1986 OPEL Omega Caravan 2.0i 5MT RWD (116 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Opel, the former European arm of GM, had to replace both the Rekord and the Senator lineups in the mid-80s, and it did that with the Omega lineup, offered as a sedan or a station wagon, the latter being dubbed as Caravan.

The mid-80s were the best years for introducing a station wagon in the European market. These practical vehicles were used by families and small business owners alike thanks to their massive interior space, at least compared to sedans. So, Opel decided to offer one on the Omega lineup and introduced it in late 1986.

Both Rekord and Senator were already old on the market, and their wedged shapes were no longer appealing to the customers. Opel design center noticed that and offered a vehicle with arched lines. Up to the B-pillar, the long-roof version of the Omega shared the same parts as the sedan. But the rear doors were modified, and behind them, the carmaker added a third row of wide windows. Opel didn’t bother too much with raked-forward D-pillars and tried to offer a vast interior.

Inside, the dashboard design followed the same principles as the outside, with curved lines and soft shapes. Moreover, the instrument cluster was integrated into a larger area that also comprised the center stack, where Opel installed the HVAC controls and the stereo. At the back, the folding bench offered plenty of headroom for three passengers. By folding the rear seats, the cargo volume showed an astonishing, for those times, 1,850 liters (65.3 cu-ft). Moreover, with the rear seats folded flat, the loading area reached up to 2 meters (79.4″) in length.

Under the hood, Opel installed a wide choice of diesel and gasoline engines paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.