Classic cars: the Opel Vectra turns 25

Everything in the Opel Vectra was new when it hit the road in autumn 1988, exactly 25 years ago: the name, the design and the technology it contained. The new Opel model had a difficult challenge in replacing the successful Ascona, which was launched in 1970 and evolved through three generations.

The Vectra name and its aerodynamic design were inspired by the progressive look of the Omega. Available as a saloon and a five-door, the Vectra introduced new technologies to mass production: it was the first Opel model that could be ordered with four-wheel drive. By the end of summer 1995, the Vectra had already won more than 20 national and international awards, provided the technical basis for the Calibra sports coupé and reached a 20% market share at its peak. With 2.5 million units sold across Europe, the Vectra was the most successful mid-size Opel model in the company’s history up to that point.

Opel invested more than five million hours in developing the Vectra, with 20,000 hours devoted solely to perfecting the aerodynamics of its new bodywork. With a drag coefficient of 0.29, the Vectra was one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class. With an optional four-speed automatic gearbox and three driving modes (economy, sport and winter), recently developed, the Vectra was the first Opel car available with a factory-fitted four-wheel drive system, optional on the 1.8 and 2-litre engine models.

Until then, the top model in the range was the Vectra 2000 16V 4×4 four-door, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 150 CV, featuring four-valve technology, DOHC twin overhead camshafts, four-wheel drive, electronically controlled ABS, and independent rear suspension with a semi-trailing arm axle from the Omega, as well as disc brakes on all four wheels and a top speed of 215 km/h.

In 1993, two completely new, innovative and very differently designed models appeared within just six months. In spring 1993 the luxurious Vectra V6 was presented, the first Opel model in its class to offer a six-cylinder engine. The V6’s powertrain was also a first for the brand: the 2.5-litre ECOTEC unit with 170 horsepower and 24 valves was the first Opel engine with a V-shaped cylinder arrangement. The Vectra GT 16V with 150 CV replaced the Vectra 2000 as the flagship of the sporty line.

In autumn 1993 the Vectra family grew again with the Vectra Turbo. It featured the propulsion technology of the Calibra’s top models and combined four-wheel drive with a standard six-speed manual gearbox and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 204 CV. The Turbo was the only member of the first-generation Vectra to reach a top speed of 240 km/h.

The final update already hinted at the future. In spring 1994 the Vectra CDX was presented with a recently developed 2.0-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine producing 136 CV, which was also used in the successor Vectra B. By its seventh production year the Vectra A was the number two in European registration statistics. When it was replaced in 1996, around 2.5 million units had been sold, making it the most successful car in its class at that time.

Source | Opel