Herbert Oberhaus began his career at Opel in 1949 as an apprentice machine fitter. What followed was an exemplary career that took him from a young engineer to the forefront of technical development over a total of 42 years. From 1977 onwards he was responsible for chassis development and design as head of the department. In 1980 he took on the role of chief engineer for engines before being appointed director of product development and design in 1985. In these roles, he played a key role in shaping almost every chassis and vehicle concept that went into series production at Opel – from the Kadett A to the Calibra. A piece of his work lives on in all of these vehicles.
As one of the fathers of the modern Opel range, Herbert Oberhaus set a decisive example in the field of chassis design. Together with his team, he introduced the self-stabilizing DSA chassis on Omega and Senator. Further technological milestones followed with the electronically adjustable chassis in the Opel Senator and the innovative all-wheel drive in the Vectra 4×4. His early achievements also include the development of the De Dion rear axle for the KAD Captain, Admiral and Diplomat models.
Awarded: The photo shows Herbert Oberhaus (center) in 1974 with a Kadett C – a vehicle that he played a key role in shaping technically.
The Diplomat B and Admiral B are also models that bear his signature in chassis design and overall vehicle tuning.
The beginning of his engineering career fell into a pioneering phase of vehicle development. Test methods had to be rethought and measurement systems often had to be improvised. Brake tests took him to the Alps with a captain, admiral and diplomat, and the construction of the test site in Dudenhofen was also shaped by his direct involvement – from the route concept to the realistic reproduction of a wide variety of road surfaces. His aim was always to test vehicles under the most realistic conditions possible.
Oberhaus was also involved in key future technologies that had and continue to have a lasting impact on Opel: front and all-wheel drive, injection engines, independent suspension, catalytic converters and plastic recycling. His technical work extended beyond classic automobile construction – for example with the Opel bobsleigh for the 1980 Winter Olympics, which set international standards with innovative aerodynamics.
Herbert Oberhaus (third from right) worked with Opel engineers and designers to develop not only automobiles, but also winter sports equipment such as this racing sled.
The bob, which was developed for the 1980 Winter Olympics, is an example of Opel’s technical innovation with the help of Oberhaus.
Herbert Oberhaus was particularly proud of the legendary C20XE engine, for which he was responsible as chief engineer for drives. The 150 hp two-liter 16V four-cylinder was long considered technically and economically hardly feasible. However, thanks to the close integration of development and production, he managed to bring this engine into series production – and thus set new standards in the competitive environment.
His keen eye for technical details and the instinct of a developer remained with him even after he retired. Anyone who spoke to him quickly noticed: Herbert Oberhaus still thought like an engineer – analytical, precise and passionate. And Opel was always more than an employer for him. “I am proud to drive an Opel,” he once said. This identification shaped his entire professional life
Father of the legendary C20XE engine: The Kadett GSi 16V from 1988 became an icon as the brand’s first four-valve volume model.
The groundbreaking all-wheel drive concept for the Opel Vectra 4×4 was also developed under the technical responsibility of Herbert Oberhaus.
At the beginning of the 1990s, he spent three years as an engine development consultant for the parent company General Motors in the USA – a time that he found enriching despite cultural differences. Despite all his successes, Herbert Oberhaus always remained down-to-earth, collegial and approachable. You can almost always see him smiling in photos. Numerous awards and honors testify to the high esteem in which he was held within the company and in the professional world.
In 1991 Herbert Oberhaus retired from professional life. It was difficult for him to say goodbye – his connection to “his” Opel remained until the end. Herbert Oberhaus died at the age of 96. With him, Opel is not only losing an outstanding engineer, but also a person who combined technology with attitude, responsibility and passion. His work still shapes the brand today.
February 2026
Photos: Opel archive