The KAD Series And Doktorwagen, Opel At The Classic Gala Schwetzingen

Gracing the masses with a showcase of its timeless classics, Opel at the 2022 International Classic Gala Schwetzingen.

Opel will be presenting its 1960s luxury class, the ‘KAD’ series, together with a car that represents the brand’s 160-year history.

Nicknamed the ‘Big Three’, said series consists of the Opel Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat, and as for the historic example, it is the 1909 Opel 4/8 PS ‘Doktorwagen’.

In addition to the array of historic cars in Schwetzingen will be the ‘ECOmobil Gala’, a gathering of sustainable mobility concepts under the motto ‘Future meets Classic’. 

Featuring its new model, Opel will be taking part with its plug-in hybrid version of the new Astra Sports Tourer.

‘KAD’ Series - The ‘Big Three’

Kapitän, Admiral and Diplomat represented the Opel luxury class back in the 1960s and 1970s, and were influenced by the contemporary American styling. 

All three were fully equipped, extremely roomy, and with a length of 4,950 mm and a width of 1,900 mm, the Opel luxury class also reached new dimensions.

Notably, the Kapitän was the best-selling German six-cylinder passenger car, the Admiral built on the success of the pre-war model with the same name and the Diplomat represented the top of the line. 

For this year's Classic Gala Schwetzingen, the Kapitän will be loaned from a private collector, and the other two, the 1965 Admiral V8 and the 1966 Diplomat V8 Coupe will be from Opel.

With its range-topping 140-kW/190 HP engine, the Admiral was notable for its two-speed ‘Powerglide’ automatic transmission. 

Made from 1964 to 1968, a total of 55,876 Admiral A units left the factory, of which only 623 featured eight-cylinder engines. This makes the Admiral V8 a rare collector's item today.

As for the Diplomat, a 169-kW/230 HP 5.4-liter V8 engine powered this four-seater saloon from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds.

It had a top speed that exceeded 200 km/h, and during its time, hardly any other German-produced automobile was faster.

1909 Opel 4/8 PS ‘Doktorwagen’

Symbolising Opel’s 160 years of history, the 1909 Opel 4/8 PS, regarded as an early automobile that made motorised mobility possible for all. 

In advertising, Opel proclaimed the car as ideal for doctors, veterinarians and lawyers, which earned it the nickname ‘Doktorwagen’, meaning doctor’s car. 

This pioneering vehicle was available for a low price of only 3,950 marks, paving the way for a broader section of the population to own their own car for the first time. 

Among the interesting features it has, the technical highlight of its build would be the four-cylinder ‘mono-block’ engine that was cast in one piece.

Classic Gala Schwetzingen

The international Classic Gala Schwetzingen is viewed as one of the most prestigious concours d’légance in the world.

At this year’s event, over 180 selected classic automobiles from all decades, ranging from different automakers will be on display.

Taking place in the baroque garden of Schwetzingen Palace in Germany, the event will commence from 2 September to 4 September, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.