Kadett Superboss

[Count DRAGula]

Hi.

Im from South Africa and both our countries (mine and yours) had the kadett 2.0 16v GSI

But here we had sumthing special all to ourselves...called the Superboss (2.0 16v GSI with 125kw of power).

Im curious as too how many SUPERBOSSES landed up in england and europe...obviously a few were imported into ur side of the world.

Any owners pls post pics and mods or visit www.opelownersclub.co.za and post on the forum there pls.

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

There was the normal Big boss (115kw) and the Superboss (125kw). the Big Boss was the international and South African top of the range kadett E or T-car (as its also known here). Its was a 2.0 16v 2 door monster back in the day.

We had a national championship here with the BMW 325is Box shape winning left right and centre..the Big Boss was redone with a different FI system, shrick cams (276 degrees), Cosworth head, limited slip differential and other lil things to enter the competition....a car manufacturer had to have atleast 500 road going version of the entered car to qualify to race.

Hence the SuperBoss came onto the scene in the 80 - 90s and just won, won and won everything. Its got major cult status here and is still a much looked for car. Theres still a few left but the majority were written off or exported by car collectors and enthusiasts.

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

A Big Boss :




A SuperBoss:

[Ronin]

Re: Kadett Superboss

I've never seen one in this country, to be fair I think this is the first time I've even seen pictures of one. That grey one looks awesome. So I take it they came as standard with those Borbet type wheels?

[richie00boy]

Re: Kadett Superboss

Thanks for the pics and info

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

Those Supey rims were specific for the Supey and not on any other in the range.

The bigboss was the flag ship of the range back in the day...the supey was the bonus( only 500 made)

[Brett]

Re: Kadett Superboss

we never got them, and although Im aware of the models, Ive never seen one in the flesh.

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

A lil history:

Early history

The company was founded on January 21, 1863 by Adam Opel, and at first made household goods, and was a major maker of sewing machines. The founder died in 1895, with his company the leader in European sewing machines sales and producing over 2,000 bicycles yearly. They made their first cars in 1898 having bought the rights to the Lutzmann and sold them as Opel-Lutzmann. However, two years later, following the dissolution of the partnership, Opel's son signed a licensing agreement with Automobiles Darracq S.A. of France to manufacture vehicles under the brand name "Opel-Darracq." The vehicles were Opel bodies mounted on a Darracq chassis, powered by a 2-cylinder engine.
In 1906 they started to make cars to their own design which they had first shown in 1902 at the Hamburg Motor Show and from 1907 stopped making the Opel-Darracqs.
In 1911 the factory was virtually destroyed by fire and a new one was built with more up to date machinery and the manufacture of sewing machines dropped. Production now consisted of bicycles, cars and motor cycles. By 1913 they were the largest car maker in Germany.

General Motors takeover

In March 1929 General Motors bought 80% of the company increasing this to 100% in 1931. The Opel family gained $33.3 million dollars from the transaction.

GM Europe

Many cars sold by General Motors worldwide are Opel designs, including such models as the Corsa, Astra, Vectra and Omega. Opel models are also sold under other GM brand names, such as Vauxhall in the UK, Holden in Australasia, and Chevrolet in Latin America and India. Its Zafira people carrier was sold in Japan badged as a Subaru Traviq, while the Omega was briefly sold in the US as the Cadillac Catera. Other models sold in the U.S., but slightly modified, include the Saturn L-Series, Chevrolet Malibu and Cobalt. The majority of future Saturn models are expected to be either identical, like the Saturn Sky, or closely based, like the Aura, to European Opels. The Pontiac LeMans (1989-1994), which was the first car produced by Daewoo in South Korea for export to North America, were based on the Opel Kadett (now Astra).

The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automaker Opel between 1937 and 1940, then from 1962 to 1992. Production facilities of the pre-war Kadett were transported to Russia after WW II, and thus this early Kadett formed the basis for the Moskvitch 400/420. Delta in South Africa used the Opel Kadett name until 1999.

Kadett A (1962–1965)
The first Opel Kadett after the war appeared in October 1962; 649,512 cars were built until July 1965. It was later called the Kadett A. In addition to the sedan there was an L (luxury model), a coupé, and a station wagon (called Caravan). The new Opel OHV engine was available as 1.0 with 40 hp (30 kW) and as 1.0 S with 48 hp (36 kW).

Kadett B (1965–1973)
The Opel Kadett B was sold from 1966 to 1973, with two- and four-door sedans (the latter in notchback and, from 1967, also in fastback form), a three-door station wagon, and two coupés (regular and fastback, or Coupé F). One stand-out model from this generation was the Opel Kadett Rallye, with a 1.9 L engine. Also the two-seat Opel GT was heavily based on Kadett B components, its body made by a French contractor.
The Kadett was sold in the United States through Buick dealers from 1967 till 1972. US Kadetts were later granted the front end and trim of the new Opel Olympia, introduced in 1966 as an upscale-version of the Kadett. Kadett A and B were technically simple cars whose task was to compete with the market leader, VW's Beetle. This lack of sophistication caused the US car magazine Car and Driver to publish an annihilating test of the Kadett in 1968 featuring photos of the car in a car junkyard. Reportedly, GM withdrew any ads from that magazine for several months as a consequence.

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

Continued:

Kadett C (1973–1979)
The fourth generation car, introduced in 1979 and known as the Kadett D. The British version of the Kadett D was known as the Vauxhall Astra Mk.1, and was launched in April, 1980, though the Opel version had gone on sale in Britain on 14 November 1979. All models were designed as three or five door hatchbacks and estates or station wagons. There were also two and four-door sedans, which used the same bodyshells as the hatchbacks, but these were soon dropped. That means that this car came in 2-3-4 or 5 door versions.
Technologically, the Kadett D was a major departure, as it was Opel and Vauxhall's first front wheel drive car. It also introduced the Family II engine design with an single overhead camshaft, aluminium alloy cylinder head, hydraulic valve lifters, with capacities of 1300 and 1600 cc, and had a unique transaxle design which allowed the clutch to be replaced without removing the transmission unit. Later, an 1800 cc version was introduced for the Kadett/Astra GTE model. This range of engines was also used for later models of the Corsa/Nova, and the mid-sized Cavalier/Ascona. The Kadett D was also equipped with a 1600 cc diesel engine that was possible to drive as cheap as 3.4 L/100 km.

Kadett D (1979–1984)
The fourth generation car, introduced in 1979 and known as the Kadett D. The British version of the Kadett D was known as the Vauxhall Astra Mk.1, and was launched in April, 1980, though the Opel version had gone on sale in Britain on 14 November 1979. All models were designed as three or five door hatchbacks and estates or station wagons. There were also two and four-door sedans, which used the same bodyshells as the hatchbacks, but these were soon dropped. That means that this car came in 2-3-4 or 5 door versions.
Technologically, the Kadett D was a major departure, as it was Opel and Vauxhall's first front wheel drive car. It also introduced the Family II engine design with an single overhead camshaft, aluminium alloy cylinder head, hydraulic valve lifters, with capacities of 1300 and 1600 cc, and had a unique transaxle design which allowed the clutch to be replaced without removing the transmission unit. Later, an 1800 cc version was introduced for the Kadett/Astra GTE model. This range of engines was also used for later models of the Corsa/Nova, and the mid-sized Cavalier/Ascona. The Kadett D was also equipped with a 1600 cc diesel engine that was possible to drive as cheap as 3.4 L/100 km

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

Continued:

Kadett E
The Kadett E was introduced in 1984, and was voted Car of the Year in 1985, largely due to its advanced aerodynamic body styling. The 1984 model was also developed into a more conventional "three box" design with a boot (trunk), badged as the Vauxhall Belmont in the UK and the Opel Monza in South Africa. A convertible version was also available, for the first time in 1987, built by Bertone of Torino/Italy. For the 1984 model, capacities were raised to 1400, 1800 and a new 2000 cc engine, again used on the GSi and Vauxhall Astra GTE. In 1988, a 16-valve twin-cam version was developed for a high performance GSi/GTE model, yielding 156 hp (115 kW) in manufactured form.
The Kadett E has been seen as a grey import in the UK, however it is not as popular as the Vauxhall Astra. It was never officially sold in Britain, and by 1989 General Motors was only marketing the Vauxhall brand in the UK.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, South African Kadett GSis were nicknamed the Superboss, equipped with a more powerful 2 L engine developing 125 kW, and were successful in touring car competitions in that country.
The Kadett E was introduced in Brazil as the Chevrolet Kadett, but the three-door station wagon was called the Chevrolet Ipanema.
It formed the basis of the Daewoo Le Mans (later known as the Daewoo Cielo, Racer and Nexia) in South Korea, and also as Heaven in Chile (Nexia being the HB version), which was sold in the United States and New Zealand as the Pontiac LeMans, and in Canada (initially) as the Passport Optima. LeMans sales ended in 1993. The Nexia is still being produced at UzDaewoo plant in Asaka, Uzbekistan. The Cielo was last being produced at a semi-independent (from GM) plant in Craiova, Romania (the license expired in fall 2005).

Kadett F
In 1992, GM Europe decided to standardize model names across its two brands, and Opel adopted sister company Vauxhall's name for the Kadett, Astra, for the replacement car which débuted that year, for Europe. Only in South Africa did the Kadett name continue on the first Opel Astra hatchback, until 1999, when all models took the Astra name.

[Harvey]

Re: Kadett Superboss

I'm also aware of this model but never seen one in the UK, wlecome to the forum.

[mking]

Re: Kadett Superboss

really liking the looks of them superboss's!

[Count DRAGula]

Re: Kadett Superboss

Thanx alot guys...sorry bout the long read but now u can understand why im such a major supporter of the kadett, of opel and why I love the car and brand so much!!! It runs in my veins!!

We here in S.A. that support opel or vauxhall are very protective and loving of the brands... we respect them deeply and are one with them. lol lol

[Efrain A.]

Re: Kadett Superboss

the champion edition should have been done with that engine spec.

[Dan Gliballs]

Re: Kadett Superboss

You found us then