Opel Cars

Opel traces its roots to 1862 as a sewing machine maker before pivoting to bicycles and then automobiles at the dawn of the 20th century. By the mid 1900s Opel had become Germany's largest carmaker, known for durable, sensibly engineered family cars sold at accessible prices. General Motors acquired a majority stake in 1929 and full ownership by 1931, running Opel as its European engineering arm for nearly 90 years and sharing platforms with Vauxhall in Britain, Holden in Australia, and various Chevrolet and Buick models worldwide.

Through the postwar decades Opel built its reputation on nameplates like the Kadett, Ascona, and Manta, competing directly with Volkswagen and Ford across Europe's largest car market. The Kadett evolved into the Astra in 1991, while the Vectra carried the midsize torch through the 1990s and 2000s before giving way to the Insignia. Opel's UK-market twin, Vauxhall, used different badges and trim names on largely identical underpinnings, a dual-branding arrangement that persisted even after Stellantis took over.

In 2017 GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to PSA Group (Peugeot maker), which later merged into Stellantis in 2021. Under new ownership Opel has leaned into electrification, offering electric versions of the Corsa and Mokka and plug-in hybrids across the Astra and Grandland lines, while retaining its lightning-bolt logo and reputation as a value-focused, high-volume European brand.