1720:
1732:
288:, and it is difficult to find clear data on consumer price inflation and deflation in the German economy as government wrestled with currency stabilisation during this period, but it is likely that for most people a significant portion of the price reductions on the Opel 10/40 PS were real money reductions. The
318:
Opel produced and sold 13,161 of their big four cylinder middle-class cars between 1925 and 1929, and despite the low price, they were able to sell the car profitably while other German automakers were seen to obsess over technical progress, often taking risks with the overall financial viability of
258:
for the standard wheelbase length and 7,600 Marks for the long wheelbase. By 1928 these prices had almost halved to 3,750 Marks and 4,000 Marks respectively. For customers happy to choose one of the standard bodies from Opel, the entry-level car was the 4/5-seater four-door
Tourenwagen, a topless
305:
had imposed prohibitive tariffs against importing foreign automobiles, but the de facto prohibition was repealed in
October 1925, and during 1925 both Ford and Chevrolet invested heavily in establishing German sales operations. After this it became possible to find cheaper cars comparable in size
310:
employed the strategy of buying
Germany's leading mass market auto producer, which happened to be Opel. Meanwhile, at a time when few people could afford any sort of car, and those that could were in no position to pay premium prices, the 10/40 PS dominated its class in the mid-1920s, and is
243:
The engine was a 2620 cc four-cylinder unit for which (after a few months of heightened optimism) the manufacturer quoted a maximum output of 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) at 2,800 rpm. This converted into a listed top speed of 85 km/h (53 mph) on the standard length car, and
306:
and concept to the Opel 10/40 PS from
Chevrolet or Ford, but in reality it took a few years for the American concerns to become established in Germany, and when they did decide to build themselves significant shares of the German auto market,
314:
The car changed very little during its 4½ year production run, but from somewhere in the middle of 1927 the radiator was mildly redesigned and at the end of the year the
Limousine-bodied cars received slightly less squared off roof edges.
225:, a name which it retained throughout the rest of a production run which lasted until November 1929. The name followed the widely used German naming convention of the time whereby the first digit – here "10" represented the engine's
300:
system. The approach was cheap especially where, as in the case of the 10/40 PS, the car was developed to be simple and cheap to produce. Opel were content to leave technical innovation to other manufacturers. In 1920 the
443:, p298. “Der 10/40 PS Opel konnte gewiss nicht als technische Glanzleistung gelten, doch im Gegensatz zu manchen bewunderungswuerdigen Konstruktionen jener Zeit brachte er Geld in die Kasse.”
292:
was notably less expensive than cars of this size from other German automakers because Opel was the first – and at this time the only – manufacturer in
Germany manufacturing cars using a
251:
Most cars came with a 3,000 mm (120 in) wheelbase, intended for 4/5 seater bodywork. A longer 3,250 mm (128 in) wheelbase was also offered for 6/7 seater bodywork.
471:
232:(effectively, in the case of German cars of the period, a linear function of the engine capacity) and the second digit represented the manufacturer's estimate of the actual
464:
285:
267:/saloon) and there were long-wheelbase versions of each, incorporating space for a third row of seats. The two-door 4/5-seater Stadt-Coupé (
484:
457:
1773:
338:
904:
1763:
1665:
144:
862:
263:
model priced in 1925 at 8,500 Marks, which by 1928 had gone down to 4,800 Marks. There was also a 4/5-seater
Limousine (
1641:
1626:
1528:
1425:
1680:
1616:
1558:
1768:
1758:
1700:
1384:
1288:
889:
1636:
1611:
1493:
946:
1675:
1473:
1438:
1272:
799:
794:
1670:
1478:
855:
277:) was the most expensive standard-wheelbase car at 10,500 Marks in 1925 and 5,400 Marks by 1928.
264:
105:
98:
75:
1120:
334:
115:
1735:
1590:
1048:
982:
718:
110:
also offered in “bare chassis” form, and used by coachbuilders for various specialist bodies
1705:
1660:
1544:
1216:
665:
660:
655:
629:
302:
297:
237:
1200:
778:
771:
1585:
1580:
1433:
1400:
1360:
1248:
1128:
951:
941:
737:
732:
677:
672:
638:
307:
226:
87:
63:
449:
1752:
1724:
1621:
1463:
1443:
1240:
1184:
1144:
1136:
1080:
1064:
1040:
848:
750:
260:
1631:
1458:
1453:
1368:
1336:
1264:
1152:
1112:
1096:
1008:
823:
766:
727:
711:
704:
1685:
1513:
1508:
1498:
1408:
1392:
1352:
1344:
1328:
1320:
1232:
1192:
1160:
1104:
1072:
1056:
1032:
1024:
977:
816:
693:
682:
620:
1695:
1518:
1503:
1488:
1483:
1376:
1280:
1256:
1224:
1088:
1016:
972:
956:
925:
920:
881:
785:
293:
255:
240:, being a paragon of engineering simplicity designed for ease of manufacture.
233:
203:
80:
1606:
1574:
1523:
1468:
1312:
1208:
1000:
245:
159:
120:
254:
At launch in 1925 the car was priced by Opel in bare chassis form at 7,000
1690:
1448:
1304:
1168:
217:, but by the time production got underway in July 1925 it had become the
94:
419:, p298. “Es war damals der meistgefahrene deutsche Mittelklassewagen.”
311:
remembered as the most popular "middle class" German car of the period.
1296:
1176:
132:
319:
their business as they did so. The Opel was a commercial success.
871:
480:
207:
35:
844:
453:
1550:
236:. The design of the car consciously followed the example of
102:
Long wheel base open topped 4 door 6/7 seat “Tourenwagen”
840:
1653:
1599:
1567:
1537:
1424:
991:
965:
934:
913:
897:
888:
188:
180:
170:
158:
153:
143:
131:
126:
114:
86:
74:
69:
59:
51:
41:
31:
26:
21:
244:80 km/h (50 mph) on the heavier long
856:
465:
8:
894:
863:
849:
841:
472:
458:
450:
213:The car was introduced in May 1925 as the
106:4-door 6/7 seat “Limousine” (saloon/sedan)
99:4-door 4/5 seat “Limousine” (saloon/sedan)
95:2-door 4/5 seat “Stadt-Coupé” (City coupé)
18:
221:, and it very soon thereafter became the
92:Open topped 4 door 4/5 seat “Tourenwagen”
496:
349:
513:
510:
507:
331:Deutsche Autos 1920-1945, Band (vol) 2
284:took place directly after a period of
499:
7:
1731:
516:
504:
14:
1289:Patent Motor Car, System Lutzmann
1268:(1935–1940, 1947–1953, 1967–1970)
1730:
1719:
1718:
333:(in German). Motorbuch Verlag.
174:4,150 mm (163 in) or
164:3,000 mm (120 in) or
1:
440:
428:
416:
404:
392:
380:
368:
356:
323:Sources and further reading
176:4,480 mm (176 in)
166:3,250 mm (128 in)
1790:
1538:Divisions and subsidiaries
827:
805:
803:
743:
699:
644:
192:1,920 mm (76 in)
184:1,770 mm (70 in)
1774:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
1714:
878:
829:
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524:
521:
483:car timeline, 1919–1950
1764:Cars introduced in 1925
1559:Opel Performance Center
329:Oswald, Werner (2001).
1380:(1994–2001, 2004–2009)
1196:(1937–1940, 1962–1991)
1180:(1968–1973, 2006–2009)
1012:(1937–1939, 1964–1977)
280:The production of the
1701:Steinmetz Opel Tuning
139:side-valve 4-cylinder
1529:Manta GSe ElektroMOD
1409:Zafira/Zafira Tourer
1161:4/8 PS "Doktorwagen"
1153:5/12 PS "Puppchen"
983:Vivaro/Zafira Life
1746:
1745:
1553:
1420:
1419:
1413:
1405:
1397:
1389:
1381:
1373:
1365:
1357:
1349:
1341:
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1325:
1317:
1309:
1301:
1293:
1285:
1277:
1269:
1261:
1253:
1245:
1237:
1229:
1221:
1217:4 PS “Laubfrosch”
1213:
1205:
1197:
1189:
1181:
1173:
1165:
1157:
1149:
1141:
1133:
1125:
1117:
1109:
1101:
1093:
1085:
1077:
1069:
1061:
1053:
1045:
1037:
1029:
1021:
1013:
1005:
838:
837:
833:
832:
487:
196:
195:
1781:
1734:
1733:
1722:
1721:
1681:GM transmissions
1591:Wilhelm von Opel
1549:
1464:Insignia Concept
1411:
1403:
1395:
1387:
1385:10/30 (10/35) PS
1379:
1371:
1363:
1355:
1347:
1339:
1331:
1323:
1315:
1307:
1299:
1291:
1283:
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1211:
1203:
1195:
1187:
1179:
1171:
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1155:
1147:
1139:
1131:
1123:
1115:
1107:
1099:
1091:
1083:
1075:
1067:
1059:
1051:
1043:
1035:
1027:
1019:
1011:
1003:
895:
865:
858:
851:
842:
719:Large family car
621:Small family car
497:
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467:
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451:
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438:
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414:
408:
402:
396:
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384:
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372:
366:
360:
354:
344:
276:
273:
270:
206:manufactured by
104:Long wheelbase
70:Body and chassis
42:Also called
19:
1789:
1788:
1784:
1783:
1782:
1780:
1779:
1778:
1749:
1748:
1747:
1742:
1710:
1706:Opel Rally Team
1661:Vauxhall Motors
1649:
1595:
1563:
1533:
1494:Signum2 Concept
1416:
993:
987:
961:
947:Frontera (2024)
935:Crossovers/SUVs
930:
909:
884:
874:
869:
839:
834:
728:7/34 & 8/40
490:
478:
448:
447:
439:
435:
427:
423:
415:
411:
403:
399:
391:
387:
379:
375:
367:
363:
355:
351:
341:
328:
325:
298:production line
274:
271:
268:
227:tax horsepower
175:
165:
138:
109:
108:
103:
101:
97:
93:
88:Body style
47:Opel 10 / 45 PS
46:
45:Opel 10 / 50 PS
22:Opel 10 / 40 PS
17:
12:
11:
5:
1787:
1785:
1777:
1776:
1771:
1766:
1761:
1751:
1750:
1744:
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1650:
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1619:
1617:Ellesmere Port
1614:
1609:
1603:
1601:
1597:
1596:
1594:
1593:
1588:
1586:Rikky von Opel
1583:
1581:Fritz von Opel
1578:
1571:
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1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1474:Meriva Concept
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1439:Flextreme GT/E
1436:
1430:
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1422:
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1278:
1273:Olympia Rekord
1270:
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1222:
1214:
1206:
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905:Rocks Electric
901:
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421:
409:
397:
385:
373:
361:
348:
347:
346:
345:
339:
324:
321:
308:General Motors
286:hyperinflation
194:
193:
190:
186:
185:
182:
178:
177:
172:
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167:
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156:
155:
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149:3-speed manual
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90:
84:
83:
78:
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24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1786:
1775:
1772:
1770:
1769:Mid-size cars
1767:
1765:
1762:
1760:
1759:Opel vehicles
1757:
1756:
1754:
1739:
1738:
1729:
1727:
1726:
1717:
1716:
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1707:
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1637:Szentgotthárd
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1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1479:Monza Concept
1477:
1475:
1472:
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1467:
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1450:
1447:
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1114:
1111:
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1103:
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1095:
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1087:
1082:
1081:Bedford Blitz
1079:
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1034:
1031:
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846:
843:
825:
818:
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801:
796:
787:
783:
780:
773:
768:
761:
752:
751:Executive car
749:
748:
739:
734:
729:
720:
716:
713:
706:
695:
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691:
684:
679:
674:
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520:
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340:3-613-02170-6
336:
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326:
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320:
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309:
304:
299:
295:
291:
290:Opel 10/40 PS
287:
283:
282:Opel 10/40 PS
278:
266:
262:
261:Torpedo-style
257:
252:
249:
247:
241:
239:
235:
231:
230:
224:
223:Opel 10/40 PS
220:
219:Opel 10/45 PS
216:
215:Opel 10/50 PS
211:
209:
205:
201:
200:Opel 10/40 PS
191:
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161:
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146:
142:
137:2620 cc
136:
134:
130:
125:
122:
119:
117:
113:
107:
100:
96:
91:
89:
85:
82:
79:
77:
73:
68:
65:
62:
58:
54:
50:
44:
40:
37:
34:
30:
25:
20:
16:Motor vehicle
1736:
1723:
1666:GM platforms
1489:Omega V8.com
1426:Concept cars
992:Discontinued
898:Quadricycles
880:A marque of
759:
639:1,2 Liter/P4
500:
436:
424:
412:
400:
388:
376:
364:
352:
330:
317:
313:
289:
281:
279:
253:
250:
242:
238:Opel 4/14 PS
228:
222:
218:
214:
212:
199:
197:
145:Transmission
32:Manufacturer
1686:Intellilink
1676:PSA engines
1612:Brandenburg
1449:GTC Concept
1412:(1999–2019)
1404:(2001–2018)
1396:(1988–2008)
1388:(1922–1924)
1372:(1937–1938)
1364:(2000–2005)
1356:(1996–1999)
1348:(2003–2008)
1340:(1978–1993)
1332:(1953–1986)
1324:(1928–1929)
1300:(1935–1937)
1292:(1899–1902)
1284:(1986–2004)
1276:(1953–1957)
1260:(1978–1986)
1252:(1998–2021)
1244:(1992–1999)
1236:(2003–2017)
1228:(1970–1988)
1220:(1924–1931)
1212:(2014–2019)
1204:(1939–1970)
1188:(2008–2022)
1172:(1991–2004)
1164:(1909–1910)
1156:(1911–1920)
1148:(1964–1977)
1140:(1983–2018)
1132:(1967–1982)
1124:(1980–1982)
1116:(2013–2019)
1108:(1992–2001)
1100:(1989–1997)
1092:(1930–1975)
1084:(1973–1986)
1076:(1995–2002)
1068:(1981–2012)
1060:(1970–1988)
1052:(1997–2001)
1044:(2017–2019)
1036:(2011–2015)
1028:(2006–2015)
1020:(2000–2014)
1004:(2012–2019)
694:Compact car
229:(Steuer-PS)
64:RĂĽsselsheim
55:1925 - 1929
1753:Categories
1671:GM engines
1600:Facilities
1249:Movano A/B
882:Stellantis
786:Luxury car
303:government
296:-inspired
272:City coupé
234:horsepower
204:luxury car
154:Dimensions
127:Powertrain
81:Luxury car
52:Production
1577:(founder)
1575:Adam Opel
1459:HydroGen4
1454:HydroGen3
1434:Flextreme
1361:Speedster
1129:Commodore
952:Grandland
942:Crossland
738:2.0 Liter
733:1.8 Liter
678:1,3 Liter
673:1,0 Liter
248:version.
246:wheelbase
160:Wheelbase
121:FR layout
1725:Category
1691:Irmscher
1646:Zaragoza
1622:Eisenach
1545:Vauxhall
1484:Omega V8
1444:Frogster
1241:Monterey
1185:Insignia
1169:Frontera
1145:Diplomat
1137:Corsavan
1121:Chevette
1065:Astravan
1041:Ampera-e
890:Vehicles
60:Assembly
27:Overview
1737:Commons
1627:Gliwice
1369:Super 6
1337:Senator
1265:Olympia
1201:Kapitän
1113:Cascada
1097:Calibra
1009:Admiral
824:Admiral
779:Kapitän
772:Kapitän
767:Super 6
712:Olympia
705:Olympia
666:4/20 PS
661:4/16 PS
656:4/14 PS
630:4/12 PS
488: »
407:, p 401
395:, p 299
383:, p 299
371:, p 299
359:, p 298
1607:Aspern
1568:People
1514:Tech 1
1509:Slalom
1499:Junior
1401:Vivaro
1393:Vectra
1353:Sintra
1345:Signum
1329:Rekord
1321:Regent
1316:(1928)
1308:(1928)
1233:Meriva
1193:Kadett
1073:Blazer
1057:Ascona
1033:Ampera
1025:Antara
994:models
978:Movano
817:Regent
683:Kadett
517:1950s
514:1940s
511:1930s
508:1920s
441:Oswald
431:, p298
429:Oswald
417:Oswald
405:Oswald
393:Oswald
381:Oswald
369:Oswald
357:Oswald
337:
189:Height
171:Length
133:Engine
116:Layout
1654:Other
1642:Tychy
1632:Luton
1519:Trixx
1504:RAK e
1377:Tigra
1281:Omega
1257:Monza
1225:Manta
1105:Campo
1089:Blitz
1049:Arena
1017:Agila
973:Combo
957:Mokka
926:Corsa
921:Astra
800:14/50
795:12/50
760:10/40
505:1919
501:Class
265:sedan
256:Marks
202:is a
181:Width
76:Class
1696:RAK1
1524:Twin
1469:Maxx
1313:RAK2
1209:Karl
1001:Adam
966:Vans
914:Cars
872:Opel
486:next
481:Opel
335:ISBN
294:Ford
210:.
208:Opel
198:The
36:Opel
1551:VXR
1305:RAK
1755::
1297:P4
1177:GT
615:0
612:9
582:9
552:9
522:9
864:e
857:t
850:v
609:8
606:7
603:6
600:5
597:4
594:3
591:2
588:1
585:0
579:8
576:7
573:6
570:5
567:4
564:3
561:2
558:1
555:0
549:8
546:7
543:6
540:5
537:4
534:3
531:2
528:1
525:0
473:e
466:t
459:v
343:.
275:'
269:'
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