What created the first model Opel station wagon and as he continues to improve

Premiere of new compact station wagon Opel Astra Sports Tourer is a good opportunity to recall the sensation caused in Europe when it launched the Olympia Rekord Caravan in 1953 - the first station wagon flexible.

Since the beginning of automotive history, has made a clear distinction between freight vans, which supplied goods and bulky loads and vehicles carrying people in optimal space and comfort. Most daily use of a van today and become so good it simply did not exist in those days: there was no need to store the food you needed for a week in a car or you can bring back to surfboards a great weekend. Before the mid-30s, luggage, passengers are not even stored in the cabin, with passengers, in general, things were packed in suitcases that were resistant grill fixed mounted or rear access stairs.

It started in America

When American small car manufacturer launched its new Hudson Terraplane Station Wagon model in December 1936, few believed that this new type of car will change how people will travel during holidays, business trips or simply family . At that time, was seen only as one of many attempts to build a hybrid design somewhere between a sedan and a transport vehicle.

However, Terraplane model, with its body panels and wood trunk lid was the first large deployment without compromising the concept of the station wagon and first launched in series production. Unfortunately, the market became successful only after the Second World War, largely because there is simply no demand for multipurpose vehicles spacious.

All this changed in the mid '40s with the development of the middle class, which consists primarily of independent dealers, sales representatives and artisans, who needed vehicles to carry out commercial activities but still could not afford separate one for his family. All major car manufacturers have started to sell American station wagon models. However, they started the small car body construction outsourced suppliers in large part because production in small and require more time was not profitable.

Small producers of bodies, often active in a studio built specifically for the station wagon bodies for wood or a combination of wood and steel. Although the first car bodywork American station wagon (known as "woodies" on wood = wood) are considered particularly attractive today as they were in reality only a point solution. Suppliers of wood used as processing steel bodywork was too complicated.

When demand for these versatile vehicles began to increase, major American producers took the production process, using a full steel construction, often applying imitation wood panels, which help to distinguish simple visual cargo vans .

Opel Olympia Rekord Caravan in 1953, the first European real estate / wagon

In Europe, the distinction between a cargo vehicle and a car began to fade with the introduction of full body, but only at the beginning Wirtschaftswunder German phenomenon - or economic miracle - the early '50.

As in the U.S. a few years earlier, rising middle class was combined with a baby boom, creating a need that simply required the design of a new type of vehicle. Station wagon cars were perfect solution because they could serve as a workhorse during the week and as a family car on weekends. Opel was the first European producer has identified this trend and offer such a flexible vehicle.

In 1953, the International Automobile Exhibition in Frankfurt, Opel presented the first real European station wagon, Olympia Rekord model with the square to the rear and side windows, which was exhibited alongside sedan. Both had in common a pontoon body and feature a front side holes like a shark, but the station wagon has established a name that would remain in automotive history as a synonym for an entire automotive genre: "Caravan." According to legend, the compound word of "car" (car) and "Van" (van) came to question puzzled "that machine is a van?"

Unlike conventional cargo vans, box shaped, the Opel Olympia Rekord Caravan in 1953 was fitted as standard time extravaganza. With its elegant pontoon body model with three large windows in the rear doors and exudes an air of distinction to contemporary art and provides a whole new flexibility. "With a few manual operations," according to Opel advertising texts, "without any effort, the rear seats can be folded down - chic and respectable Opel station wagon became a vehicle with great practical value, providing a real economy."

Opel Olympia Rekord Caravan has been an immediate success. This meant that the station wagon to become socially acceptable combining the advantages of a comfortable sedan with van usually austere, but spacious. In Germany, this new body was called "Caravan" or "Combination," an abbreviation after "Kombinationsfahrzeug" - a vehicle that combines attributes specific to two categories. Today, specialists in advertising called it a "flexible crossover.

From mid-size models to compact car Kadett Caravan

Increasingly more people not working in trade became interested in the station wagon and Opel has ensured that launches an attractive option for the station wagon with every new Opel model. Mark has built about 23,400 units of the station wagon models from 1953 and 1954, which totaled more than ten percent of sales of sedan cars. By 1955, sales reached approximately 20 percent: 107 000 units and 24,000 units sedan station wagon.

Encouraged by increased sales of cars station wagon-sized segment, Opel has added a station wagon variant of its compact first post-war Kadett 1962. Avantajosul compact Kadett Caravan premiered in March of 1963 and sales of vehicles powered wagon to such a degree that almost 50 percent of all German cars station wagon at that time were produced by Opel. When production of the Kadett ended in 1965, nearly one in four - about 125,000 units from 500,000 across Europe - was a station wagon.

With tires larger than the sedan (instead of 5.50-12 6.00-12) and suspension rigid Kadett Caravan can carry 430 kilograms, 100 kilograms more than the sedan. And although sedan was generally considered a large car, Kadett Caravan above. Load space of generous proportions overshadowed the competing station wagon models. Opel also offers an optional feature that was the first step vans today: the space charge can be mounted one additional child seat, facing opposite direction of travel, equipment that could be considered a precursor of the Zafira.

Opel station wagon style sets the standard for

In 1970, Opel has designed a new type of station wagon that was deliberately oriented toward family activities and entertainment, regardless of its connotation horse, adding accents sports-oriented lifestyle.

Opel offered the first indications of a strategy that would apply the Geneva Motor Show in 1968, with its prototype "Commodore Voyage." The "Kombi" large have a particular outer appearance similar to wood panels, reminiscent of the models "Wood" U.S.. Although it never entered mass production, opened the way for new experiments Opel styling, design department at that time. In the late '60s and early '70s, designers have worked on more modern station wagon models, extremely elegant and refined. All were called "Voyage" to emphasize their implementation certainly more luxurious and more oriented towards leisure activities. Pack horses disappeared, it was time for a new kind of station wagon that combines generous space with pride and luxury with large windows and bright.

The model was launched in 1970 called Ascona Voyage, with side panels in imitation of wood characteristics. Voyage Name clarify destination station wagon model: there was the van for an end professionals and Opel was again a pioneer.

Acts confirmed brand vision: the early '70s, only about 20 percent of the station wagon car buyers use them exclusively as private motor, but in the early '90s, the number was over 50 percent. Caravan models which, from Ascona Voyage, always included a very luxurious and sporty version, offered a multipurpose vehicle for all tastes and pockets.

Strong automotive segment penetration

Opel continued to set standards and develop towards the station wagon concept car with large engine, high performance in higher price categories. In 1989, Omega Caravan 24v model have a 204 hp engine, with displacement of three liters and six cylinders in line, making it the fastest station wagon in the world series. That was another new prototype Opel, which has since inspired several manufacturers. In 1993, the concept was implemented in the compact car segment, with 16v Astra, due to its 2-liter engine with 16 cylinders in V and an output of 150 hp, it was at that time the most powerful station wagon of its class . Both Omega and Astra were later established records in their classes. Besides driving the strong performance, with maximum speeds of around 240 km / h (omega) and 200 km / h (Astra), they had the largest volume of cargo in their classes.

Following this trend, the next generation Astra Caravan OPC launched in 2002 was powered by a turbocharged 147kW/200 hp with a displacement of 2 liters and 16 cylinders in V - the same features of the sportiest model, the Astra three-door . Can reach a speed of 231 km / h and accelerates from 0-100 km / h in 7.8 seconds. The following year, OPC station wagon model added an adaptive suspension IDSPlus the technology typically found in higher segment vehicles in as the super exotic car sites - and yet still boasted a loading volume of up to 1590 liters . OPC Opel Insignia Sports Tourer with 325 hp engine, which premiered in 2009, took a major step forward in terms of driving dynamics, with a chassis Flexride, Adaptive 4x4 system and even more power.

The circle closes - Astra Sports Tourer combines elegance with functionality

New Astra Sports Tourer, which will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in 2010, illustrates the natural evolution of species: a station wagon is elegant, refined and equipped with practical, first-class facilities and ample cargo volume. Like the first station wagon model, it offers owners a single vehicle both for life and for the personal, but perfected the form and execution premium sports cars and luxury station wagon which first appeared in the 70s with the Opel 'Voyage ", giving them a note of modernity.

Source: http://www.opel.com/

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