The event is unspectacular and occurs at regular intervals. A test fire alarm sends employees from the Adam Opel Haus outside. While waiting for the all-clear, their gaze wanders over the parking lot. Between the Astra, Grandland and Mokka stands a Kadett D. A rare sight. Built in the early eighties, a good four decades old.
Connoisseurs know what this model means. The Kadett D was launched in 1979. By 1984, 2.1 million units had rolled off the production line in Bochum and in Ellesmere Port in the UK. It marked a turning point in Opel’s history: the first compact car with front-wheel drive and transverse engine, plus a hatchback design that was new at the time.
Journey of 2,500 kilometers – and then no “Opel Museum”?
44 years old and fully operational: This Opel shows that a well-maintained classic can still master long distances today.
Compact on the outside, spacious on the inside: the Kadett D carries four adults and their luggage all the way to Rüsselsheim.
Factual, clear, reduced to the essentials: the cockpit of the Kadett D follows the clear logic of its time.
The height-adjustable headrest is part of the contemporary safety equipment of the Kadett D.
Proven technology under the bonnet: the engine compartment – proof of solid engineering work.
The license plate is also revealing: “KEU-536”. Finland. A classic car that has covered the long way from the north on its own wheels? A short exchange later, the story becomes clearer: The visitors who have pulled up is the Mustonen family from Kajaani, a city in the heart of Finland. Father Jukka and his three sons Patrik, Kasper and Kalle drove to Rüsselsheim in their Kadett D, built in 1982.
The enthusiasm for Opel is a family tradition. “My father is an Opel fan, he got that from my grandfather,” says 17-year-old Kasper. The Kadett previously belonged to a customer, from whom the father purchased it. A car built when he was young. And then the plan takes shape: to drive to where Opel has its origins. The sons are immediately on board.
The disappointment is short-lived – then a door opens.
Brand history at your fingertips: Jukka Mustonen takes a seat in the Ascona 400.
Opel Classic expert Jens Cooper (right) has opened the doors for the well-traveled guests.
The Finnish visitors are particularly enthusiastic about the exhibits of motorsport history.
Souvenir photos are taken at the Opel Diplomat.
The guests also climb behind the wheel of the Opel GT.
They have already covered more than 2,500 kilometers. They start in Kajaani, then take the ferry from Helsinki, carry on through the Baltic States, Poland and the Czech Republic to Germany. The destination is clear: the Opel Museum. But that does not exist in this form. The historical collection of Opel Classic on the Rüsselsheim factory premises is not open to the public. The disappointment is immense. Would the trip end on such a sad note?
It doesn’t happen! A short exchange, a phone call – and then a door opens: Opel Classic expert Jens Cooper has a full schedule, but does not want to disappoint the well-traveled fans. He invites them to a spontaneous guided tour through the history of the brand. For two hours, the four Finns immerse themselves in Opel history. They take in classic cars from all eras, as well as bicycles, motorcycles, Frigidaire household appliances and historical documents. A foray through more than 160 years of curated industrial and brand history.
Brand history comes alive when you share it – the Mustonens in Opel’s collection.
Road trip with a happy ending: Father Jukka and his sons Patrik, Kasper and Kalle discover an Opel Kadett D in the Rüsselsheim collection.
The early models are particularly impressive: Lutzmann, the Doctor’s Car, the legendary ‘Green Monster’. But the sporty ones are also remembered – the GT, successful racing cars such as the Calibra V6 or the 440 hp Astra OPC study “X-treme”.
After the tour, the Mustonens start their return journey with big smiles on their faces. It takes them via Denmark and Sweden back to Finland. In the end, the journey adds a total of 5,740 kilometers to the odometer. The cadet masters the distance without any majoy incidents. “We only have to add some coolant on the last few kilometers, the cylinder head gasket is not completely tight,” says Kasper.
In everyday life, the classic car is moved much more gently. Shopping, short trips, usually only in summer. The Kadett has not experienced such a tour for decades. Many memories remain. And the certainty: This Kadett D does not belong in the museum.
January 2026
Text: Eric Scherer, photos: Andreas Liebschner