By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
The Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
    Auto ShowsShow More
    Chery unveils HIMLA brand at 2025 Shanghai Auto Show
    April 28, 2025
    World Champion to drive special Volkswagen Polo at Simola Hillclimb
    April 28, 2025
    bp signs up as Simola Hillclimb sponsor on four-year deal
    April 28, 2025
    Multifaceted MasterDrive at Simola
    April 24, 2025
    OMODA & JAECOO accelerate 2025 NEV strategy with bold debuts at Auto Shanghai
    April 24, 2025
  • Bikes
    BikesShow More
    BMW Motorrad presents the new R 18 models
    January 22, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the BMW Concept F 450 GS
    November 5, 2024
    BMW Motorrad presents the new bikes
    November 1, 2024
    24YM HONDA NX500
    October 15, 2024
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW C 400 GT and BMW C 400 X
    October 15, 2024
  • News
    NewsShow More
    Chery launches LEPAS brand with L8 luxury SUV, ushering in a new premium era
    April 25, 2025
    NADA Applauds Move to Support Stability and Ease Pressure on Consumers
    April 24, 2025
    Automechanika Sub-Saharan Africa Roadshow Expands Automotive Aftermarket Possibilities
    April 24, 2025
    AK47 PROTECTION FOR JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE (WITH WARRANTY INTACT!)
    April 24, 2025
    Ford Silverton Manufacturing Plant Green Initiatives a Step Closer to Carbon Neutrality
    April 23, 2025
  • Concepts
    ConceptsShow More
    Audi unveils Q6 e-tron offroad concept
    January 28, 2025
    CITROEN PRESENTS C5 AIRCROSS CONCEPT
    October 15, 2024
    Lotus Unveils Theory 1:  The Future Of Intelligent Performance
    September 23, 2024
    First sketches of Škoda Enyaq RS Race
    May 3, 2024
    W16 Mistral: the art of bringing Bugatti’s ultimate roadster to life
    January 24, 2024
  • EVs
    EVsShow More
    RANGE ROVER ELECTRIC PROTOTYPES EXCEL IN LATEST WINTER TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
    April 25, 2025
    ELECTRIFIED LUXURY REDEFINED: THE ALL-NEW LEXUS ES
    April 24, 2025
    Volvo EX90 claims World Luxury Car title
    April 17, 2025
    DFSK South Africa rolls out EC35 Electric Panel Van
    April 15, 2025
    The all-new electric G-Class
    April 10, 2025
  • Motosport
    MotosportShow More
    Castrol, NWM, Ford and bp Join Forces for 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship
    April 25, 2025
    BEHIND THE SCENES WITH GILLY DYKES: DUST, GRIT AND DETERMINATION
    April 24, 2025
    Fouriesburg Rally Shifts to Spring
    April 23, 2025
    TOYOTA GAZOO RACING JUNIOR ACADEMY EYES MORE GLORY AT ROTAX NATIONAL ROUND 2
    April 23, 2025
    FINAL COUNTDOWN COMMENCES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY
    April 22, 2025
  • Trucks & Buses
    Trucks & BusesShow More
    HINO ONCE AGAIN ANSWERS FARMERS’ CALL FOR HELP
    April 24, 2025
    Daimler Truck Southern Africa appoints Wolf Edmayr as the General Manager of TruckStore
    March 28, 2025
    ISUZU Motors South Africa Celebrates 60 Years of Isuzu Trucks in South Africa
    March 3, 2025
    Itumeleng Segage, General Manager of Hino South Africa
    HINO SCORES MORE THAN 99% IN ALL FOUR CUSTOMER CARE SURVEY CATEGORIES
    February 5, 2025
    UD TRUCKS SOUTHERN AFRICA DEEPENS ITS COMMITMENT
    January 28, 2025
  • Reviews
    ReviewsShow More
    Tow Like a Pro with the Ford Ranger
    April 10, 2025
    MEET THE ALL-NEW LEXUS GX: A PREMIUM OFF-ROADER REIMAGINED
    April 8, 2025
    Aston Martin Vanquish Volante: The world’s fastest, most powerful front-engine convertible
    March 29, 2025
    The legend grows: introducing the Toyota Hilux Hybrid 48v and GR SPORT II
    March 29, 2025
    THE ALL-NEW GWM P300 – BRING IT ON!
    March 3, 2025
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    Chery unveils AiMOGA: Revolutionising the car-buying experience through intelligent robotics
    April 24, 2025
    Volvo Cars uses AI and virtual worlds with the aim to create safer cars
    March 21, 2025
    Chery drives AI innovation with DeepSeek partnership
    March 3, 2025
    Stellantis Unveils STLA AutoDrive
    February 20, 2025
    Mercedes-Benz and Google Partner on AI-powered Conversational Search within Navigation Systems
    January 14, 2025
Hot News
Chery unveils HIMLA brand at 2025 Shanghai Auto Show
World Champion to drive special Volkswagen Polo at Simola Hillclimb
bp signs up as Simola Hillclimb sponsor on four-year deal
Chery launches LEPAS brand with L8 luxury SUV, ushering in a new premium era
RANGE ROVER ELECTRIC PROTOTYPES EXCEL IN LATEST WINTER TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
Latest News

Hyundai Motor Reports 2023 Global Sales and 2024 Targets

Motosport

FINAL COUNTDOWN COMMENCES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI RALLY

Technology

ChatGPT is now available in many Volkswagen models

Latest NewsTechnology

P3 helps car OEMs and other innovators to reduce time to market

Font ResizerAa
The Auto MagazineThe Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Search
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Follow US
Crafted by Intellegere Media. © 2024 The Auto Magazine. All rights reserved.
Latest News

Opel Began Producing Automobiles 125 Years Ago

Itumeleng Garebatshabe
Last updated: January 16, 2024 09:27
By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
170 Views
7 Min Read
Share
7 Min Read
Opel Kadett C & Opel Astra Sports Tourer Hybrid
SHARE
  • Start of an era: 1899 contract-signing made Opel an automobile manufacturer
  • Current bestsellers “made in Rüsselsheim”: Opel Astra and Astra Sports Tourer
  • Anniversary under banner of electromobility: Battery-electric variant of every Opel carline in 2024

2024 is a special year for Opel, under the banner of electromobility. For the first time in the brand’s history, every model will have a battery-electric variant – above all the new Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric, one of the first battery-electric estate cars on the market. However, the company laid the foundation for affordable, innovative and future-proof mobility on four wheels 125 years ago. On January 21, 1899, Wilhelm Opel, son of the company founder Adam Opel, signed a contract with the locksmith Friedrich Lutzmann to buy his Motorwagenfabrik (motor car factory), the starting signal for automobile production at Opel. This marked the start of a new era that would write history far beyond Rüsselsheim. A previously successful sewing machine and bicycle manufacturer, Opel thus ventured into territory unknown to the company exactly 125 years ago.

Since then, more than 75 million Opel vehicles have left the production plants all over Europe. One of the current bestsellers comes from Rüsselsheim: the latest generation of the Opel Astra. As Opel marks the 125th anniversary of automobile production and sets course for the future, the innovative compact class model rolls off the assembly line today with advanced technologies and electrified, locally emissions-free drivetrains.

Opel CEO, Florian Huettl: “Like Opel 125 years ago, we are now at the beginning of a new era. Back then, the company became a pioneer by entering the automobile age. Nowadays, Opel is an electric pioneer, offering locally emissions-free, individual mobility that is also suitable for everyday use. Such as the new Astra Sports Tourer Electric. Like the first Opel automobile, this car also comes from Rüsselsheim. We are proud of this heritage and will therefore be celebrating the anniversary of ‘125 years of automobile production at Opel under the banner of electromobility”.

Late 1890s: From sewing machines and bicycles to automobiles

Opel’s success story began in 1862. Adam Opel built his first sewing machine in Rüsselsheim, thereby laying the foundation for the company. Opel soon developed into one of the largest sewing machine manufacturers in Germany and exported all over Europe. With the bicycle, Opel gained its next successful foothold. The first penny-farthing was built in Rüsselsheim in 1886, making Opel one of the first bicycle makers in Germany. In the 1920s – in parallel to the car business – Opel became the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, a success for which the sons of the now deceased company founder were responsible.

They are also the ones who made the fundamental change to motorised transportation for the Opel company. Due to a decline in the bicycle business in the 1890s, the Opel brothers were searching for new products and came across the automobile. Fritz and Wilhelm Opel visited the first German Motor Show in Berlin in 1897 and met Friedrich Lutzmann there. The master locksmith had been producing motor cars since 1894 and therefore had the experience the Opel brothers were looking for. He invited the Opel brothers to his factory in Dessau where Fritz and Wilhelm immediately recognised the potential for automobile manufacturing that Lutzmann offered them.

While all involved initially thought of a cooperation, the Opel brothers then made Lutzmann an attractive offer for the entire production, including land, building and workshop equipment. On January 21, 1899, Wilhelm Opel and Friedrich Lutzmann signed the contract for a purchase price of 116,887 marks and the factory became the property of Opel.

The whole company, including employees and machinery, was relocated from Dessau to the Opel headquarters in Rüsselsheim. Lutzmann himself was appointed sales manager of the Adam Opel Motorfahrzeug-Fabrik.

The takeover of the production and patents meant that Opel immediately gained years of experience in building motor vehicles. From then on, Lutzmann and selected employees brought in from Opel’s bicycle production manufactured cars under the name Opel in a specially erected building. The first advertisements for the new models appeared as early as spring 1899 and announced, “Opel motorcars are the best”.

Pioneering achievement from Rüsselsheim: The new Astra Sports Tourer Electric

While 125 years ago the Opel-Patentmotorwagen System Lutzmann was a pioneering achievement as the first automobile from Rüsselsheim, today this is the latest generation of the bestseller Opel Astra, which is designed, developed and manufactured there. The especially dynamic electrified top models Astra GSe and Astra Sports Tourer GSe roll off the assembly line in Rüsselsheim, along with the new Astra Sports Tourer Electric. The all-electric compact class estate, one of the first of its kind, made its world premiere at last year’s IAA Mobility, impressing all with its design, comfort and spaciousness, and especially its performance. The electric motor delivers 115 kW/156 hp and a powerful 270 Newton meters of maximum torque. And while many other electric cars are limited to 150 km/h or 160 km/h, the new Astra Sports Tourer Electric can reach a top speed of 170 km/h. A driving range of up to 413 km is possible on a single charge of the battery. State-of-the-art technologies, such as the class-leading Intelli-Lux LED Pixel Light with 168 LED elements, and the Intelli-Drive 2.0 system with semi-automatic lane change and intelligent speed adaptation, are also available.

125 years after the start of automobile production in Rüsselsheim, Opel and its customers are driving into the future locally emissions-free, with vehicles that are fun to drive and suitable for everyday use. 2024 will be marked by the major anniversary and Opel’s continued journey towards electrification, accompanied by celebrations as well as innovative new models. More information about the anniversary year will follow soon.

TAGGED:Adam OpelFriedrich LutzmannGerman Motor ShowMotorwagenfabrikOpelOpel AstraOpel Astra Sports Tourer ElectricRüsselsheimWilhelm Opel

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Stay Updated! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn VKontakte Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Share
ByItumeleng Garebatshabe
Editor
Follow:
Itumeleng is the Managing Editor of The Auto Magazine. He is a tech and car enthusiast

Follow US

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe
TiktokFollow
TelegramFollow
Google NewsFollow
LinkedInFollow

You Might Also Like

Latest News

All-New Electric Opel SUV will be Named Frontera

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
January 24, 2024
Latest News

Opel LCV Range Revealed

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
October 24, 2023
Electric Vehicles

Opel and ADAC Extend Partnership in Electric Rally Racing

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
May 2, 2023
Latest News

New Opel Corsa with 48V Hybrid Drive for First Time

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
December 1, 2023
Latest News

Stellantis expands Opel, PEUGEOT, and Citroën brands in Mpumalanga

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
November 1, 2024
Auto Shows

Stellar line-up of exciting road cars and supercars for King of the Hill

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
March 20, 2025

The Auto Magazine

  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Bikes
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Auto Shows
  • Latest News
  • Motosport

Crafted by Intellegere Media. All rights reserved. 2024

Don't not sell my personal information
Join Us!
Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
adbanner