Opel Kadett E – the last in the line

By releasing the D generation of the Opel Kadett factory line, the German manufacturer staged a small technical revolution. With its successor, the E series, as it seemed at first glance, everything was much more modest.


Nevertheless, the new product was also able to shock many experts with its very cool (for a lower middle class car) aerodynamics. The model turned out to be so balanced and mature that it was even produced at the facilities of companies from other countries. I will say more, the licensed assembly of this veteran has survived to this day.


The premiere of the front-wheel drive Opel Kadett D took place at the 1979 Frankfurt Salon. In the UK it was later offered as the Vauxhall Astra. It became a kind of base for further advancement.

By the early 80s, front-wheel drive was a definite trend, so many manufacturers switched to such layouts. But this happened in higher classes, but in the lower middle class the German company was among the pioneers. Therefore, urgent consolidation of success was required.



Opel engineers were well aware that the technical component of the previous series was in the optimal combination. Therefore, almost nothing was changed here. All previous solutions remain:

✅ front wheel drive
✅ transverse engine arrangement
✅ varieties of power units

True, the latter required modifications to the intake and exhaust systems and new carburetors. The client was given a choice of gasoline engines, diluted with an alternative in the form of one diesel engine, which still did not have a turbocharger:

✅ basic cast iron OHV - 1196 cubic meters. cm/54,4 l. With
✅ aluminum 1,3 N – 1297 cubic meters. cm/60 l. With
✅ 1,3 S (1,6 S) – 1297 cc. cm/75 l. s (1598 cc/90 hp)
✅ diesel – 1,6 l/54,4 l. With

All gasoline aluminum units received a more modern OHC base. But the most powerful sports GSi could boast of improved (due to additional spoilers) aerodynamics. For him, the already excellent 0,32 turned into 0,30, which at that time became a record among lower middle class models. His other indicators turned out to be great:

✅ engine displacement - 1796 cu. cm
✅ power - 115,5 liters. With
✅ indirect fuel injection from Bosch LE-Jetronic
✅ speed – above 200 km/h
✅ acceleration to 100 km/h in 9 seconds

Classic Opel Kadett E gearboxes had four or five stages. The machines from the General Motors design bureaus received only three positions in the planetary hub, which can be considered quite normal for such a design.

The distance between the axles was 2,52 meters, and the front one, like the modern classics, had McPherson struts and lower wishbones. But at the rear, the engineers retained a simple design with trailing arms and a torsion bar, significantly saving the space used.


Комфорт обеспечивали винтовые пружины с телескопическими амортизаторами. За улучшение ходовых качеств отвечали поперечные торсионные стабилизаторы. Кстати, вес оказался тоже довольно небольшим. В зависимости от компоновки car, он мог составлять от 0,9 до 1 тонны.

Modern body and interior space variations

Separately, it is worth noting the new body received by generation E. It was a little ahead of its time, and instead of the sharp transitions usual for the 80s, we see neat, smooth and very rounded outlines. It was they who provided drag at a level of only 0,32.

Just a few months after its presentation at the Paris Motor Show, in August 1984, its mass production was launched at facilities in Bochum, Germany. And, looking ahead, it can be noted that it was accompanied by constant improvements to the basic design of the car.


If you move inside the Opel Kadett E, you can see the folding rear seats. They can significantly increase the already considerable volume of the luggage compartment, which is 380 liters by default. But for those who like to transport large loads, there was also a station wagon version: Caravan with a length of 4,23 meters.

Later, a van appeared, which was created thanks to tinning of the side windows. But from the beginning of 1986 the offer was supplemented by the Combo, which offered more cargo space thanks to the following features:

✅ raised roof at the rear
✅ extended wheelbase
✅ leaf springs on the rear axle

They were used to improve the vehicle's endurance under increased load on the chassis. But the three-seater sedan, which appeared in 1985, already accommodated 550 liters of luggage. At the same time, due to the folding seat, it was possible to expand the space to 1230 liters.

The popularity of the car aroused interest in it from the famous Italian body shop Bertone. In 1986, local specialists created a two-door convertible with a protective arch and a canvas roof. It went on sale from next May. But the prices for this luxurious car were very steep: from 31 to 37 thousand marks. For comparison, the sports GSi with the most powerful engine was then asked for only 23 thousand.

After such a digression, let's return to the interior of the car. For example, the driver's rear view mirror was manually adjusted from the inside. There were also height-adjustable front seat belts.


There was also the possibility of installing an adjustable driver's seat or heating it. But this was an option for which you had to pay extra. In the same row it is worth putting: a tachometer, a sliding roof, electric windows, central locking and a second mirror.

The appearance and equipment of the model impressed the international jury of automotive journalists. They noted the favorable relationship between price and utility of the Opel Kadett E. This culminated in awarding it the high title of "European Car of the Year 1985".

Constant modernization and licensed production

Gradually, gasoline engines received injection and catalytic converters, and diesel engines received a turbocharged version from Isuzu. External and internal homologation took place in 1989, when the car received:

✅ new radiator grille, not recessed into the bumper
✅ modern design
✅ the steering wheel is more round in the central part

Тогда же представили и единственный прототип electric car. Основная история модели завершилась в 1993 году, когда ее сменил Opel Astra. А вот география производства продолжала расти. Кроме британского двойника Vauxhall, сюда стоит отнести сборочные цеха в Португалии, бельгийском Антверпене и югославскую IDA. Позже к этому ряду добавились заокеанские мощности, Южная Корея и Узбекистан.


Yes, in this former Soviet republic the history of the Opel Kadett E lasted until 2016, where it was produced under the name Nexia. This name appeared in 1994, after a redesign from Daewoo, which promoted the car for assembly in Romania, Poland, Iran, Vietnam and Egypt. The total circulation of all versions was 3 pieces. The luxurious convertible from Bertone was also produced in a series of 779 copies.