2024 is a double anniversary year for Opel; the German brand has been producing automobiles for 125 years. First founded by Adam Opel in Russelsheim, Germany in 1862, since 1899 the carmaker has made mobility affordable for millions of people and has continuously inspired the public with innovative models.
Furthermore, exactly 60 years ago, in 1964, the Opel Design Studio opened in Russelsheim, the first automobile design centre of its kind in Europe.
To mark the occasions, Opel recently celebrated the two major anniversaries with an open day, attended by more than 7,000 customers, employees and guests of honour, including German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and prime minister of Hesse, Boris Rhein.
In keeping with the anniversary motto, 'Forever forward since 1899', event visitors were treated to peeks at models from Opel's celebrated past, together with current and future models, illustrating the constantly evolving design philosophy of the Opel brand and allowing them to experience first-hand how Opel combines automotive tradition with a sustainable future.
Public premiere
The major high point to the day was the public premiere of the all-new Frontera Electric and all-new Grandland Electric.
The historical home of the blitz brand in Russelsheim is also this year set to transform into a green-campus project, and armed with a consistent electrification strategy that will see a battery-electric variant of every Opel model on sale by the end of 2024.
In attendance, Florian Huettl, Opel CEO, said, "125 years of automobile production at Opel - we not only celebrate this anniversary with our visitors, but also show how Opel has always helped shape the constant change in the automotive industry and is now positioned for the future.
"With the new Opel Frontera and the new Opel Grandland, we will offer our customers a fully electric variant of every Opel model from this year onwards. All this reflects our anniversary motto 'Forever forward since 1899."
Demonstrating 125 years of innovation, pop-up exhibitions showcased the very first Opel, the 1899 Opel Patent Motorwagen System Lutzmann, of which only 65 vehicles were made, alongside bestsellers and legends such as the Opel Kapitän, GT, Manta, Calibra, and indeed electric models such as the Opel Ampera, first revealed in 2012.
The Opel Design Studio exhibition presented six decades of Opel design excellence, from the 1965 Experimental GT to innovative concepts from the more recent past such as the GT X Experimental, the Manta GSe and the Opel Experimental. Each of these celebrated concept models see its design features mirrored in the current Opel model line-up.
Other highlights to the event included a factory tour at the Russelsheim site, for visitors to see where the current Opel Astra model is produced. Motorsport fans could sign up for co-drive laps in the exciting Opel Corsa Rally Electric, while visitors aged 15 and over experienced the Opel Rocks Electric on another track.
Younger visitors enjoyed a dedicated children's corner. An open-air historic car gathering gave visitors the opportunity to display their own prized vintage Opel models.
