Opel Diplomat first generation: the youngest of the "Big Three"

Opel is a German automaker headquartered in Rüsselsheim. And point. Somehow, no one thinks that the company, born in 1862, has belonged to the American concern General Motors since 1929, and today it is part of Groupe PSA (Stellantis).


But this is the latest history, and we want to take a look at 60 years ago and see what kind of car a respectable citizen in a hat and a cloak over his hand was approaching? .. To one of the best of its time - the Opel Diplomat. And the time on the Swiss watch of the “respectable” showed 1964.

Background of the birth of the model

Historically, the quality in the performance of cars for the Germans is a fetish, the highest goal to which they stubbornly strive. The combination with excellent technical solutions makes Opel cars recognizable and in demand in all corners of the world.


The company's product has always been intended for the widest audience, had affordable prices. But in the pre-war years, Opel relies on the production of luxury options: two stars shone on the automotive Olympus.

Opel Admiral (1937)

It was an expensive (7 thousand Reichsmarks) 5,3-meter model. But for that kind of money, users were offered unprecedented comfort and luxury. The front part shone with chrome longitudinal ribs of a huge radiator grille, volumetric wheel arches were the same front and rear. Inside, 6 people were freely accommodated, and the trunk was miniature, but elegant in shape.



"Admiral" - that version of the sedan, in which the front doors opened along the way, and the rear doors against the direction of travel. The design weighing 1,6 tons up to 132 km / h was accelerated by a 75-horsepower engine. The bodies were also represented by pullman limousines and convertibles.

Opel Kapitan (1938)

A memorable model in an all-metal carrier body: original hexagonal headlights, high front fenders, an abundance of chrome in front competes with the Admiral. In terms of the number of passengers (5 people) and the curb weight (1 kg), as well as the price (230 thousand Reichsmarks), the Captain was inferior to the Admiral. Carburetor engines generated 3,9 hp. With. and carried two- and four-door sedans along the roads at a speed of 55 km / h. The convertible body was also present in the lineup.


Both models were remarkably good, but in the post-war period they were no longer in demand. In any case, the demand has fallen: the public was interested in new trends in the automotive industry. In order to revive consumer demand, to draw attention to the brand, Opel, in continuation of a number of luxury cars, created a new model - Diplomat. This is how the “Big Three” was formed - the “KAD” series (Kapitan, Admiral, Diplomat).

Overview of the Opel Diplomat model in comparison with the "brothers"

By 1964, the Opel company, as it were, carried out an “audit” of its previous developments, consolidated its, by the way, considerable capabilities and revealed a novelty to the world - the Diplomat executive car. A lot of things have been revised in production, the range of premium cars has been practically restructured.


In the appearance of all three representatives of the KAD series from Rüsselsheim, the “genes” of the American “parent” - General Motors were clearly visible. The decorative baroque style in the design of the bodies of the famous trio was handed over to the "closet of history". Viewers of the early 60s saw elongated bodies with more or less even hoods, as in American films. This style of automotive critics called the "new reality". However, there were journalistic languages ​​that spoke "pseudo-American design."

Rising and asserting itself at a higher level of the premium class, the German manufacturer settled on the following dimensions of machines: length about 5 m, width not less than 1,9 m. But belonging to the upper segments was determined not only by the space occupied in space, but also by the level of equipment and powertrain capabilities.


By the time the Opel Diplomat was released, the Captain was going through another generational change, and the Admiral, with its richest equipment, continued to develop pre-war success. Both models were equipped with 6-cylinder engines with a volume of 2,6 liters, giving 100 “horses” and synchronized with 4-speed manual transmissions. The latter were controlled by a lever mounted on the steering wheel. However, there were sports options in which the gearbox lever was located in the middle, under the driver's right hand. The speed mark was limited to 155 km / h.

A novelty was hydraulic valve lifters. The base was a 2-circuit brake system with discs on the front wheels. The youngest of the trio - "Diplomat" - received a motor from overseas. Let's pay special attention to this moment.

Specifications Opel Diplomat

"Diplomat" was an undisguised luxury and elegance. Inside the 4-door sedan, fleecy floor mats, velvet seat upholstery, natural veneer on the dashboard and door cards brought comfort. The space under the feet of the passengers of the gallery was illuminated by lanterns. The tape speedometer with an extreme mark of 250 km / h looked unusual. A distinctive feature of the "Junior" was a black vinyl roof.


The F-class car on 15-inch wheels was stuffed to capacity with "modernities":

✅ Seat backrest tilt adjustment
✅ Power windows have become electric
✅ Rear-view mirrors were controlled from the passenger compartment
✅ Fog lights have taken their place in the front optics
✅ The steering wheel and brakes received hydraulic boosters

The first generation of rear-wheel drive "Diplomats", produced from 1964 to 1968, received a load-bearing body. The Chevrolet V8 283 engine with a reinforced driveshaft and a 2-chamber carburetor power system was located in front, longitudinally. Engine displacement was 4638 cmXNUMX³, power - 190 l. With. Torque was 347 Nm at 2400 rpm. Paired with the engine worked 2-speed automatic transmission.


Options "Diplomat":

✅ Length - 4 948 mm
✅ Width - 1 mm
✅ Height - 1 mm
✅ Curb weight - 1 kg

The car provided for a front independent on springs and a rear suspension dependent on springs. There were disc brakes in front, drum hydraulic mechanisms in the back.

Further development of the first generation Opel Diplomat

Diplomat achieved its greatest sophistication and respectability in 1965, when it received a hardtop coupe body from the Karmann studio from Osnabrück. A powerful advertisement was launched that assured potential owners that they could now "travel first class for long periods".


A Chevrolet V8 327 power unit was installed on the car with the following characteristics:

✅ Volume - 5,4 l
✅ Power - 230 liters. With.
✅ Torque - 427 Nm
✅ Maximum speed - 206 km / h
✅ Acceleration to the first "hundred" - 10 seconds

The Diplomat coupe was not only the fastest among classmates, but also the most expensive Opel: it cost as much as 7 Volkswagen Beetle cars - 25,5 thousand German marks. And also the "Diplomat" coupe remained in the memory of historians as a very beautiful and rare car: in total, users saw 347 (according to other sources - 304) cars. Since 230, the progressive 8-horsepower Chevrolet V327 1966 unit has also been installed on sedans. In this body, 9 copies were sold.


As you can see, the "Diplomats" of the first generation were exclusive cars. They continued to develop, improve, delight and surprise their fans. What remained unchanged: German conciseness and high quality, excellent technical stuffing and public recognition.