THE OPEL CAR

Southland Times, Issue 23676, 26 November 1938, Page 18

THE OPEL CAR

ASSEMBLY PROCEEDING AT PETONE

Assembly work is in progress at Petone of the Opel Car, a de luxe sedan, upwards of 200 C.K.D. units having been brought out from the General Motors’ plant in Germany. It is expected that the Opel will be put .on the New Zealand market before Christmas, says The Radiator, the official organ of the New Zealand Garage Proprietors’ Association (Inc.). It is a chassisless car of four cyclinders, L head, 11.3 h.p., the top speed claimed being 63 miles an hour. The wheelbase is 92 inches. It is stated that the cost of importation of material is established as a credit to Germany which, under the New Zealand Government Trade Agreement, must be offset by Germany’s purchase of produce from New Zealand.

Incidentally, during a visit to Vienna on August 30, Dr Fredrich Franz von

Onel suddenly collapsed and died. He was the son of the founder of Germany’s biggest motor works, Adam Opel and co., of Ruesselsheim. Dr Opel was responsible for a series of models until war broke out in 1914. Following the cessation of hostilities, the Opel works concentrated on the production of small cars, but business declined until the company was reorganized in 1928. 'Then followed the merger with General Motors Corporation, and through this agreement the Opel business gradually picked up, and now turns out thousands of cars a year.