Opel Olympia Cabriolet

The American-style versions of this Opel Olympia clearly show the influence of General Motors, which in the early 1930s acquired one hundred percent of the shares in the German factory.

The American styling of this Opel Olympia clearly shows the influence of General Motors, which in the early 1930s took over one hundred percent of the shares in the German factory. Also typically American is the gear lever on the steering column instead of a floor shifter. Many more American flavored Opel models would follow, recognizable by their size, the abundant chrome, the use of fins and other flashy exterior features. The Opel Olympia is introduced in 1935, a year before the Olympic Games in Berlin, after which the car is also named. After the war this model is produced for a short while longer, but in 1950 it is really time for this new version. Or rather a facelift, because the basic technology still comes from the prewar model: a 1.5 liter four cylinder with 37 hp, which gives the car a top speed of about 110 km/h. At 6,600 German marks the convertible version costs 200 marks more than the saloon. Only the station wagon is more expensive, at 7,350 marks.