The six-cylinder engine of the Opel Kapitän transformed the good old Rekord into a superior little road warrior. For less than 10,000 marks, no other saloon could offer such performance. However, the stubborn suspension and light rear end made it a case for specialists. This historical test report explains why the Opel Rekord-6 was nevertheless unrivaled.
After 28 years, Opel replaced its proven OHV engines with a new engine family with an overhead camshaft. The proven Opel virtues of reliability and torque remained, as did the short-stroke design. Externally, the Rekord was much less revolutionary for 1966: only a new radiator face and a modified rear panel betrayed the generation change under the hood. This historical test report clarifies whether this was enough to distance itself more strongly from its main competitor Ford.