Opel Kadett

The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel from 1936 until 1940 and then from 1962 until 1991 (the Cabrio continued until 1993), when it was succeeded by the Opel Astra.

Originally, the Kadett was Opel's smallest model; however, as it grew in size with each generation (ultimately competing in the European C-segment), the Opel Corsa became GM/Opel's entry-level model.

Kadett I (1936–1940)

The first Opel car to carry the Kadett name was presented to the public in December 1936 by Opel's commercial-technical director, Heinrich Nordhoff, who would in later decades become known for his leadership role in building up the Volkswagen company. Production was interrupted in 1940 by World War II.

The new Kadett followed the innovative Opel Olympia in adopting a chassis-less unibody construction, suggesting that, like the Vauxhall 10 introduced in 1937 by Opel's English sister-company, the Opel Kadett was designed for high-volume, low-cost production.

Kadett serie 11234 (1937)

For 1937 the Kadett was offered as a small and unpretentious two door "Limousine" (saloon) or, at the same list price of 2,100 ℛ︁ℳ︁, as a soft top "Cabrio-Limousine". The body resembled that of the existing larger Opel Olympia and its silhouette reflected the "streamlining" tendencies of the time. The 1,074 cc side-valve engine came from the 1935 Opel P4 and came with the same listed maximum power output of 23 PS (17 kW) at 3,400 rpm. The wheelbase, at 234 cm (92 in), was right between the little P4 and the larger Olympia. The "11234" nomenclature stands for the engine's displacement in deciliters (11) followed by the wheelbase in centimeters (234).

The brakes were now controlled using a hydraulic mechanism.