Opel is Germany's answer to Chevrolet. For decades, it was GM's European heart, engineering cars that secretly became Buicks and Saturns in the US. From the rally-bred Manta to the supercar-killing Lotus Omega, Opel blends mass-market utility with hidden performance.
Explore the current production vehicles.
The handsome flagship that became a Buick. The Insignia is a sophisticated mid-size sedan and wagon, famous for its sleek design and autobahn-tuned handling. In the US, it was sold as the critically acclaimed Buick Regal, Regal GS, and Regal TourX.
The heart of the Opel lineup and a European giant. The Astra is a brilliant compact hatchback and wagon that has consistently challenged the VW Golf. It was briefly sold in the US as the Saturn Astra, praised for its sharp, European driving dynamics.
A European superstar and a legend of the supermini class. The Corsa is a stylish, fun-to-drive, and incredibly popular small car. The high-performance OPC/VXR versions are legendary pocket rockets on European B-roads.
The legendary rear-wheel-drive sport coupe. The Manta was Opel's answer to the Ford Capri, a stylish and beloved car that became a dominant force in European rallying. The Manta 400 is a Group B rally icon.
The stunning 'baby Corvette.' The original Opel GT was a masterpiece of design, a tiny sports car with a dramatic 'coke bottle' shape and unique, manually operated rotating headlights. An affordable European exotic that is a true design icon.
The incredibly sleek and aerodynamic 90s coupe. At its launch, the Calibra was the most aerodynamic production car in the world. With available all-wheel drive and a potent turbo model, it was a high-tech and stylish icon of its era.
A historic nameplate that was the backbone of Opel for decades. The Kadett was a versatile compact that evolved over many generations. In the US, a version of the Kadett E was famously sold as the Pontiac LeMans.
The workhorse mid-size sedan that was a Saturn in disguise. The Vectra was a popular and dependable family car in Europe, and its platform was the basis for the Saturn L-Series and the Saab 9-3, showcasing its engineering influence.
The powerful, rear-wheel-drive executive sedan. The Omega was a true autobahn cruiser, but its legendary Lotus-tuned version was a four-door supercar slayer. In the US, the Omega platform was the basis for the Cadillac Catera.
A raw, mid-engine, Lotus-built rocket. The Opel Speedster was a lightweight, no-frills sports car based on the Lotus Elise chassis, designed for pure, unfiltered driving pleasure. The Turbo model was a legend of track-day performance.
The handsome and dependable German family cars of the 60s and 70s. These classic rear-wheel-drive sedans and coupes were known for their robust engineering and clean styling, and were often seen in American Buick showrooms in the 70s.
The capable and stylish compact SUV. The Antara was a global crossover that shared its platform with the Chevrolet Captiva. In the US, a version of this vehicle was sold as the second-generation Saturn Vue, showcasing Opel's design influence.
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For nearly 90 years, Opel was the European arm of General Motors. While Mercedes and BMW were building luxury cars for the elite, Opel was building cars for everyone else. It is the "Bread and Butter" brand of Germany.
If you live in the US, you have likely driven an Opel without knowing it:
In the late 60s and 70s, Opel sold the GT in America through Buick dealerships. With its swooping curves and flip-over headlights (operated by a manual lever that looked like a muscle), it was nicknamed the "Baby Corvette." It remains a cult classic in the US today.
In 1990, Opel did something insane. They took their boring family sedan, the Omega, and gave it to Lotus.
Lotus stroked the engine to 3.6 liters and added twin turbos. The result was the Lotus Omega (or Lotus Carlton in the UK).
The Opel Manta is to Germany what the Chevrolet Camaro (IROC-Z) is to America. In the 80s and 90s, it was associated with a specific working-class subculture ("Manta Manta"), complete with fox tails on the antenna and drivers with mullets. Despite the jokes, it was a genuinely capable rear-wheel-drive sports coupe.
In 1989, Opel launched the Calibra. It was stunning. But more importantly, it was slippery. With a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.26, it remained the most aerodynamic mass-production car in the world for nearly 10 years. It proved Opel could lead in design.
In 2017, GM sold Opel to PSA Group (now Stellantis). Today, Opel is reinventing itself as an electric-first brand, reviving the "GSe" badge for sporty EVs and bringing the "Manta" back as a retro-futuristic concept.
Opel is the unsung hero of the automotive world. It rarely gets the credit it deserves. It engineered the platforms that kept GM alive globally for decades. An Opel is honest engineeringâit doesn't pretend to be an aristocrat; it just works, and occasionally (like with the Lotus Omega), it goes absolutely mad.
Not anymore. After being a subsidiary of General Motors (GM) for nearly 90 years (1929â2017), Opel was sold to the PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroën) in 2017.
Today, Opel is a key brand within the massive Stellantis conglomerate. While older models (like the Insignia B) use GM technology, newer models (like the Corsa F and Mokka) share platforms and engines with Peugeot and Citroën.
The iconic lightning bolt logo is known as the "Opel Blitz" (German for lightning).
It pays homage to the Opel Blitz truck, a legendary commercial vehicle that helped the company survive difficult times in the 1930s. The logo symbolizes power, speed, and the brand's modernization. It replaced the older "Zeppelin" ring logo in the 1960s.
For the last few decades, they have been virtually identical vehicles.
Opel is the brand name used in mainland Europe and most international markets, while Vauxhall is the badge used exclusively in the United Kingdom. The cars are manufactured in the same factories, with the only real differences being the grille badge and the steering wheel position (Right-Hand Drive for Vauxhall).
The original Opel GT (1968-1973) earned this nickname because its styling was heavily inspired by the C3 Chevrolet Corvette.
Designed by the same GM parent company, it featured the same "coke-bottle" curves and swooping lines but on a much smaller, European scale. It is also famous for its mechanical headlights that flipped over sideways rather than popping up.
OPC stands for Opel Performance Center.
It is the brand's high-performance division, similar to VW's GTI or Ford's ST. OPC models (like the Astra OPC or Insignia OPC) are characterized by aggressive body kits, large wheels, Recaro seats, and the signature Arden Blue paint color.
When the Opel Calibra launched in 1989, it was the most aerodynamic production car in the world.
It achieved a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.26. This incredible sleekness allowed even the base models with modest engines to achieve high top speeds and excellent fuel economy, keeping the record for nearly a decade.
The Lotus Omega (or Lotus Carlton) is a legendary super-sedan from the early 90s.
Opel partnered with Lotus to upgrade the standard Omega sedan. They installed a 3.6L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 producing 377 horsepower. It was capable of 177 mph, making it faster than a contemporary Ferrari Testarossa and causing a controversy in the UK Parliament about whether it was "too fast" for public roads.
IntelliLux is Opel's affordable matrix LED headlight system.
Introduced on the Astra, it allows the driver to leave high beams on permanently. The individual LED segments automatically turn off (mask) around oncoming traffic to prevent blinding other drivers while keeping the rest of the road brightly illuminated. It brought premium luxury technology to the compact class.
Yes. In 1982, German driving legend Walter Röhrl won the World Rally Championship Drivers' title piloting an Opel Ascona 400.
It was a historic victory because the rear-wheel-drive Ascona managed to beat the revolutionary four-wheel-drive Audi Quattro, proving that reliability and driver skill could still triumph over raw technology.
Opel generally offers solid reliability, particularly with their manual transmissions and diesel engines.
The EcoTec engine family (developed under GM) is known for durability if maintained. However, the ownership transfer to Stellantis means newer Opels now use the PureTech engines, which have different maintenance characteristics (such as wet timing belts) that owners need to be aware of.