Opel Admiral B

Sunday 1 September 2013
The Admiral "B" was introduced just in time for the Geneva Motor Show in March 1969 together with the new Kapitän and Diplomat. While the Kapitän was discontinued after May 1970, the Admiral and Diplomat survived until 1977. They were replaced by the smaller Opel Senator in 1978.
The new model shared its 2,845 mm (112.0 in) wheelbase with the previous Admiral, but the Admiral "B"'s overall length of 4,907 mm (193.2 in) was 31 mm (1.2 in) shorter than that of the Admiral A. The stylish body came with American flair both on the outside and on the interior but this, especially in respect of the dashboard that confronted the driver, was at the cost of functionality. The design which could be presented in 1969 as flamboyant and futuristic was not in keeping with the more restrained mood that took hold in Germany in the mid-1970s as fuel costs rose following the 1973 oil price shocks. The Admiral "B" was fitted with a De Dion rear-axle which greatly improved road holding, but made the cars costly to manufacture when compared with the simpler suspension
arrangements on the previous model. It also greatly reduced the space available in the boot/trunk, which was something customers might notice even before asking for a test drive.
The manual four speed transmission was carried over from the previous model, but customers opting for automatic transmission no longer had to contend with the General Motors two speed Powerglide system which had originally been conceived for cars with much larger and less stressed US style engines. The Admiral B was offered with a three speed "Strasburg" automatic transmission.


Technical data:
- engine: V6
- capacity: 2800 cc
- horsepower: 165 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 185 km/h