1983 OPEL Senator 2.2i 5MT (116 HP)

Vehicle Overview

It was the biggest Opel and most powerful in its lineup when it was launched, in 1983. The Senator was a truly executive car. It was the flagship for the German car-maker.

The Senator was introduced in 1978 to replace the old and aged Opel Diplomat, which was on the market since 1969. The change brought a new shape, with a modern look. In 1983, the Senator went through a mid-life cycle refresh that brought more exterior and interior changes.

On the outside, the headlights were enlarged and slightly moved outward. The grille was aligned with them and it featured a new design. In the back, the taillights were united across the rear panel with light strips and the license plate was moved lower in the bumper. The smoothed out surfaces led to an important gain on the aerodynamic factor, where the drag-coefficient dropped from CX 0.45 to CX 0.36.

Inside, the 1983 Senator, or A2, featured a redesigned dashboard with an integrated center stack and instrument cluster under the same squared shape that was extended over the center console. But there was no center armrest for the driver. At least there was one for the rear passengers if only two were seated. But there was enough room for three, even if the middle one had to stay over the transmission tunnel.

The 1983 Senator was brought wit fuel injected engines of 2.5-liter and a 2.3-liter turbodiesel, from Isuzu. The standard transmission was a 4-speed manual, but a 3-speed automatic was available as an option for the gasoline unit.