Opel Rekord Caravan – A station wagon on the way forward

The name Rekord has been used for eight generations of Opel’s upper mid-range models. Each generation reflects developments, customer tastes and the influence of parent company General Motors. Throughout all model updates, Opel has always offered an estate version, traditionally called Caravan in Rüsselsheim. An overview of the generations of the Opel Rekord Caravan

1953–1957 – Opel Olympia Rekord Caravan

The term ‘economic miracle’ is usually associated with vehicles such as the VW Beetle, microcars for the masses such as the Isetta, or the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL for the upper crust. But the Opel Rekord was at least on a par with the middle class, striving to live up to its name in the upper middle class. For years, there was an almost equal duel between VW and Opel over who was the ‘true Volkswagen’. But while the VW Type 1 was still a proven pre-war design, the Olympia Rekord was presented in 1953 as a fresh, American-style pontoon saloon. It retained the name of its predecessor, Olympia, for the time being, as the naming rights for Rekord were still held by the Frankfurt-based company Adler at that time.

Opel also resolutely committed itself to mobilising the masses. In addition to the saloon, a convertible, a fast delivery van and, above all, a station wagon called Caravan were also offered. This meant that you could not only drive over the Brenner Pass with your family and dog, but also stow your camping equipment in the large boot.

Under the bonnet, Rüsselsheim relied on the proven 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine from its predecessor, the Olympia. With 29 kW/40 hp, it was rather weak, but its relatively low kerb weight made it quite economical. Its spacious interior also gave it a few advantages over the Beetle.

The close ties with parent company General Motors had both direct positive and negative effects on the Opel Rekord. A great deal of expertise and the latest automotive trends flowed into the model. However, this also happened at US speed, which produced new updates and designs almost every year.

At first, it seemed to work, with gentle pressure ensuring that the latest vehicles were always purchased as status symbols. In the medium term, however, it became apparent that the annual changes in appearance meant that Opel was ageing faster than its conventional competitors.

1957-1960 – Opel Rekord Caravan P1

In the following 1950s and especially the 1960s, the pace at which the Rekord wheel turned did not slow down. On the contrary, the turnaround time for each generation was two or three years until the Rekord B.

First, in 1958, the Rekord P1 appeared, for the first time without the name Olympia. A striking feature was the panoramic windscreen at the front, which was modelled on American designs and extended far into the vehicle; this was also the case with the rear window of the two- and four-door saloons.

From the outset, the P1 was also available as a three-door estate car and a delivery van version without rear side windows. The CarAvan lettering with a large A on the rear also revealed a meaning of the name that was particularly common in the USA. The name Caravan was intended to symbolise the connection between the car and van vehicle types.

Around 500,000 P1s were produced, with around 110,000 of them being delivered as Opel Rekord Caravan estate variants.

1960-1963 – Opel Rekord Caravan P2

After three years, the P2 was unveiled. The P for panoramic windscreen remained in the model and series designation. However, the panoramic aspect of the glazing was somewhat reduced in favour of practicality. In the predecessor model, the frames extended quite far into the door, making it easy to bump your knee when getting in. In the P2, the window was not pulled so far into the vehicle and the door was made slightly larger, which made it easier to get in.

The fresh exterior was not really continued under the bonnet. The basis remained the proven grey cast iron four-cylinder engine with a power range between 40 and 60 hp.

1963-1965 – Opel Rekord Caravan A

A new era began in 1963 when the letters of the alphabet were introduced to the Rekord. The Rekord A had a more modern style and a more spacious interior. In the style of the Chevrolet II, a large, smooth-surfaced body line was designed for the German Opel market at the GM Design Centre in Warren, Michigan, which clearly stood out from its predecessor. For the first time, a 2.6-litre inline six-cylinder engine with 74 kW/100 hp was also available.

Once again, the high proportion of estate models sold was striking: of the almost 900,000 Rekord A models built, almost 200,000 were Opel Rekord Caravan A models. Opel’s decision to cater to those interested in a practical estate version certainly paid off.

1965-1966 – Opel Rekord Caravan B

The Rekord B had only a very short automotive life. Introduced in August 1965, it was replaced by the Rekord C in August 1966. Externally, the changes to the B-Rekord compared to its predecessor were limited, with only cosmetic adjustments to the front and rear. Under the bonnet, however, there were now revised four-cylinder engines with between 60 and 90 hp. The 2.6-litre six-cylinder engine remained in the range.

It is not entirely clear why the Rekord B was only produced for such a short time. One interpretation is that it was planned as a transitional model anyway. The aim was to have a completely newly developed vehicle, but it was not ready for series production in time and was therefore only launched as a ‘better facelift’. Others cite the rather modest sales figures for the B-Rekord, which prompted Opel to pull the plug in order to present a completely new generation the following year.

1966-1972 – Opel Rekord Caravan C

The Rekord C was a completely new model that remained on the market for significantly longer, even after six years of production. A striking feature of the body line – both in the saloon and the estate – was the hip swing. The C-Rekord thus belongs to the Coke Bottle design, which is reminiscent of a lying Coca Cola bottle.

This was preceded by discussions between Detroit and Rüsselsheim as to whether this hip swing was too much for conservative post-war Germany. Fortunately, Detroit prevailed at the time, and the Rekord C clearly broke the one million mark in terms of vehicles produced – again with a solid share of estate car variants.

This also allowed Opel to catch up with its competitors in Cologne, who had temporarily overtaken Opel in terms of registration figures with the Ford Taunus 17M and Taunus 20M.

1971-1977 – Opel Rekord Caravan D

The end of 1971 heralded the start of the 1970s with the newly designed Rekord D. Initially, the vehicle was called the Rekord II so that the additional letter D in its name would not lead to it being mistaken for a diesel model. Interestingly, a year later, the Rekord was also offered as the 2100 D with a 60 hp diesel engine.

The boot of the saloon shrank due to the enlarged fuel tank, which could well have been an argument in favour of the Caravan, which was available with three or five doors. In addition to the delivery van version without rear windows, which had always been available.

1977-1986 – Opel Rekord Caravan E

The last Rekord series, the E, was launched in 1977 and is divided into the E1 generation from 1977 to 1982 and the E2 generation from 1982 to the end of production in 1986.

With the Rekord E, Opel returned to the successful ingredients of its predecessors: technically drawing on the proven shelf of previous generations and launching with a fresh body. With reliable technology and good performance in the better engine versions, the Rekord E1 garnered sufficient popularity. A second diesel engine was now also available, which was certainly a sensible move, especially with regard to the markets in Italy and France.

The Rekord E2 was very similar in appearance to the E1, but a striking feature was the trend towards the wedge shape that was popular at the time, which significantly reduced the drag coefficient compared to its predecessor.

When production of the E2 ceased in 1986, Opel bid farewell to the illustrious Rekord name. Around ten million vehicles were built, a figure that its successor, the Omega, could only dream of.

In addition to the model’s overall impact on automotive history, the Opel Rekord Caravan has another significance. The consistent focus on three-door and later five-door estate cars may not have made estate cars socially acceptable straight away. However, they helped the previously niche mix of car and van to step out of the shadows and appear more confidently at the sales counter and in the cityscape.

Photos Opel Automobile GmbH

Author: Paolo Ollig

As editor-in-chief Paolo regularly writes about all the big and small stories related to classic cars and motorbikes. Classic dreams: Lamborghini Countach and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. View all posts by Paolo Ollig →