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75 years of the Opel Kapitän - from luxury class trendsetter to follower

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Created on April 21, 2013

Reading time 3min

Written by:

Werner Bartholai

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Archiv Opel / General Motors

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Bruno von Rotz

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Archiv

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Daniel Reinhard

1

Archiv Opel / General Motors

12

Bruno von Rotz

1

Archiv

3

Opel Kapitän P2 (1959) - setzte mit mancher Ausstattungsoption Trends

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Opel Kapitän (1953) - die Nachkriegsmodelle entwickelten sich in Richtung Pontonform

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Opel Kapitän (1938) - amerikanischen Erzeugnissen jener Zeit nicht unähnlich

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Opel Kapitän (1938) - in zwei- und viertüriger Ausfertigung zu haben

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Opel Kapitän (1938) - Vorkriegs-Oberklassen-Limousine

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Opel Kapitän Werkscabriolet (1939) - 4'563 relativ zuggreie sogenannte Werkscabriolet wurden Ende der Dreissigerjahre gebaut (Techno Classica 2013)

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Opel Kapitän Cabriolet (1953) - offen am schönsten

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Opel Kapitän (1953) - folgte eindeutig amerikanischen Karosserie-Trends

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Opel Kapitaen - am Oldtimer Grand Prix Safenwil 2011

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Opel Kapitän P1 (1958) - im amerikanischen Stil

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Opel Kapitän P1 (1958) - mit riesiger Panorama-Windschutzscheibe

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Opel Kapitän P2 (1959) - mit gradlinigem europäischem Design

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Opel Kapitän A (1964) - Parallel-Modell zu den Spitzenmodellen Diplomat/Admiral

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Opel Kapitän (1964) - eindruckheischende Front

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Opel Kapitän (1964) - 2,6 Liter Hubraum und 100 PS mussten trotz der Gardemasse reichen

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Opel Kapitän (1969) - Kapitän und Admiral weitgehend identisch, auch innen - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett

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Opel Kapitän B (1969) - nur zwei Jahre gebaut

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Summary

The first Opel Kapitän was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1938, 75 years ago. This report summarizes the various Kapitän generations and shows them in pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

The Kapitän is born
Bodywork evolution after the war
In American style
The Opel Kapitän P2 with Hydra-Matic and power steering
Edgy and more American again
Swan song

Estimated reading time: 3min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Kapitän is seen by most as the leader of a ship's crew, but there have also been several model generations with the name Kapitän in Opel's history, the first from 1938 onwards. The first Opel Kapitän was presented at the end of 1938, and in March 1939 it was unveiled to the public at the Geneva Motor Show. It was available as a saloon with two or four doors, as well as a convertible. In keeping with the motto of the time, the Kapitän had a solid chassis on which coachbuilders such as Gläser or Hebmüller could also build their own bodies. Over 25,000 units are produced by the start of the war, after which wealthy customers have to wait until 1948 before they can buy a Kapitän again.

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