Its V8 chassis became the engineering base for the low-volume Bitter CD coupe.
Lead trim: Diplomat E 2.8 CIH six (fuel injection) · up to 227 hp
Opel Diplomat B1969–1977
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Opel Diplomat B yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactIts V8 chassis became the engineering base for the low-volume Bitter CD coupe.
The second-generation Diplomat, introduced in March 1969 with new bodies and a more sophisticated chassis with a De Dion tube rear axle, slightly smaller than its predecessor. It was available with a fuel-injected 2.8-litre six (Diplomat E) or with Chevrolet's 5.4-litre 327 V8 (Diplomat V8), coupled to a three-speed TH-400 Turbo-Hydramatic, and its typical General Motors styling resembled the contemporary Holden Brougham. It was hoped to compete with the new Mercedes 350 and 450 SE, and from May 1973 Opel offered a long-wheelbase V8 to keep up with the SEL. It was never built in right-hand drive nor sold by Vauxhall. Production continued until 1977 but found little success against Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, with only 61,559 KAD cars built between 1969 and 1977, of which about 23,500 were Diplomats. It was superseded in 1978 by the Senator/Monza/Royale, and the Diplomat V8 was the technical base for the Bitter CD.
Collectors Spotted in the Opel Diplomat Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Opel Diplomat yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diplomat E 2.8 CIH six (fuel injection) | 1969–1977 | 2.8 L Inline-6 | 163 hp | 168 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Diplomat V8 5.4 (Chevrolet 327) | 1969–1977 | 5.4 L V8 | 227 hp | 315 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Its V8 chassis became the engineering base for the low-volume Bitter CD coupe.
The Karmann-built coupe cost as much as seven Volkswagen Beetles, and only 347 were made.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.
Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.
A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.
The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.
The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.
The Vigor was sold only with a five-cylinder engine, an unusual configuration Honda used to fit a longer engine transversely under a short hood.
The GS/E coupe earned the nickname "German Charger" for its long hood, short deck stance borrowed from Detroit muscle cars.
This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.