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Back at the top - Opel Rekord 1700 in the (historic) test

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Created on March 20, 1964

Text:

Jürgen Stockmar

Photos:

Opel/GM

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Archiv

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Opel/GM

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Archiv

24

Opel Rekord (1964) - four-door from Swiss assembly (Montage Suisse in Biel)

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Opel Rekord (1964) - Four-door model from Swiss production in a factory photo

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Opel Rekord-6 L (1965) - The six-cylinder in a short test by Automobil-Revue

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Opel Rekord (1963) - the new line of the mid-range Opel with enlarged glass surfaces

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Opel Rekord (1963) - angular raised fenders characterize the face of the new Rekord

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Opel Rekord (1965) - a complete departure from the lines of its predecessor, the P2

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Opel Rekord (1963) - longer wheelbase and wider body than its predecessor

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Opel Rekord (1963) - accentuated sloping position of the windshield with better upward visibility

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Opel Rekord Coupé (1965) - Swiss-made sports model in a factory photo

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1965) - Swiss-made station wagon in a factory photo

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Opel Rekord Pickup (1964) - A "Ute" for the South African market, built at the Port Elizabeth plant

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1964) - dashboard. The glove box actually still says "Olympia"

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1964) - Large two-spoke steering wheel and cleverly grouped rocker switches

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1964) - Seat bench with individually folding backrests

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1964) - 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 60 hp

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Opel Rekord Caravan (1964) - 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 60 hp

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Opel Rekord (1963) - European edition of the Chevrolet Chevy II

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Opel Rekord (1963) - Illustration from the sales brochure

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Opel Rekord (1963) - Sales argument number 1: the huge trunk

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Opel Rekord (1963) - Elegant and spacious

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Opel Rekord (1963) - Excellent all-round visibility thanks to large windows

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Opel Rekord (1963) - Elegant dashboard with only a little "affluent kitsch"

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Opel Rekord (1963) - The tried and tested short-stroke four-cylinder engine

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Opel Rekord (1964) - two- and four-door sedan, "L", coupé and caravan

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Opel Rekord (1963) - the larger wheelbase mainly benefits the passengers

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Summary

The Opel Rekord A recaptured the market share that its predecessor had lost to the futuristic Taunus P3 and impressed with its luxurious body and corresponding spaciousness, but irritated with an unusually large number of minor annoyances for an Opel. In this historical test report from 1964, the model with the 1.7-liter engine was tested. We reproduce it in full, accompanied by historical photos, sales brochure and operating instructions!

This article contains the following chapters

To 5/6 comfortable
Smooth running with minor annoyances
Under-oversteer
More success without the "L"
Technical data & measured values

Estimated reading time: 15min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The army of Opel salesmen was only confused for a short time when the Ford men broke into some of their positions. They soon regrouped their battle lines in an orderly fashion and counterattacked head-on. They had been given a new weapon from Rüsselsheim after the old one had partially lost its effectiveness. This little skirmish on the German automobile market clearly shows what matters to the majority of German buyers: the exterior. Although not much had changed under the body of the Ford 17 M, the "Form der Vernunft" was a great sales success. It was simply different, interesting and probably also gave the impression that the owner was a bit of a car expert. Many a former Opel buyer deserted to Ford until Rüsselsheim struck back. Following the tried and tested Opel recipe, the new weapon was forged with lots of sheet metal, lots of space and few technical innovations. And it hit the mark. Opel once again leads the pack of German mid-size car manufacturers with a wide lead in terms of unit sales. Currently, around 1600 Rekord are built in Rüsselsheim every day and - as you can see - are also sold.

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