The Kadett D introduced Family I with hydraulic valve lifters, a first for Opel that let mechanics swap clutches without pulling the gearbox.
Lead trim: Kadett D 1.0 OHV (50 PS) · up to 113 hp
Opel Kadett D1979–1984
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FactThe Kadett D introduced Family I with hydraulic valve lifters, a first for Opel that let mechanics swap clutches without pulling the gearbox.
The Kadett D was introduced in the middle of August 1979, with deliveries on the home market beginning early in September and sales in the United Kingdom from November 1979, five months before the Vauxhall Astra Mark 1, its British version, was launched in March 1980. It was designed as a three- or five-door hatchback and estate, with two- and four-door saloons that shared the hatchbacks' silhouettes (soon withdrawn in the UK until the 1986 Belmont) and a three-door panel van; for the first time since 1965 there was no coupé-bodied Kadett, the Kadett C coupé being indirectly replaced by the three-door 1.3 SR sports model. Technologically it was part of a major investment by Opel and General Motors in a new front-wheel-drive architecture with an all-new family of engines and transmissions later applied in the larger Ascona C and the smaller Corsa A (1981 and 1982). It was the first application of the Family I engine, with a single overhead camshaft, aluminium-alloy cylinder head and hydraulic valve lifters, in 1297 cc form (60 PS and 75 PS), with a transaxle that allowed the clutch to be replaced without removing the transmission; a carry-over 1196 cc Opel OHV engine with 55 PS and a top speed of 140 km/h was also offered on entry-level models, plus a 1.0-litre 50 PS model mostly sold in Italy. The larger Family II engine debuted in 1600 cc form after Frankfurt 1981, followed by an 1800 cc version for the Kadett GSE (Astra GTE), and a 1600 cc diesel was first shown at the Brussels Motor Show in 1982. The 1.3 was available with a three-speed automatic from May 1981 and the diesel from September 1982. Unusual versions included the Kadett Pirsch (Off Road), a rustic-trim estate with limited-slip differential, reinforced suspension, skid plate and shortened front fenders, and the Swedish postal Kadett with a high roof. It was also assembled as the IDA Kadett in Kikinda, Yugoslavia, and by PT Garmak Motor in Indonesia until around 1995.
Collectors Spotted in the Opel Kadett Lineage
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Trims & Figures
7 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kadett D 1.0 OHV (50 PS) | 1979–1984 | 1.0 L Inline-4 | 49 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D 1.2 OHV (1196 cc, 55 PS) | 1979–1984 | 1.2 L Inline-4 | 54 hp | 59 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D 1.3 Family 1 SOHC (1297 cc, 60 PS) | 1979–1984 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 59 hp | 68 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D 1.3 S Family 1 SOHC (1297 cc, 75 PS) | 1979–1984 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 74 hp | 73 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D 1.6 D diesel (1600 cc) | 1982–1984 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 54 hp | 71 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D 1.6 Family II (1600 cc) | 1981–1984 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 89 hp | 93 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Kadett D GSE 1.8 Family II (1800 cc) | 1982–1984 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 113 hp | 111 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
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Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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