OpelAdam

Opel Adam etymology: Who is named after? What does its name mean?

The Opel Adam is the smallest car in GM’s European range. Does its name have a significance and is it named after anyone?


The Opel Adam is named after Adam Opel, the man who founded Opel, GM’s European mass market brand. Indeed the legal entity that owns the Opel brand and houses all of GM’s European operations is still named Adam Opel AG.

GM took a majority stake in Opel in 1929 before taking full control in 1931.

The Adam is also sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Adam, even though Vauxhall was founded by Alex Wilson in 1857. You’d think there was at least one meeting where the Vauxhall Alex name was raised as a possibility.

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