These were beautiful cars to drive .the 3.0 straight six engine was very lively, and this car was faster than the mk1 granada 3.0 by a fair bit! The next generation of senators were the main stays of the British police traffic division!
Pretty sure you`re right about the Senator being one of the first cars to get smoked rear lights. On the Vauxhall Royale (my parents owned a used one) they were tinted red. Preferred the styling of the Opel.
IIRC, the Senator/Royale had independent rear suspension whereas the Carlton/Rekord had a live rear axle. For a while in the UK market, the Royale was a 2800 carb only. The Senator was 3.0i.
At 16 I was working in the stationary dept of a large bank in London. Each day my my boss took me to the head office in Lombard street in a Senator. Very smooth and had the very comfortable must have red velour seats. Lovely car.
The "CD" was loaded up with nearly every option in the GM book at the time, hence the price. A BMW or Mercedes with similar specifications would have been significantly more expensive. The 3.0L fuel injected 180 hp engine with automatic was the only powertrain choice available. A/C, power windows, tinted glass, premium stereo, heated front seats, power door locks and trunk release, headlamp wash/wipe and a host of trim and feature upgrades made this probably the best-equipped executive saloon model available in the late 1970s, on the continent at least. A base trim with very sparse equipment and interior appointments, a 2.8 L 140 hp engine and 4-speed manual, was the price leader. The model "C" was the middle-range trim (and the most popular). It came outfitted with velour interior trim, those attractive 5-spoke alloy wheels, a few more options (like full instrumentation) and additional sound deadening. These cars were very competent in their day, but fell victim to the second oil crisis, the ensuing recession and Opel's poor marketing and working class image. Luxury cars from a middle-of-the-road "frumpy" brand always had a hard time selling against established marques with cachet and prestige, no matter how good those cars might be.
I used to see an Opal Senator and this was in a western suburb of Sydney l took notice because anf the same time l owned a VB Comadore and the rear end was different but it was metallic blue the same as the Comadore l owned they must have been from the UK and brought there car over with them and also in the same suburb there was this Ford Siera judt the four door saloon and these were not available in Australia
A very nice car the Opel Senator twined with the Vauxhall Royale and the Royale Coupe. Do you remember the Vauxhall Viceroy it was the front of the Senator/Royale and the rear of the Record/ Carlton and came with a 2.0 or 2.5 engine there was no Opel version I think it was a UK car only. Great video take care👍
Yes. The Rekord / Carlton was 4 cylinder engines only (petrol and diesel). Vauxhall Viceroy was 2.5 straight 6 petrol on carbs only. The equivalent Opel was the Commodore with 2.5S (carbs) and 2.5E fuel injection of which a handful came into UK as Vauxhall Opel management cars but never sold as GM gradually dropped the Opel brand in UK 1980-82 and then all Vauxhall badged.
These were lovely, well-made cars, and those massive rear headrests were great.
It good to see this Opel senator or vaxhall models,this model luxury models same like rover SD 1 car model
These were beautiful cars to drive .the 3.0 straight six engine was very lively, and this car was faster than the mk1 granada 3.0 by a fair bit! The next generation of senators were the main stays of the British police traffic division!
Yes very memorable cars
Pretty sure you`re right about the Senator being one of the first cars to get smoked rear lights. On the Vauxhall Royale (my parents owned a used one) they were tinted red. Preferred the styling of the Opel.
IIRC, the Senator/Royale had independent rear suspension whereas the Carlton/Rekord had a live rear axle.
For a while in the UK market, the Royale was a 2800 carb only. The Senator was 3.0i.
At 16 I was working in the stationary dept of a large bank in London. Each day my my boss took me to the head office in Lombard street in a Senator. Very smooth and had the very comfortable must have red velour seats. Lovely car.
The "CD" was loaded up with nearly every option in the GM book at the time, hence the price. A BMW or Mercedes with similar specifications would have been significantly more expensive. The 3.0L fuel injected 180 hp engine with automatic was the only powertrain choice available. A/C, power windows, tinted glass, premium stereo, heated front seats, power door locks and trunk release, headlamp wash/wipe and a host of trim and feature upgrades made this probably the best-equipped executive saloon model available in the late 1970s, on the continent at least.
A base trim with very sparse equipment and interior appointments, a 2.8 L 140 hp engine and 4-speed manual, was the price leader. The model "C" was the middle-range trim (and the most popular). It came outfitted with velour interior trim, those attractive 5-spoke alloy wheels, a few more options (like full instrumentation) and additional sound deadening. These cars were very competent in their day, but fell victim to the second oil crisis, the ensuing recession and Opel's poor marketing and working class image. Luxury cars from a middle-of-the-road "frumpy" brand always had a hard time selling against established marques with cachet and prestige, no matter how good those cars might be.
I own a 79 senator green with green plush velvet nice to see a vid on it cheers
Aw lovely cars I do particularly love the green velvet.
I used to see an Opal Senator and this was in a western suburb of Sydney l took notice because anf the same time l owned a VB Comadore and the rear end was different but it was metallic blue the same as the Comadore l owned they must have been from the UK and brought there car over with them and also in the same suburb there was this Ford Siera judt the four door saloon and these were not available in Australia
Interesting
A far far better car than the equivalent Granadas and 2600 Rovers
As far as I know those wood appliques were real, but as you said, probably not the best quality though. Rolls Royce owners can sleep quietly :)
Senator front plus Rekord from windscreen back = Holden Commodore
A very nice car the Opel Senator twined with the Vauxhall Royale and the Royale Coupe. Do you remember the Vauxhall Viceroy it was the front of the Senator/Royale and the rear of the Record/ Carlton and came with a 2.0 or 2.5 engine there was no Opel version I think it was a UK car only. Great video take care👍
Yes. The Rekord / Carlton was 4 cylinder engines only (petrol and diesel). Vauxhall Viceroy was 2.5 straight 6 petrol on carbs only. The equivalent Opel was the Commodore with 2.5S (carbs) and 2.5E fuel injection of which a handful came into UK as Vauxhall Opel management cars but never sold as GM gradually dropped the Opel brand in UK 1980-82 and then all Vauxhall badged.
I think the Opel equivalent of the Viceroy with the 2.5 litre engine was the Commodore. 🤔
funny you say, there was no Opel version....they were all Opels ....The last Vauxhall , in this class, would be the Victor .
I recall seeing a senator cd in 1990 thinking why call it the cd its not diesel like most cars with the d after the name and does not have a cd player
CD stood for ‘Class Diplomat’.
Why did the Commodore in Australia go for the Nissan engine when Holden’s pushrod engine came to the end? Why not just use the 3 litre Opel job?
Good question
Gosh such an expensive car for a mass market GM product rather than a BMW or Merc.
This model a product of off general motors or GMC
GM Europe , made by Opel in Germany , but assembled at Vauxhall in UK