Opel Rekord P2
| Opel Rekord P2 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Opel (General Motors) |
| Production | 1960–1963 |
| Assembly | Rüsselsheim |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car (E) |
| Body style | 2/4-door saloon 3-door station wagon 3-door van 2-door coupé |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1,488 cc I4 1,680 cc I4 |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual 4-speed manual optional |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Opel (Olympia) Rekord P1 |
| Successor | Opel Rekord Series A |
The Opel Rekord P2 is an executive car that was introduced in the summer of 1960, by Opel as a replacement for the Opel Rekord P1. It shared its 2,541 mm wheelbase with its predecessor, but was nonetheless a little longer and wider. The wrap-around windscreen which had been a defining element of the Rekord P1, and which had given rise to the P for "Panorama" designation, was now gone, but the P designation remained and the driver's view out, assisted by relatively thin A-pillars, remained good.
A departure with the P2 was a volume produced coupé version. A coupé version of the P1 had been offered but this was a conversion by a specialist body builder which made it hugely expensive and it found few buyers. Opel were able to price the factory produced P2 coupé far more competitively and it sold well. However, the big seller in the Rekord range was, as before, the saloon (sedan) version, available with two or four doors. The Rekord P2 consistently achieved second place in the West German sales charts, beaten to the top slot only by the smaller and cheaper Volkswagen Beetle. Despite selling at a rate marginally ahead of that achieved by its successful predecessor, the Rekord P2 was replaced in February 1963, after only 30 months, by the Rekord Series A.
The style of the Rekord P2 followed the fashion trends of the time, being less ornate than its predecessor, and in consequence being perceived as "less American looking". The front grille was wider and the tail fins almost completely disappeared, although the embellishment of body creases around the rear lights was curiously elaborate. The panoramic screen was gone which made it possible for the front doors to be wider, facilitating easier entry for the driver and passengers.
As on the previous model, customers could specify two-tone colour schemes both for the exterior paint work and for the interior trim.
In technical terms the car in most respects followed its predecessor, though some attempt was made to improve secondary safety through attention to the detailing of the interior.
The glove box lid still carried the name "Olympia", a reference to the fact that the predecessor model had been badged as the Opel Olympia Rekord until 1959, and a tribute to the original 1937 Opel Olympia which had been a defining model for the manufacturer, both because of its (then) innovative monocoque construction and because of the quantities in which the company tooled up to produce it.
...
Wikipedia