OPEL Senator 1987-1993 Photos, engines & full specs

It was the last stint for the largest limousine built by Opel for the European market and marked the end of a successful nameplate: the Senator.

Opel had a long history of making executive cars for the European market. Models such as the Kapitan, Admiral, or the Diplomat fought for domination in the premium segment during the late '60s to the mid-'70s. In 1987 Opel tried again to offer a car that could compete against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series: the second generation of the Senator.

The Senator featured a grid-like grille mounted on the front side of the hood, which was extended to the top of the wrapped-around bumper. Depending on the version and options, its rectangular, wide headlights were fitted with washers and wipers. The carmaker placed the turn signals on the sides of the bumper, next to the parking lights. Opel installed black rubber stripes on the bumper, fenders, and door panels to protect the car from small parking bumps.

Inside, the carmaker installed two bucket seats at the front and a bench profiled for two in the back. At the front, the carmaker installed a wide dashboard with a taller instrument cluster extended over the fat center stack. Unlike other carmakers, who had to choose between the audio systems and the climate controls for the upper position, Opel installed the stalks and buttons for the AC unit next to the radio-cassette player. For the range-topping version, the Senator provided a digital dashboard with LCDs instead of analog dials.

Under the hood, Opel installed a choice of five engines paired to a five-speed manual as standard. A four-speed automatic was offered as an option for selected engines.