Opel 4 PS "Laubfrosch" 1924-1931

[B]Opel 4 PS "Laubfrosch"[/B]

The Opel 4 PS, popularly known as the Opel Laubfrosch (Opel Treefrog), is a small two seater car introduced by the then family owned auto maker Opel, early in 1924. Subsequently, various versions of the little Laubfrosch were produced until it was replaced by the Opel 1.2 litre, itself a direct ancestor of the first Opel Kadett, in 1931.

Initially introduced as the Opel 4/12 PS, and manufactured at Opel’s Rüsselsheim plant, this was the first German car to be assembled on a Ford inspired production line. It was aimed at the lower end of the German auto market, and clearly intended, by the standards of the day, for volume production: it sold well, with approximately 120,000 produced by 1931.

[B]Plagiarism is alleged[/B]

Opel’s Rüsselsheim plant may have contained the first automobile production line assembly system in Germany, but the first automobile production line in Europe had been created by André Citroën who had initially adopted Henry Ford’s system for the production of munitions, and subsequently applied the technique to production of the Citroën Type A. It was not merely the production system that Opel took from Citroën. The two seater Opel 4 PS when launched in 1924 bore an uncanny resemblance to the little Torpedo bodied Citroën 5 CV which had been launched in 1921. Sources differ as to whether Opel purchased the right to assemble the Citroën under licence, or merely copied the design.

There were differences. The Opel’s wheelbase was longer by 5 mm and the look of its radiator was different. The early Opels were mostly green whereas the early Citroëns were mostly yellow. Under the skin, the Opel had a twelve volt electrical system at a time when most cars (including the Citroën 5 CV) used a six volt system. And the Opel’s four cylinder water cooled engine size was larger, at 951 cc, than the Citroën’s 856 cc. André Citroën nonetheless felt justified in launching a legal action against Opel, and it is not immediately clear just how Opel successfully defended their position.

[SIZE="1"]Source: wikipedia.org[/SIZE]

Opel 4PS Sedan Specification and Measurements:
[LIST][*]Other Names: Laubfrosch[*]Units Produced: 120,000[*]Production Dates: 1924–1931[*]Body style: two door torpedo, two door saloon, delivery van[*]Engine: 951cc straight 4[*]Transmission: 3-speed forward[*]Wheelbase: 2255mm[/LIST]


[B]Opel 4PS Class and Seating Capacity[/B]
The class of the Opel 4PS can now be described as a vintage car. The model Opel 4PS is an old car which was first produced in the year of 1924 by German car manufacturer Opel - this was the largest car manufacturer in Germany at this time. Times were very difficult in Germany following the end of WWI and it was cars like these which helped the market to recover. The Opel 4PS car was sold at an affordable price for many so it proved very successful. Within seven years, Opel had built approximately 120,000 of this model. This was the first German car to be assembled on a production line like Ford's. The standard of the car was good, it was well built and proved to be popular. This model was available in different body styles including a two door torpedo, two door saloon and delivery van. Different versions were produced during the years including the Opel 4 PS/12, PS/14, PS/16, PS/18 and PS/20. Production went on for a total of seven years from 1924 through to 1931. This model of car was also popularly known by the name of Opel Laubfrosch. The model name 4PS actually derived from the size of the car's engine which produced fiscal horsepower of 4 PS / 4 hp.

[B]Opel 4PS Car Facts, Description, Design & General Information[/B]
In total, around 120,000 Laubfroschs were built during their years of production. Many of the cars had green paintwork. The vehicle had a two bearing 1 litre side valve engine and 6 volt coil ignition. It had mechanical brakes and three forward speeds.
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#1929 Opel 4/20 PS Roadster

I can't believe there are many left these days.