Debut Opel Kadett was held in the distant 1936 year. Externally, the car looked like a smaller copy of Olympia, known at the time, but with modifications and changes in the structure of the monocoque body. Kadett was offered in two versions - a sedan and a convertible. Equipped with an engine capacity of 1.3 liters, 23 hp and could accelerate to 98 km / h. Had the same suspension, rear axle and steering as the Olympia.
Exterior differed headlights, combined in American style with the hood and grille. Components of the first generation Kadett was very simple, for an additional fee, even a bumper and a wiper on the passenger side were offered. In the period from 1936 to 1939, 107 thousand Kadett cars were produced in Germany. After the war, Opel plants were completely destroyed. Part of the equipment of reparation plants was transferred to the Soviet Union. The pre-war model Kadett began to be produced in the USSR under the brand name "Moskvich".
Rebuilt after the war, the automobile plant in Bochum (Bochom) in 1962 begins to produce new Opel Kadett with index A. For the new model offered three types of bodies - sedan, coupe and station wagon. The car was equipped with one of 4-cylinder engines with a volume of 1 liter and a power of 40 and 48 hp, accelerated to 120 and 130 km / h, respectively. It was proposed for those times only two configuration options, which differed mainly in engines: 1.0 and 1.0S, aggregated with a manual, 4-speed gearbox.
The process of development of the automotive industry in the 60s was already established, and according to established rules, the models remained on the conveyor for no more than 5 years, and then either were restyled or replaced by a new model. Therefore, in 1965, Kadett appears with the index B. The car was offered with 2- and 4-door bodies.
Noticeably added in size and had a capacity of 40 to 90 hp Despite the unsightly appearance, was in great demand. In 1972, the Kadett C debuts, represented by coupes, 2-door and 4-door sedans. During the production has undergone some changes. In 1979, the first front-wheel-drive Kadett appeared with the D index. Thanks to its economy and practicality, the car won a place in the C segment, that is, among the Golf-class cars. Moreover, this car with an angular appearance and transverse engine position helped Opel survive the economic crisis. The design of the Kadett D is very banal: the McPherson type front suspension, the rear one on trailing levers with compact Miniblok conical springs.
The family included models with two and four side doors. The body could be a type or a hatchback, or a wagon. The range of engines included an old 1.2-liter 55-horsepower 12N engine and a torquey 1.3-liter 60-horsepower 13N new generation. In 1981, the model was upgraded. A 1.6-liter 75-horsepower 16S appeared, and during the height of the “energy crisis” - a 54-horsepower diesel 16D at its base. In 1984, Opel introduced the new generation Kadett with the E index. At first, the model was represented only by three- and five-door hatchback bodies, and from 1985 five-door station wagons and four-door sedans were added to them.
The range of engines was 1.2-, 1.3-, and 1.6-liter engines from the previous model, to which a 75-horsepower version of the 1.3-liter 13S engine was added. The cabin can comfortably accommodate four people. Visibility from the driver's seat is excellent. For details there are large pockets on the doors and a roomy glove box. The instrument panel is quite functional and informative, the switches are backlit, the steering column is height adjustable, and the gear shift is simple and clear. Ventilation and heating allow you to regulate the flow of warm air.
In September 1985, the Kadett GTE sports version appeared with a 1.8-liter 115-horsepower 18E engine equipped with a fuel injection system and a catalytic converter of exhaust gases. In September 1986, more powerful (82 and 115 hp) fuel-efficient 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline engines 16SH and 20E with a catalytic converter appeared on the market.
In the fall of 1987, the production of a specially prepared version of the GSi 16V, equipped with a dynamic 150-horsepower four-cylinder engine, with which fuel consumption in the city does not exceed 10 l / 100 km, began, but acceleration to a hundred takes only 8 s, and the maximum speed reaches 217 km / h At the beginning of 1990, a new grille was installed on the model, the interior trim and bodywork were changed, and in the GSi 16V and CS versions we started installing ABS as standard. At the same time, a modern 1.8-liter 112-horsepower power unit equipped with the Ecotronic system appeared, and a 1.4-liter 60-horsepower 14NV engine replaced the 1.3-liter engine of the same capacity.
The list of diesel engines added to the 1.7-liter 57-horsepower 17D.
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