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Saloons & estates · Road

Opel Kadett C

Opel Design · 1973

The last small Opel with rear-wheel drive—and the first to show what GM’s T-Car would cost in feel, space, and logic.

Worth your time?3.5/5Yes.Drive the whole thing.What works, what does not, who it is for ↓
9:02in productionCh. 1 · T-Car, German-built/ 9:02 · ceiling 15 min
4 chapters · 9:02Ceiling 15:00

The brief is written and checked. The video joins this page when it is cut.4 chapters · 1 min read · 9:02 planned

Read the brief

The Opel Kadett C is a small family car produced by Opel from 1973 to 1979. It is the fourth-generation Kadett and Opel’s version of General Motors’ T-Car platform. It was the last small Opel to feature rear-wheel drive. Most customers opted for the two-door 'Limousine' saloon. A four-door variant was produced mostly for export. The Limousine accounted for just under 63% of production. Eleven percent were three-door estate-bodied Kadett Caravans. Slightly under 10% were two-door coupés. The Kadett City, a three-door hatchback, was added in May 1975 to compete on price with the Ford Fiesta.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:03
    T-Car, German-built

    The Kadett C is Opel’s interpretation of GM’s global T-Car platform, built as a small family car from 1973 to 1979.

  2. 2:35
    Last of the RWD small Opels

    It is the final small Opel to use rear-wheel drive—a deliberate choice that defined its balance, serviceability, and driving character.

  3. 3:55
    Body styles by the numbers

    Two-door 'Limousine' saloons made up just under 63% of production; estates and coupés followed, while four-doors were largely for export.

  4. 5:17
    City: late, lean, and tactical

    The Kadett City hatchback arrived in May 1975—not to match the Fiesta on space, but to undercut it on price.

1 more chapterFewer chapters
Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

3.5/ 5
What works
  • It delivers clear feedback through the steering.
  • It offers predictable weight transfer under cornering.
  • It gives a direct connection between throttle and rear axle.
What does not
  • It does not offer front-wheel drive.
  • It does not offer hatchback space efficiency.
  • It does not compete on interior volume or refinement with later rivals like the Ford Fiesta.
Drive it if
  • It is for engineers, historians and drivers who value unfiltered mechanical communication.
  • It is not for buyers seeking comfort, safety systems, or interior versatility.
Skip it if
  • It is not for buyers seeking comfort, safety systems, or interior versatility.
Who should drive it, and who should skipHide who it is for
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

The Opel Kadett C is a small family car produced by Opel from 1973 to 1979. It is the fourth-generation Kadett and Opel’s version of General Motors’ T-Car platform.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It uses rear-wheel drive, with a saloon, estate, coupé or hatchback body. The driver sits in a compact cabin with controls laid out for function over flair.

What it gets right

It delivers clear feedback through the steering, predictable weight transfer under cornering, and a direct connection between throttle and rear axle—hallmarks of its RWD layout and light chassis.

What it does not

It does not offer front-wheel drive, hatchback space efficiency, or modern crash structures. It does not compete on interior volume or refinement with later rivals like the Ford Fiesta.

What it changed

It was the last small Opel with rear-wheel drive, marking the end of a layout that prioritised mechanical simplicity and serviceability over packaging efficiency.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for engineers, historians and drivers who value unfiltered mechanical communication. It is not for buyers seeking comfort, safety systems, or interior versatility.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want to understand how GM’s T-Car platform shaped small-car engineering across Europe in the 1970s.

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