60 Years of Opel Rekord C: The Car That Made Opel a Million-Seller

Sixty years ago this summer, Opel launched the Rekord C, the third generation of its mid-range family, which debuted in August 1966 as a complete redesign. It followed the Rekord A (1963) — a mid-range model for everyone — and the Rekord B (1965) with new engines. The model line-up grew to include two- and four-door saloons in standard and luxury versions, three- and five-door estates, a delivery van, a fastback coupé from spring 1967, and a Sport Cabriolet by coachbuilder Karl Deutsch. The fastback Coupé's 'Coke bottle design' was, in the designers' words, 'not simply a Rekord saloon with a sloping rear roof, but a sporty, sleek car with a character all of its own.' The Rekord C also underpinned the sporty Opel Commodore A from 1967, which bridged the gap to the flagship Kapitän and Admiral models.

The Rekord C was powered by eight four- and six-cylinder CIH (camshaft-in-head) engines producing 43 kW (58 hp) to 78 kW (106 hp) from 1.5 to 2.2 litres. Even base models featured a modern chassis: the front track widened from 1,325 to 1,400 mm, and the rear axle gained coil springs, double wishbones and a Panhard rod — a first for an Opel passenger car. All variants came with a dual-circuit braking system and brake booster as standard, unique in the class, while anti-roll bars were standard at the front and optional at the rear. The interior grew in length and width, and a new heating system could feed 'unheated or heated fresh air, as well as mixed air' into the cabin, drawing stale air out through rear vents.

The sporty Rekord Sprint used a 1.9-litre engine with 78 kW (106 hp) and reached 100 km/h in 12.5 seconds. More extreme was the 1968 'Black Widow' Group 5 touring car, based on the Rekord 1900 S and built without board approval by designer Anatol Lapine and colleagues; its four-cylinder engine with two twin carburettors delivered 132 kW (180 hp) — double the production output. At its second race at Hockenheimring in 1968, Erich Bitter set the fastest lap despite strong Porsche competition. The Rekord C also excelled in rallying, helping Sweden's Lille-Bror Nasenius become European vice-champion in 1967.

The Rekord C became Opel's first million-seller: by the end of production in December 1971, more than 1.25 million cars had been built, setting a new record for Opel's mid-range models. The model also became a cultural icon. German punk band Die Toten Hosen featured a Rekord C Caravan on the cover of their debut album 'Opel Gang' (1983), and 43 years later, in spring 2026, used the same model for their last regular studio album 'Trink aus! Wir müssen gehen'. The band, currently on a major tour until September, called the connection proof that 'the circle is complete' between Opel and the band.

The new Opel Astra continues that spirit, now offered as a battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, hybrid or efficient internal combustion engine model. The Astra Electric achieves up to 454 km (WLTP2) between charging stops and the plug-in hybrid's purely electric range has been increased. Official WLTP1 figures are: Electric 15.3-15.8 kWh/100 km with 0 g/km CO2; Plug-in Hybrid 12.6-13.0 kWh plus 2.2-2.3 l petrol/100 km with 49-53 g/km; Hybrid 4.9-5.1 l/100 km with 109-114 g/km; and 1.5 Diesel 4.9-5.1 l/100 km with 130-134 g/km. Astra and Astra Sports Tourer measure 4.37 and 4.64 metres, closely matching the old Rekord, and the estate offers up to 1,634 litres of space. Standard features include Intelli-Lux HD light with over 50,000 pixels and Intelli-Seats with a recess that reduces tailbone pressure.