OPEL Rekord Caravan 1977-1982 Photos, engines & full specs

In 1977 Opel introduced the last generation of the Rekord nameplate, the E-generation, and made it available as a sedan, a station wagon named Caravan, or a three-door station wagon.

Opel created the Rekord Caravan as a vehicle suitable for taking the family on vacation and the children to school, and it was one of the most successful vehicles on the German market. Even though it carried over the drivetrain and the suspension from its predecessor, the design was far more evolved and helped the car sell in significant numbers.

The E1 model, since it was before the 1982 facelift, featured squared headlights and a black grille with horizontal slats between them. Its raked, curved windshield and smoothed corners combined with long, straight lines made the car looks more upmarket in the BMW 5-Series segment. Unlike its sedan sibling, the station wagon featured two or four doors and an extended roof behind the rear passengers. In addition, the third row of side windows was added next to the trunk area. Finally, at the back, the Caravan sported narrow, tall taillights flanking the tailgate.

Inside, Opel installed bucket seats at the front and a bench in the rear to fit five adult-sized passengers. The square-looking instrument cluster featured big dials for the speedometer and tachometer and two additional gauges for the fuel tank and the coolant temperature. The design team installed another six light bars in the middle of the instrument panel to warn the driver of low oil pressure, low battery charging, etc. The power windows and the sunroof were on the options list. At the back, the flat-folding bench could extend the trunk space when needed.

Opel took most of the engines from the previous model under the hood, the Rekord D, but the 1.7-liter version was dropped.