The replacement Kadett B was a much more attractive proposition for Opel with the new model a step up in terms of looks and performance.
At same time the B still sat firmly on the same tried and tested chassis as the A Series, although 5% longer. First reveal
ed to a not so interested public at the Frankfurt Motor Show of 1965 the Kadett B also included a new choice of body, the fastback, available as either a two or four-door, as was the standard sedan.
The remainder of the model line-up consisted of a coupe and the estate version, also now available as a five-door.
While close comparisons needed to be made to the Vauxhall Viva HB, the Opel Rekord B coupe design had very obviously been derived from another GM classic of the times, the Chevrolet Chevelle.
the Opel Kadett B’s was powered by a 998cc engine as standard, although the engine’s bhp had increased by 45 bhp.
Opel also offered the Kadett B with a 1078 cc engine that could generate 55 bhp, later adding an extra carburettor to chase the power up by an additional five bhp.
ion, available initially on the more powerful Opels proved to be so much in demand that it became available also to those ordering a 1.1-litre Kadett B, as long as it had an engine capable of generating 60 bhp.
With all of these improvements, it was of little surprise to the motoring media of the mid to late Sixties that the Kadett B, in all of its configurations, was a tremendous success for Opel, selling more than one hundred thousand new cars in its first production year.
Sales for the model continued to rise to Opel’s expectations, averaging more than three hundred thousand for each of the model’s eight-year production life.
