The year 1935 begins with a superlative for the automotive world: Opel presents the “Type Olympia” 1.3 liters at the Berlin automotive exhibition. Series production starts in April-only as a convertible sedan, shortly afterwards with a closed tin roof. It is a revolution: the Olympics is the first German large series car with a self -supporting full steel body. The body and chassis merge into a self -supporting structure – inspired by aircraft construction. Opel not only changes design, but also the production.
The new body paves the way for modern vehicle production in a large series – for a principle that becomes standard worldwide. For the first time, pre -assembled axles and engines are no longer screwed into the build -up chassis. Instead, hydraulic lifting tables lift them into the body -guided bodies – an innovation in vehicle production: the “wedding” of the body and aggregate.
More comfort: cord -related upholstery seats, adjustable front seats and generous space ensure pleasant travel.
Increased security: The target breaking point in the front area can absorb some of the impact energy – an early forerunner of the modern crumple zone.
Aesthetic innovations: For the first time, headlights are integrated directly into the body at the Opel Olympics.
Opel stages the Olympics: in 1936 a vehicle crossed the Atlantic in the belly of the Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg and is enthusiastically received in Rio de Janeiro.
The patented production type accelerates production, lowers costs and makes the Olympics more affordable: it costs 2,500 marks – 350 marks less than its predecessor. The self -supporting full steel body also saves weight: with only 835 kilograms, the Olympics are 135 kilos lighter than its forerunner with the same motorization. The result: better mileage and lower consumption – a technical masterpiece.
their performance class. The 1.3-liter engine with 18 kW (24 hp) enables a top speed of 95 km/h with a consumption of 9.5 liters per 100 kilometers. In the magazine “Motor und Sport” you can read: “The driving performance is very remarkable for a 1.3-liter car and enable the leader of the car to achieve very handsome travel sections.”
90 years ago, the Opel Olympia establishes modern, time and cost-saving automotive production.
The principle of “wedding” has written technology history.
As here in Rüsselsheim, automobile series production still shapes Astra production.
Opel knows how to stage the Olympics accordingly: in 1936 a vehicle crossed the Atlantic in the belly of the Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg. After three days of flight time and 10,000 kilometers covered, the Hindenburg ends up with the Olympics on board in the South American metropolis of Rio. The enthusiastic Brazilians celebrate the arrival and accompany the tour of the Olympics through the streets with great cheers. The Olympics 1947 becomes an extraordinary protagonist in every respect: In the feature film “In those days”, the history of the past decade is symbolically told from the perspective of the Opel model.
Synonym for engineering
And the success story of the Olympics continues unabated in the following decades: the name Olympia bears the following Opel model generations until the beginning of the 1970s. They are synonymous with innovative engineering, quality and reliability. Values that have been embodied in the same extent for many decades of Opel’s compact class bestsellers-initially as a cadet and today as a top modern Astra.
April 2025
Photos: Opel Archive