Opel

The 1935 Opel Olympia was one of the world's first mass-produced cars with a unitary body structure, after the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant. Production of the unibody design required new production methods and materials. Wood framing in the car's body was all but eliminated - instead, advanced types of sheet-steel, fastening by spot welding and a new production line layout were among the many advances introduced with the Olympia. The car was first presented in February at the 1935 Berlin Motor Show; production got under way later that year. Due to World War II, production came to a halt in late 1940, the Opel plant in Rüsselsheim was severely damaged by allied bomb attacks. After reconstruction, production of the Olympia restarted in December 1947. Until the end of 1949, 25,952 units were made.

In January 1950 the Olympia received a modernized body. It was available as a two-door saloon, cabriolet and station wagon, the latter being built by Karosserie Miesen in Bonn. In just over three years of production until March 1953, about 160,000 cars were made.