with the team around Opel Classic boss Leif Rohwedder organized.
“The starting point was an Opel racing bike: the color yellow still stands for the brand with lightning today.”
– Brand Designer Daniele Martini –
EVERY BEGINNING IS YELLOW “It has been the company’s corporate color for almost a hundred years,” says brand designer Danielle Martini.
ALL IN WHITE This is how the brand’s current models, the Astra plug-in hybrid (left) and the new Grandland Electric, present themselves.
EVENTUAL TIMES From the rocket-powered RAK 2 to the all-electric Opel Experimental brand study – alternative drives are the focus of the first floor of the exhibition.
PURE GOLD This Captain rolled off the assembly line in Rüsselsheim in November 1956 as the two millionth automobile and was decorated with 100 grams of the precious metal to celebrate the anniversary.
BLACK WIDOW It shouldn’t be missing from the exhibition: For Opel Classic employee Jens Cooper, the Rekord C in factory racing trim is “the most exciting Opel that has ever been built.”
CORSA LOVE The small car has been one of the most popular Opel models from Rüsselsheim for over 40 years – now also fully electric or with hybrid drive.
GREENOVATION The Lutzmann system was the first Opel, the Mokka Electric ushered in the age of future-oriented mobility with the focus on sustainability.
Emil Kaufmann has just had a premiere. He drove electrically for the first time – in an Opel Rocks Electric. The 11-year-old sits in the passenger seat, with dad Kai behind the wheel. It won’t be long before he can take the steering wheel himself. Because the Stromer competes in the light vehicle class and can be driven from the age of 15 with an AM driving license. “Just four more years – then I can finally drive myself,” Emil announces confidently.
Clever addition to the model range
But the little one is also well received by the grown-ups: “What I would have given when I was 15 years old to be able to whiz around in this.” Björn did two laps in the little Stromer with Jessica and was thrilled. “The smart Rocks is a clever addition to our model range,” says the Opel employee. And he is not alone in this opinion – the queue of people queuing for a test drive is still long even in the late afternoon.
“Just four more years – then I can drive the Rocks Electric myself.”
– Emil Kaufmann, 11 years old –
MOBILE FREEDOM The Rocks Electric is available for test drives and not only makes young people aged 15 and over mobile.
SMARTER POWER “It definitely enriches our model portfolio,” says the colleague.
CHRIST The Design Center – it is celebrating its 60th birthday – is opening its doors to a wide audience for the first time ever.
STIMULUS CONVERSATIONS Opel CEO Florian Huettl mingles with the visitors in the afternoon.
MINI TO MAXI From Rocks Electric Kargo to Movano Electric – the electrified commercial vehicle fleet is presented here.
Daniel Beck circles the new Opel Grandland for the umpteenth time and slides behind the steering wheel. His conclusion: “This will be my next Opel!” He traveled from the Harz Mountains to see the flagship SUV live. Beck was at Opel for over 13 years, most recently in prototype construction, before moving back to his hometown of Saxony-Anhalt. The love for the brand has remained. “I thought the Grandland was great in the photos – but I like it even better live!”
Two audience premieres
Meanwhile, Oliver Bücking and his son Daniel set their sights on the new Opel Frontera. They disagree. Son Daniel “clearly” leans towards the Grandland, father Oliver points out that “the price-performance ratio of the Frontera is unbeatable”. “And he looks good too,” he adds. They agree to keep an eye on both models as they enter the Sell-to-Employee program.
“The price-performance ratio of the Frontera is unbeatable.”
– Visitor Oliver Bücking –
With a helmet on his head and a harness on his shoulders, Michael Kuhn sits tightly strapped into the passenger seat. “I only see a jumble of pylons, but Calle will know where to go,” says the Opel colleague confidently. And Calle Carlberg knows it. The electric sound swells, 260 Newton meters catapult the vehicle forward from a standstill. The Opel works driver drifts across the parking lot, circling the Corsa Rally Electric under a bicycle shelter. “What he can do is amazing,” commented Michael Kuhn on the performance after two laps.
Unleashed emotions on asphalt
“We have pure emotions,” says Jens Schrott. Since the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup and the Junior European Rally Championship are conveniently taking a break on the anniversary weekend, it is “of course a matter of honor” for the team around the Opel Motorsport Director to be there at the “Open Day” in Rüsselsheim. Schrott: “You just have to take a quick look around: We are here for these many smiling faces – to show people first hand the fascination of electric rallying.”
“I only see a jumble of pylons, but Calle will know where to go.”
– Michael Kuhn, winner of a ride in the Corsa Rally Electric –
READY TO GO Michael Kuhn won a ride in the Corsa Rally Electric with Calle Carlberg at the wheel in the Opel Post competition.
SPECTACULAR UNIQUE The Rocks e-XTREME with cross tires is the result of a design competition launched by Opel.
“IT’S SO MUCH FUN!” It’s not just the passengers who are thrilled, Calle Carlberg too can’t get enough.
FAST LAP Opel works driver Timo Schulz circles the visitors around the course at speeds of up to 80 km/h.
OPEL AND MOTORSPORT “They simply belong together,” says Jörg Schrott. The many smiling faces prove him right.
And of course the factory at the headquarters also opens its doors for the celebrations. After all, it’s the reason: Opel has been building cars in Rüsselsheim for 125 years. Over a hundred colleagues from production, maintenance, logistics and the quality department are ready to present the production of the Astra model to the guests. Whether it’s quality assurance, the assembly line or a wedding – the employees explain the various stages that are necessary until a model that meets the customer’s wishes rolls off the assembly line in the highest quality.
EXCITING INSIGHTS In the pre-assembly and final assembly alone, the factory employees carry out hundreds of meticulously rehearsed work steps.
HIGHEST QUALITY Willi Wittmann, launch manager for quality assurance, presents the activities of his department.
MADE IN RÜSSELSHEIM Matthias Fenzl, planner in the final assembly, presents the “conveyor sequence”. This is the name given to the step when a vehicle leaves the production line.
THE WEDDING Hans-Jürgen Walther, launch manager of the final assembly, presents the work step in which the chassis and body are combined.
FLEXIBLE PRODUCTION On the assembly line, Amjad Hamza prepares the underbody – depending on requirements for the combustion engine, hybrid or electric variant.
Peter Leuser found out about the idea of an open-air pop-up exhibition to celebrate the day, in which owners of Opel classics can take part, on the Internet. And he likes her. So on Saturday morning he got into his GT and set off from his home town of Röttingen in the Würzburg district to Rüsselsheim. He is happy to take the 160-kilometer route to present his GT, which he bought as a US re-import in 1990.
“The fact that I can be part of the anniversary with my GT – a great idea!”
– GT owner Peter Leuser –
The exhibition in the parking lot “At the Fire Station for Karl Labus” offers an unexpected reunion with an Opel Rekord A Coupé. “This model was the first one that I was allowed to work on as an apprentice,” says the retiree. It was at Auto Hübner, an Opel dealer in Kaiserslautern. Soon afterwards, Labus moved to the Lauterer factory, where, among other things, he worked on the engine test benches. “A lot of memories come back on a day like today,” says the Palatinate resident, sticking his nose through the open window. “Wonderful – it smells like a lot of patina.”
ONLY FLYING IS MORE BEAUTIFUL Peter Leuser’s ocher Opel GT (middle) is a US re-import.
PURE NOSTALGIA The open air pop-up exhibition holds an unexpected reunion for Karl Labus.
STREET CRUISER The owner of the Rekord A Coupé, built in 1965, is Albert Heckwolf.
BRIGHT TURQUOISE Harald Nägele arrived in his Opel Rekord P1.
MANTA, MANTA The cult model is more in demand than ever – and is represented several times.
June 2024
Photos: Opel/Andreas Liebschner, Thorsten Weigl