Kief Cars

Here is a timeline of the history of the Opel Kadett:

• 1937 – 1940: The first ever Opel car to carry the Kadett name produced in Germany. 2nd World War interrupts production, production is moved to the Soviet Union.
• 1962 – 1965: First Opel Kadett after the 2nd World War. 649,512 cars built at the company plant in Bochum until July 1965. Model later named Kadett A.
• 1966 – 1973: Kadett B sold with 2 and 4 door saloons, a 3-door estate, and 2 coupés (regular and fastback, or Coupé F). The Kadett B was sold in the United States through Buick dealers from 1967 till 1972 simply as the Opel.
• 1973 – 1979: The Kadett C appears as Opel’s version of the General Motors’ “T-Car”. The T-Car was also built in Japan by Isuzu and sold as the Isuzu Gemini and in Australia where it was marketed as the Holden Gemini. In South Korea, Daewoo Motors built a version known as the Daewoo Maepsy.
• 1979 – 1984: The Kadett D introduced in 1979. Goes on sale in the UK some 5 months before the British version, the Vauxhall Astra Mark 1, which was launched in April 1980. All models designed as 3- or 5-door hatchbacks and estates or stationwagons. 2- and 4-door sedans also made which used same body shells as hatchbacks, but soon dropped.
• 1984 – 1992: The Kadett E (Vauxhall Astra Mark 2 in the UK) introduced in 1984. Voted Car of the Year in 1985, largely due to its advanced aerodynamic body styling. The 1984 model was also developed into a more conventional “three box” design with a boot (trunk), badged as the Vauxhall Belmont in the UK and the Opel Monza in South Africa. Convertible version also available, for the first time in 1987, built by Bertone of Torino / Italy. Seen as grey import in the UK, but it is not as popular as the Vauxhall Astra Mark 2. Never officially sold in Britain. By 1989 General Motors only marketing Vauxhall brand in the UK. Into late 1980s and early 1990s South African Kadett GSi’s are upgraded for touring car competitions. Around 500 built. Features more aggressive cams, locally developed limited slip differential and special 15″ wheels, nicknamed the “Superboss”, produces 125 kW (168 hp).
• 1992 – 1999: General Motors Europe decide in 1992 to standardize model names across 2 brands, Opel adopts Vauxhall’s name for the Kadett, Astra, for the replacement car for Europe which debuts that year. Kadett name only continues in South Africa on the first Opel Astra hatchback, until 1999. All models take Astra name in 1999.

The Opel Kadett was a very popular car in South Africa throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. One can still find owners selling parts for vehicles or complete vehicles for sale in the classifieds publications in South Africa and on websites.

Related Links:
Opel – Official Website.