View source for Opel Kadett

{{Short description|German small car model}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox automobile
|image = File:Opel Kadett B 4-door at Schaffen-Diest Fly-drive 2013.JPG
|name = Opel Kadett
|manufacturer = [[Opel]] 
|production = {{ubl|1936&ndash;1940 | 1962&ndash;1993 }}
|predecessor = [[Opel 1.3 litre]]
|successor = [[Opel Astra]]
|class = [[Small family car]] ([[C-segment|C]])
|layout = [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive]] (1936–1979) <br/> [[Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout|Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive]] (1979–1993)
|body_style =
|platform =
}}

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.

{{TOC_Limit|3}}

=={{anchor|Kadett I|1936}} Kadett I (1936–1940)==
{{Infobox automobile
|name = Kadett I
|image = Opel-kadett-1936.jpg
|caption = Opel Kadett Spezial (K38) "Cabrio-Limousine" (1939)
|production = 1936–1940
|assembly = Germany: [[Rüsselsheim]]
|engine = 1,074&nbsp;cc [[Flathead engine|sv]] [[Straight-four engine|I4]]
|transmission = 3-speed manual
|layout = [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive]]
|length = {{cvt|3765|–|3840|mm|in|1}}
|width = {{cvt|1375|mm|in}}
|height = {{cvt|1455|–|1545|mm|in|1}}
|wheelbase = {{cvt|2337|mm|in}}
|weight = {{cvt|757|kg|lb}}
|related = [[Moskvitch 400/420]]
}}

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opel Astra: Retour sur 85 ans d'histoire des compactes au blitz | language = fr | first = Tran | last = Ha | date = 2021-08-11 |url=https://www.autoplus.fr/opel/astra/opel-astra-retour-85-ans-dhistoire-compactes-blitz-528962.html |website=Auto Plus}}</ref>

The new Kadett followed the innovative [[Opel Olympia]] in adopting a chassis-less [[unibody]] construction, suggesting that, like the [[Vauxhall 10-4|Vauxhall 10]] introduced in 1937 by Opel's English [[wikt:sister company|sister-company]], the Opel Kadett was designed for high-volume, low-cost production.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="140px">
 File:Blue oldtimer pic1.JPG|Opel Kadett "Limousine" 11234, with the 1937 front. The grille was restyled for 1938.
 File:1938 Opel Kadett in the Erwin Hymer Museum, front left.jpg|1938 Opel Kadett
 File:Opel_Strolch_1938.JPG|Opel Kadett ''Strolch'' (1938)
</gallery>

===Kadett serie 11234 (1937)===
For 1937 the Kadett was offered as a small and unpretentious<ref>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], p 325 "Mitte November 1936 folgte der Opel Kadett (Serie 11234) als kleineres und bescheideneres [than the Olympia] Modell ..."</ref> two door "Limousine" (saloon) or, at the same list price of {{Reichsmark|2,100|link=yes}}, 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&nbsp;cc side-valve engine came from the 1935 [[Opel 1.2 litre#1935 Opel P4|Opel P4]] and came with the same listed maximum power output of {{cvt|23|PS|kW|0}} at 3,400&nbsp;rpm.<ref>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], pp 325 & 326</ref> The wheelbase, at {{cvt|234|cm|in}}, was right between the little P4 and the larger Olympia.<ref name=KL52>{{citation | ref = KL1 | title = Opel: wheels to the world; a seventy-five year history of automobile manufacture | first = Karl E. | last = Ludvigsen | publisher = Princeton Publishing | date = 1975 | isbn = 0-915038-01-3 | page = 52 }}</ref> The "11234" nomenclature stands for the engine's displacement in deciliters (11) followed by the wheelbase in centimeters (234).<ref name=AB1>{{cite web | url = http://www.autogallery.org.ru/opelkd37.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200226020104/http://www.autogallery.org.ru/opelkd37.htm | archive-date = 2020-02-26 | title = Oldtimer picture gallery: Opel Kadett (Model 11234) | first = Andrei | last = Bogomolov | work = Autogallery.org.ru | date = 2001-01-14 }}</ref>

The brakes were now controlled using a hydraulic mechanism. The suspension featured [[:de: Synchronfederung|synchronous springing]], a suspension configuration already seen on the manufacturer's larger models and based on the [[Dubonnet suspension|Dubonnet]] system for which General Motors in France had purchased the license. The General Motors version, which had been further developed by Opel's North American parent, was intended to provide a soft ride, but there was some criticism that handling and road-holding were compromised, especially when the system was applied to small lightweight cars such as the Kadett.<ref>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], pp 320 & 326</ref> By the end of 1937 33,402 of these first-generation Kadetts had been produced.<ref name=Osw325>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], p 325</ref>

===Kadett "KJ38" and "K38 Spezial" (1938–1940)===
From December 1937 a modified front grill identified an upgrade. The 1,074&nbsp;cc Opel {{cvt|23|PS|kW|0}} engine and the {{cvt|2337|mm|in}} wheelbase were unchanged, with few differences between the cars for 1937 and those for 1938.<ref>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], pp 328–329</ref>

The manufacturer now offered two versions of the Kadett, designated the "Kadett KJ38 and the "Kadett K38" the latter also being sold as the "Kadett Spezial". Mechanically and in terms of published performance there was little to differentiate the two, but the "Spezial" had a chrome stripe below the window line and extra external body trim in other areas such as on the front grill. The interior of the "Spezial" was also better equipped. To the extent that the 300 Mark saving for buyers of the car reflected reduced production costs, the major difference was that the more basic "KJ38" lost the [[:de: Synchronfederung|synchromous springing]] with which the car had been launched, and which continued to be fitted on the "Spezial". The base car instead reverted to traditional rigid axle based suspension similar to that fitted on the old [[Opel 1.2 litre#1935 Opel P4|Opel P4]].

The base car was available only as a two-door "Limousine" (saloon). Customers looking for a soft-top "Cabrio-limousine" would need to specify a "Kadett Spezial". For the first time Kadett buyers, provided they were prepared to choose a "Kadett Spezial" could also specify a four-door "Limousine" (saloon) bodied car, priced at {{Reichsmark|2,350}} as against {{Reichsmark|2,150}} for a "Spezial Cabrio-Limousine" and {{Reichsmark|2,100}} for a two-door "Spezial Limousine".

The "Kadett KJ38" was intended to fill the market segment of the [[Opel 1.2 litre#1935 Opel P4|Opel P4]], but the KJ38, priced at {{Reichsmark|1,800|link=yes}}, was more expensive than the P4 and its reduced specification left it with the image of a car for poor people (''..Image des Arme-Leute-Autos..'') at a time when economic growth in Germany was finally fostering a less minimalist approach to car buying.<ref name=Osw325/> The "Kadett K38 Spezial" fared better in the market place: in 1938 and again in 1939 it was Germany's top-selling small car. By May 1941 the company had produced 17,871 "Kadett KJ38"s and 56,335 "Kadett K38 Spezial"s.<ref name=Osw325/>

===Commercial===
Competitive pricing led to commercial success, and Kadetts continued to be produced during the early months of the [[Second World War|war]]: by the time production ended in May 1940, following the intensification of [[World War II]], 106,608 of these Opel Kadetts<ref>[[#Oswald Band 2|Oswald 1920 – 45 (vol 2)]], pp 287 & 325: Oswald's book (2001 edition) gives the figure of 106,608 in his table of production statistics but 107,608 in his text.</ref> were produced on the assembly line at Opel's Rüsselsheim plant, which had been the first major car plant in Germany to apply the assembly-line techniques pioneered by [[Henry Ford]].

===Soviet afterlife===
<!-- I really have no idea what use do you have for this source as it is in Russian, but you want it you get it. Any deletion of this text will be undone because the previous version of this section a) was largely inaccurate in its description b) lacked sources as well, while contained many doubtful claims, such as Russelheinm plant being completely intact after the war (while it is common knowledge that it has been destroyed during the war, and someone claiming the opposite should provide some proofs, as I see it), "production facilities from Opelwerk Brandenburg (Opel Blitz trucks) were crated up together" (never to resurface apparently, because this fact somehow managed to elude the eyes of the historians; and what does it have in common with the Opel Kadett, may I ask ?), the production in Moscow starting in 1948 (I've provided the official date in my revision). That's folk history at best, no facts or proofs, just opinions, which grossly differ from what the historians say. Besides, it is against the rules of Wikipedia to undo non-vandal editions, especially if they improve upon the previous version of the article, is it not ? -->

[[File:Moskvitch 400.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Moskvitch 400 (1947–1954)]]
After the Second World War, the Soviet Union requested the tooling from the Opel Rüsselsheim car plant in the American occupation zone as part of the war reparations agreed by the [[Allies of World War II|victorious powers]], to compensate for the loss of the production lines for the domestic [[KIM-10]]-52 in the [[Battle of Moscow|siege of Moscow]]. Faced with a wide range of German "small litrage" models to choose from, Soviet planners wanted a car that closely followed the general type of the KIM — a 4-door saloon with an all-metal body and 4-stroke engine. They, therefore, rejected both the rear-engined, two-door [[Volkswagen Beetle|KdF-Wagen]] (future VW Beetle) and the two-stroke powered, front-wheel-drive, wooden-bodied [[DKW F8]], built by the [[Auto Union]] [[Chemnitz]] plant in the Soviet occupation zone. The closest analog of the KIM to be found was the 4-door Kadett K38.<ref name="AR">{{cite web |url= http://www.autoreview.ru/archive/2008/16/moskvich_history/ |first1=Evgeny |last1=Borichev |first2=Alexey |last2=Voskresensky |title=Расследование: как создавался Москвич |work=Журнал «АвтоРевю» |issue=16 |year=2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081002151956/http://www.autoreview.ru/archive/2008/16/moskvich_history/ |archive-date=2 October 2008 }} archived by WayBackMachine web archive, currently available for paid access on the original site</ref>

On 26 August 1945, the [[State Defense Committee]] published Order No. 9905, which prescribed the start of production of the 4-door Kadett on the Moscow small car plant "without any changes to the design". The implementation of the plan was far from smooth. The Rüsselsheim plant had been deeply involved in the Nazi war effort, producing aircraft engines for the Luftwaffe, and consequently has been heavily damaged by the Allied air raids. Very little was left to be salvaged – mostly incoherent drawings and plans, with several stamping dies for the 2-door version of the Kadett to add.<ref name="AR"/>

Still, a number of Kadetts had been captured as trophies by the Red Army and were available for study and reverse-engineering. This project was conducted by design bureaus formed as Soviet-German joint ventures under the [[Soviet Military Administration in Germany]] (SMAD). There were 11 of them in total. One in [[Berlin]] reverse-engineered the engine and transmission. Another in [[Schwarzenberg, Saxony|Schwarzenberg]] worked on the steel body. The wooden-bodied estate car was developed in [[Chemnitz]]. The vast majority of the personnel of these design bureaus were German specialists and craftsmen hired by the Military Administration. These design bureaus not only prepared the necessary blueprints and documentation, but also provided the wooden master model for the body. They even developed the new trim pieces which distinguished the Moskvitch from its Opel prototype, including hood emblems and hubcaps with a large "M" (for "Moskvitch"). However, the stamping dies and most of the tooling had to be produced in the USSR.<ref name="AR"/>

Production started on 4 December 1946. The [[Moskvitch 400/420]] continued to be made in [[Moscow]] with some minor changes until 1956, when it was replaced by the [[Moskvitch 402]]. The latter was an all-new design apart from the engine, for which Moskvitch continued to use the Kadett side-valve engine until 1958, when it was replaced with a domestically designed [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] engine.<ref name="AR"/>

==Kadett A (1962–1965)<span class="anchor" id="Kadett A"></span>==
{{main|Opel Kadett A}}
{{Infobox automobile
|name = Kadett A
|image = 1963 Opel Kadett A 'Oliver'.jpg
|production = 1962–1965
|engine = 993&nbsp;cc ''[[Opel OHV engine|Opel OHV]]'' [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] [[Straight-four engine|I4]]
|layout = [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive]]
}}

The Kadett was reintroduced in 1962, with deliveries beginning on 2 October, a little more than 22 years after the original model was discontinued in May 1940.<ref name="ReferenceA">[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945 – 90 (vol 3)]], p 197</ref> The new car (designated the '''Kadett A''') was a [[small family car]] like its predecessor, although it was now available in two-door [[Sedan (automobile)|saloon]], three-door [[Station wagon|estate]] ("Car-A-Van") and [[coupé]] versions.

{{gallery |width = 190 |height = 120
|File:Coupe_-_Opel_Kadett_A.jpg|Opel Kadett Coupé (1962–1965)
|File:Opel_kadett_a_v_sst.jpg|Opel Kadett ''L'' (1964–1965)
|File:Opel_kadett_a_h_sst.jpg|Rear
|File:Kadett-A-10.jpg|Dashboard
}}
{{clear}}

==Kadett B (1965–1973)<span class="anchor" id="Kadett B"></span>==
{{main|Opel Kadett B}}
{{Infobox automobile
|name = Kadett B
|image = File:Opel Kadett B BW 2016-09-03 13-52-40.jpg
|caption = Opel Kadett B 4-door Limousine 
|production = 1965–1973
|related = [[Opel Olympia]] A
}}

The Kadett B was launched at the [[Frankfurt Motor Show]] in late summer 1965,<ref name=OldtimerKatalogNr23>{{cite book |last=Zink |first=Günther |title= Oldtimer Katalog |volume=23 |page=265 |year=2009 |isbn=978-3-86852-067-5 |place=Königswinter |publisher=Heel Verlag}}</ref><ref>[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945 – 90 (vol 3)]], p 213</ref> The Kadett B was larger all-round than the Kadett A: 5% longer both overall and in terms of the wheelbase, 7% wider and 9% heavier (unladen weight), albeit {{cvt|10|mm|in}} lower in basic standard "Limousine" (saloon) form.<ref>[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945–90 (vol. 3)]], pp. 199 & 215</ref> Production ended in July 1973, with the [[Opel Kadett#Kadett C (1973–1979)|successor model]] introduced a month later following the summer shutdown, in August. The two-seat [[Opel GT]] was heavily based on Kadett B components, its body made by a French contractor, [[Brissonneau & Lotz]], at their [[Creil]] factory.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
 File:1967 Opel Kadett L Coupé (US), rear left, Hershey 2019.jpg|US-market Opel Kadett B "[[Gill|Gills-coupé]]" ("''Kiemencoupé''") (1965–1970)
 File:Kadett-varia.JPG|Opel Kadett B body options
 File:Ascona 1700 Front.jpg|Opel Kadett B 4-door Limousine
 File:Opel Kadett B Coupé F front 20110811.jpg|Opel Kadett B Coupé "F" (1967–1973)
 File:Opel Kadett B BW 2016-07-17 13-28-59.jpg|Opel Kadett B "LS" Fastback saloon (1967–1970)
 File:Kadett B Kombi rear 23072007.jpg|Rear-view of Opel Kadett B 3-door Caravan (Kombi) (1965–1973)
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Kadett C (1973–1979)<span class="anchor" id="Kadett C"></span>==
{{main|Opel Kadett C}}
{{Infobox automobile
|name = Kadett C
|image = 1973-77 Opel Kadett limousine (10383973825).jpg
|production = 1973–1979
|wheelbase = {{cvt|2395|mm|in}}
}}

The Kadett C appeared in August 1973<ref>[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945 – 90 (vol 3)]], pp 236 & 239</ref> and was Opel's version of the [[GM T platform (RWD)|General Motors' "T-Car"]]. It was the last small Opel to feature rear-wheel drive, and remained in production at Opel's [[Bochum]] plant until July 1979, by which time Opel had produced 1,701,076. Of these, 52% had been exported outside West Germany,<ref name=Osw237>[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945 – 90 (vol 3)]], p 237</ref> most of them to markets in other parts of western Europe.

The Kadett C was mirrored in Europe by its British derivative — the [[Vauxhall Chevette]]. For the first time the Opel Kadett and its Vauxhall equivalent were now very clearly the same car, and marked the gradual convergence of Opel and Vauxhall models, which would be completed with the later Kadett D.

<gallery widths=200 heights=135>
 File:Opel Kadett C Coupe front 20080206.jpg|Opel Kadett Coupé (1973–1977)
 File:Opel 1204 Caravan – Frontansicht, 7. Dezember 2015, Funchal.jpg|Opel Kadett Caravan (1973–1977)
 File:Opel Kadett C City rear 20081127.jpg|Rear-view of Opel Kadett "City"
 File:Opel Kadett C front 20080824.jpg|Opel Kadett C 2 door "Limousine" (post-1977 facelift)
 File:Opel Kadett C 4 door post face-lift.jpg|Opel Kadett C 4-door "Limousine"
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Kadett D (1979–1984)<span class="anchor" id="Kadett D"></span>==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Vauxhall Astra]] -->
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Kadett D
| image = Opel Kadett D 1 v sst.jpg
| aka = [[Vauxhall Astra]] (United Kingdom), [[Bedford Astra]] (Van)
| production = 1979–1984
| assembly = {{ubl| [[Bochum]], [[Germany]] | [[Antwerp]], [[Belgium]] | [[Vauxhall Ellesmere Port|Ellesmere Port]], [[United Kingdom]] | [[Kikinda]], [[Yugoslavia]] ([[IDA-Opel]]) | [[Port Elizabeth]], [[South Africa]]}}
| body_style = {{ubl| 3- and 5-door [[hatchback]] | 2- and 4-door [[notchback]] [[sedan (automobile)|saloon]] | 3- and 5-door [[Station wagon|wagon/estate]] (Caravan)| 3-door [[panel van]]}}
| engine = {{ubl | '''[[Petrol engine|Petrol]]:''' | 1.0&nbsp;L ''[[Opel OHV engine|Opel OHV]]'' [[Straight-four engine|I4]] | 1.2&nbsp;L ''[[Opel OHV engine|Opel OHV]]'' I4 | 1.3&nbsp;L ''[[Family 1 engine|Family 1]]'' I4 | 1.6&nbsp;L ''[[Family II engine|Family II]]'' I4 | 1.8&nbsp;L ''[[Family II engine|Family II]]'' I4 | '''[[Diesel engine|Diesel]]:''' | 1.6&nbsp;L ''[[Family II engine|Family II]]'' I4 }}
| transmission = {{ubl |4/5-speed [[Manual transmission|manual]] |3-speed [[Automatic transmission|automatic]]}}
| layout = [[Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout|Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive]]
| platform = [[GM T platform (FWD)|T-platform]]
| length = {{cvt|3998|mm|in|1}}<br />Caravan: {{cvt|4207|mm|in|1}}
| width = {{cvt|1636|mm|in|1}}
| height = {{cvt|1400|mm|in|1}}
| wheelbase = {{cvt|2514|mm|in|1}}
| weight = {{cvt|815|–|980|kg|lb|1}}
| related = [[Vauxhall Astra]] (United Kingdom)
}}

The Kadett D was introduced in the middle of August 1979, with deliveries on the home market beginning early in September 1979.<ref>[[#Oswald Band 3|Oswald 1945 – 90 (vol 3)]], p 265</ref> In November 1979, the car went on sale in the United Kingdom, some five months before the [[Vauxhall Astra]] Mark 1, the British version, was launched in March 1980. The cars were designed as three- or five-door hatchbacks and estates or [[station wagon|estate]]s. There were also two- and four-door saloons featuring separate boots/trunks, which shared the silhouettes of the hatchbacks: in the United Kingdom, the saloon versions were soon withdrawn, until the 1986 launch of the MKII-based Belmont. For the first time since 1965, there was no coupé-bodied Kadett in the range: the previous Kadett C coupé was indirectly replaced by the three-door 1.3 SR sports model.

Technologically, the Kadett D was part of a major investment for Opel (and General Motors as a whole) in a new front-wheel drive architecture, with an all-new family of engines and transmissions which would later be applied in the larger Ascona C and the smaller Corsa A in 1981, and 1982, respectively. It was also the first application of the [[GM Family 1 engine|Family I]] engine, with a [[single overhead camshaft]], aluminium-alloy [[cylinder head]], [[hydraulic]] valve lifters, with capacities of 1297&nbsp;cc (producing 60&nbsp;PS and 75&nbsp;PS) and had a transaxle design that allowed the clutch to be replaced without removing the transmission unit. A carry-over 1196&nbsp;cc [[Opel OHV engine]] from previous generations of the Kadett producing {{cvt|55|PS|kW|0}} and a top speed of {{cvt|87|mph|km/h|order=flip}} was also offered on entry-level models from launch.<ref>''Daily Express'' Guide to 1980 World Cars, page 52</ref> The larger [[GM Family II engine|Family II]] engine debuted in 1600&nbsp;cc form and was offered after Frankfurt 1981, followed by an 1800&nbsp;cc version introduced for the Kadett GSE/Astra GTE model. The Kadett D was also equipped with a 1600&nbsp;cc diesel engine, an option which was first presented at the [[European Motor Show Brussels|Brussels Motor Show]] in 1982.<ref name="AR82">{{cite book |ref= AR82 |title= Automobil Revue '82 |editor-last= Büschi |editor-first= Hans-Ulrich |publisher= Hallwag AG |language= de, fr |page= 422 |place= Berne |volume= 77 |date= 3 March 1982 |isbn= 3-444-06062-9}}</ref> Another frugal model, mostly sold in Italy, was the 1.0 liter model with {{cvt|50|PS|kW|0}}.

This range of engines was also used for later models of the [[Opel Corsa|Corsa/Nova]], and the mid-sized [[Vauxhall Cavalier|Cavalier/Ascona]]. From May 1981, the 1.3 was also available with a three-speed automatic. The automatic was made available to the diesel in September 1982. In the United Kingdom, Opels and Vauxhalls were initially sold through separate marketing operations, with overlapping lineups that competed directly with each other. By 1982 this anomaly had been sorted out and the Opel lineup was limited to the well-equipped five-door Berlina (1.3S or 1.6S) and the sporty 1.6 SR, leaving most of the market to the Vauxhall-badged cars.<ref name=AC4459a>{{cite magazine | ref = LMB | magazine = [[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | title = A touch of class | first = Martin | last = Lewis | publisher = IPC Business Press Ltd. | pages = 47–48 | date = 1982-06-05 | volume = 156 | number = 4459 }}</ref>

One interesting version which first appeared in mid-1982 was the '''Kadett Pirsch''', (for [[deer stalking]], a stealthy form of hunting). In non-German-speaking countries it was generally marketed as the "Kadett Off Road." This was an estate car with rustic trim, fitted with a [[limited-slip differential]], reinforced suspension and more suitable tires, increased ground clearance, a [[skid plate]], and shortened front fenders.<ref name="TV16.82">{{cite magazine | title = Kadett för dåliga vägar | trans-title = Kadett for bad roads | language = sv | magazine = [[Teknikens Värld]] | publisher = Specialtidningsförlaget AB | location = Stockholm, Sweden | page = 54 | date = 28 July 1982 | number = 16 | volume = 34 | first = Dag E | last = Hogsten }}</ref> In Sweden, a special postal Kadett ("Opel Kadett Post") was offered, fitted with a high roof (necessitating a unique and much taller windshield) and a sliding right-hand door, [[Left- and right-hand traffic|RHD]], and the automatic transmission.<ref>{{cite journal |title= En sista utdelning |trans-title= One last delivery |language= sv |journal= Klassiker |issue= 6 |date= July 2014 |page= 68 |first= Thomas |last= Näsström |volume= 11 |publisher= OK Förlaget AB |place= Stockholm |issn= 1652-2931}}</ref> This version was converted by [[:de:Karosseriefabrik Voll|Karosseriefabrik Voll]] {{in lang|de}} in [[Würzburg]], Germany. Voll also made a postal version of the later Kadett E.

The Kadett D was also sold as the IDA Kadett and assembled [[Kikinda]], [[Yugoslavia]]. In [[Indonesia]], PT. Garmak Motor was also reproduced Kadett D after 1984 in [[Jakarta]], only for local market general buyers and taxi fleets until around 1995. It was later replaced by [[Opel Astra#F|Opel Optima (Astra F) saloon]]. Only available as a 5-door hatchback, with [[carburettor|carburetted]] 1298&nbsp;cc [[GM Family 1 engine#1.3|GM Family 1]] engine and 5-speed manual transmission.

{{gallery |width = 195 |height = 125
|File:1984 Opel Kadett D 12S (13070175354).jpg|Base model Kadett D hatchback/saloon with round headlights and different front grille
|File:Opel Kadett D 1 h sst.jpg|Opel Kadett D hatchback five-door
|File:Opel Kadett D mit kurzer Heckklappe.jpg|Kadett D saloon four-door
|File:1983 Opel Kadett 1.3 GL Luxus 3-dr rear.jpg|Kadett D hatchback three-door
|File:Opel Kadett 1.3 N Automatic (16019385472).jpg|Kadett D saloon two-door
|File:Opel Kadett D Kombi 3 door DK Utrecht.jpg|Base model Kadett D Caravan with round headlights and different front grille
|File:Opel kadett d 2 h sst.jpg|Opel Kadett D Caravan three-door
|File:Opel Kadett Estate Clare.JPG|Kadett D Caravan five-door
|File:Opel Kadett GTE (14359510589).jpg|The fuel injected Kadett GTE
|File:Opel Kadett GTE (14359510609).jpg|Rear view of Kadett D GTE hatchback three-door
}}

=== Models ===
{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable defaultcenter col1left"
|+
!Kadett 1979 (Netherlands)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Opel Kadett Brochure 1979 NL — Veikl |url=https://www.veikl.com/d/Opel-Kadett-Brochure-1979-NL-34592 |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.veikl.com}}</ref>
!3dr hatch
!5dr hatch
!2dr saloon
!4dr saloon
!3dr caravan
!5dr caravan
!Panel van
|-
|Basic
|●
|●
|●
|●
|●
|●
|
|-
|Luxus
|●
|●
|●
|●
|●
|●
|
|-
|Berlina
|●
|●
|●
|●
|
|
|
|-
|SR
|●
|
|●
|
|
|
|
|}

===South Africa===
The Opel Kadett D was also built in [[South Africa]] by General Motors South African (Pty) Ltd. The South African range was made up of four-door fastback saloons, five-door hatchbacks, and a five-door estate model called the Voyage.<ref name="WC81">{{cite book |title=World Cars 1981 |publisher=The Automobile Club of Italy/Herald Books |editor-last=Lösch |editor-first=Annamaria |location=Pelham, NY |page=334 |year=1981 |isbn=0-910714-13-4}}</ref> The engines used are [[Opel OHV engine#1.2|Opel's 1.2]]-litre [[overhead valve]] inline-four (L models only), or the [[Overhead camshaft engine|OHC]] 1.3-litre (GL, GLS, and Voyage). Power is {{cvt|60|PS|kW|0}} and {{cvt|75|PS|kW|0}} respectively.<ref name="WC81"/> Later a 1.6&nbsp;L was added and also a 1.8&nbsp;L in the GTE performance model.

Small engine sizes with round lights on the nose while large engine sizes would have square lights on the nose. 
{{clear}}

==Kadett E (1984–1995)<span class="anchor" id="Kadett E"></span><span class="anchor" id="E"></span><span class="anchor" id="1984"></span>==
{{main|Opel Kadett E}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Kadett E
| image = File:Opel kadett 1987.png
| caption = Pre-facelift Kadett 1.3 LS (1987)
| production = 1984–1995
| platform = [[GM T platform (FWD)|T-platform]]
| related = [[Opel Combo|Opel Kadett Combo]]<br>[[Daewoo LeMans]]
}}

The Kadett E (sold as the Vauxhall Astra Mark 2 in the United Kingdom) was introduced in August 1984, and was voted the 1985 [[European Car of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Rewind to 1985: Opel Kadett |url=http://www.quicks.co.uk/news/2014/rewind-1985-Opel-Kadett/ |publisher=Quicks |access-date=25 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301033238/http://www.quicks.co.uk/news/2014/rewind-1985-Opel-Kadett/ |archive-date=1 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caroftheyear.org/previous-winners/1985_1/coty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202082907/http://caroftheyear.org/previous-winners/1985_1/coty |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-02 |title=Previous winners |publisher=Car of the year |access-date=2 October 2010 }}</ref> The 1984 model was also developed into a more conventional [[Three-box styling|three-box design]] with a boot (trunk), badged as the '''Vauxhall Belmont''' in the United Kingdom, launched at [[Frankfurt Motor Show|Frankfurt]] 1985. There was an estate car called the "Caravan" in mainland Europe, available with either three or five doors, as well as a convertible built by Bertone in Italy (from 1987). There was also a van version with a raised roof, called the [[Opel Combo|Opel Kadett Combo]] in Europe, and the Bedford Astramax in the United Kingdom.

The car was noted for its advanced aerodynamics and distinctive "teardrop" shape — mirroring the trend in the mid 1980s for swooping aerodynamic styling — with the front end styling taken directly from the [[Opel Tech 1]] concept car of 1981, although some styling cues from the Kadett D were retained for continuity such as its '[[Kammback|Kamm tail]]' and oversized C-pillar extraction vent. This generation was built and sold as the '''Chevrolet Kadett''' in Brazil, while the estate car was called the '''Chevrolet Ipanema'''. The Kadett E formed the basis of the [[Daewoo LeMans]] (later known as the '''Daewoo Cielo''', '''Racer''' and '''Nexia''') in [[South Korea]], Nexia being the hatchback version), which was sold in the United States and New Zealand as the [[Pontiac LeMans]], and in Canada (initially) as the Passport Optima. The Nexia was produced until 2016 at the [[UzDaewoo]] plant in [[Asaka, Uzbekistan]].

<gallery widths=200 heights=125>
File:Opel_Kadett_E_front_20080131.jpg|Opel Kadett 3-door (1989–1995)
File:Opel Kadett E side.jpg|Opel Kadett 5-door (1989–1995)
File:Opel_Kadett_Kombi_front_20080224.jpg|Opel Kadett Caravan (1984–1989)
File:Opel Kadett E rear 20071105.jpg|Opel Kadett saloon (rear; 1989–1995)
File:Opel Kadett E Van, Brno-Bayerova, 2024-04, obr01.jpg|Opel Kadett Van (1984–1988)
</gallery>
{{Clear}}

==Name change to Astra==
In 1991, GM Europe decided to standardise model names across its two brands, and Opel adopted Vauxhall's name for the Kadett, [[Opel Astra|Astra]], for the replacement car for Europe which debuted that year. Only [[South Africa]] kept the Kadett name until the 1999 (Astra/Kadett F), whereafter all models took the Astra name.

However, under Opel's internal naming convention, successive generations of the Astra platform are treated as a logical continuation of the Kadett lineage, hence the original 1991 Astra was designated ''Astra F'' in relation to the previous Kadett E. This convention has continued through the current Astra L.

==See also==
* [[GM Stir-Lec I]], 1969 [[Concept vehicle|concept]] [[Hybrid electric vehicle|hybrid electric]] car based on Opel Kadett body

== Citations ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== General and cited references ==
* {{cite book |last= Oswald |first= Werner |year= 2001 |title = Deutsche Autos 1920–1945 | trans-title = German cars, 1920–1945 |volume= 2 |publisher= Motorbuch Verlag |language= de |isbn= 3-613-02170-6 |ref= Oswald Band 2}}
* {{cite book |last= Oswald |first= Werner |year= 2003 |title= Deutsche Autos 1945–1990 | trans-title = German cars, 1945–1990 |volume= 3 |publisher= Motorbuch Verlag |language= de |isbn= 3-613-02116-1 |ref= Oswald Band 3}}
* {{cite book |last= Schulz |first=Peter |year= 2010 |title= Opel Kadett – alle Modellreihen |place= Königswinter |publisher= Heel |isbn= 978-3-86852-295-2}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Opel Kadett}}

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