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Opel

The company ’Opel’ was founded on 21 January 1863 by Adam Opel, and at first made household goods and became a major producer of sewing machines in the European market. They began producing cars when the market was growing quickly in 1898, due to the increasing demand for a large-scale production car (which Henry Ford would soon solve). Their first car was the a massive success, simply bearing the company’s name. They entered into two partnerships which would eventualy fail, however opel always survived by the skin of their teeth and carried on with production.

The company switched to creating cars in 1906 just befire Europe went to war. At this time, many people were looking for an affordable, small car. Opel set out to acheive this success in Germany, however their initial sales period was too small to guage the public reaction given that WW1 broke out. They first displayed their cars at the Hamburg motor show.

In 1906 they started to make cars to their own design which they had first shown in 1902 at the Hamburg Motor Show and from 1907 stopped making the Opel-Darracqs.

In 1911, a devaststing fire ripped through their factory and ruined hunreds of thousands of pounds worth of machinery and equipment, not to mention stock. They rebuilt and dropped the production of type writers.

In 1929, General Motors began preceedings too take over Opel for inclusion in their European division of operations.

Many of their cars sold throughout the world often fall under different badges which are under control of GM. For example, in the US they are marketed as Cadillac, in Japan they are sold under Suzuki and in the UK, Vauxhall.

Some have requested that the UK brand of Vauxhaull should be dropped and the name Opel should be on all european vehicles. This has been rejected by the company who say that the brand has attracted housands of dedicated customers and the intent on sticking to it.

The company headquarters are located in Rüsselsheim, and it has plants in Bochum, Eisenach and Kaiserslautern as well as in Belgium, Spain, Poland and Hungary. Opel cars are also made in Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant in the United Kingdom.

As of present, they make dozens of successful models such as the Astra, Corsa and Zafera. Because of their good foot-hold on the market, they look set to survive successfully through any economic difficulties.