Bitter CD Coupe initially was an Opel

Unique ONES - The Opel automotive manufacturer was founded in 1862 by Adam Opel, and also known as one of the German's oldest brands. Besides that the company is also known for part of its life as an automotive manufacturer had been under the General Motors flag.

The Opel CD (CD stands for Coupe Diplomat) Concept is built in the 1969, based on the Opel Diplomat and designed by Charles M. Jordan. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

Therefore, in the early 1960s, this German automotive brand then opened its own design office in Rüsselheim, which was similar to the GM's studio in Michigan. The new division was formed with the main aim of creating a new "typical" design for Opel, which would be readable in every model produced by the manufacturer.

The Opel CD Concept is powered by a front-mounted 5.4 liter V8 engine capable of spitting out power of 230 horsepower. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

It's noted that the studio then succeeded in making designs of four-wheeled vehicles which later became models for the Opel's car production versions. It could be seen on its first creation called the Opel Experimental GT concept car, which was debuted at the 1965 Frankfurt Motor Show. Subsequently, the car was continued to enter the company's production line in 1968, named the Opel GT. 

The Opel CD Concept is a spectacular grand tourer is gave a Candy Apple Red color, and debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show 1969. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

The car was not only known by world automotive enthusiasts for its unusual pop-up headlight mechanism, is also famous as a mini Corvette from Germany. After the success of the cutie GT concept design, the Opel's internal design studio wanted to repeat it again by designing a more bigger and faster sports car. As is known at the time, the experimental design of the Mercedes-Benz C111 supercar, which debuted at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show, seemed to have contributed to the birth of this concept car from Opel.

The Opel Design team with the Opel CD concept which was shown at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show (Chuck Jordan third from right). (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

At that time, the head of the Opel's design department, George Gallion is believed that such a challenge was sufficient in Opel's strength, and therefore instructed designer Charles M. Jordan and his team to prepare "a matched rival model for its compatriot car manufacturer."

The Opel CD Concept's interior is made in a futuristic style which has also been featured with a telephone, climate control. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

Due to tight deadlines, so there is no talk of any production version based on the mentioned concept car. The Opel concept car is intended only as a study design. This is not only gives the designers more freedom of action, but also makes the work of the engineers more flexible. Furthermore, it turned out that the car creation as a show car to be right, due to at the expo, Mercedes-Benz representatives said that the C111 was not intended to be a production model and was only an experimental ones. After considering all the pros and cons, then the Opel management decided to do the same.

The Opel CD Concept's body panels are made of lightweight fiberglass and stretched over a lightweight roll bar. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

The concept car was presented by Opel for the first time in Frankfurt 1969 and was given the name of the Opel CD Concept (CD stands for Coupe Diplomat). Visually, it's a spectacular grand tourer is gave a Candy Apple Red color, and built based on the Opel Diplomat A, but once it's turned into the CD Concept, the shape of the donor could not seen anymore. The concept car is powered by a 5.4 liter V8 engine capable of spitting out power of 230 horsepower.

The Opel CD Concept does not have the doors for access into the cabin, instead the windshield made such an airplane canopy, which is raised forward by using hydraulic supports along with all the roof-side parts. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

While on the bodywork, the concept car received an original tail that had been refined in the wind tunnel. Even then the body panels are made of lightweight fiberglass and stretched over a lightweight roll bar, but the head optics such on the GT model was not seen in use. The Opel CD Concept's main feature is the windshield made such an airplane canopy, which is raised forward by using hydraulic supports along with all the roof-side parts.

So, it does not have the doors for access into the cabin. Although this solution seems very impractical, it has one big advantage, the CD Concept adopts almost invisible A-pillars, which contributes to better forward visibility. But it will be made a tricky matter for those who are short to hop in the car cabin, because the height of the Opel concept car exceeds one meter.

The Bitter CD is first built in the 1973 as much as 395 units during its production periods up to 1979. (Picture from: BitterCars)

The interior is made in a futuristic style which has also been featured with a telephone, climate control. Both the front seats are made immobile, but the driver's seat can be adjusted according to the position of the pedals and the steering column. In general, the Opel CD Concept was able to snatch a piece of glory from the Mercedes-Benz C111 at the Frankfurt Motor Show 1969 and also its life did not end there.

The Bitter CD's interior approach to modernism was one of blocky volumes, not unlike what would become mainstream in American cars in the ’80s. (Picture from: FavCars)

It turned out that GM's Michigan boss was unhappy with Opel management's decision not to release the CD Concept into the production version, given the public reaction at the event. In short, then they found a win-win solution to produce the concept car through a new auto company in which would be help technically by Opel.

The Bitter CD's bodywork made by Baur, and the mechanical components were supplied by Opel. (Picture from: BitterCars)

Then General Motors commissioned Pietro Frua, one of the leading Italian coachbuilders to create two CD Concept prototypes that would look more understated than the concept car showing in Frankfurt. And in the opinion of the GM representatives, the Italian coachbuilder did a great job. Despite its appearance, hardly anyone will deny that the car has lost a lot of its former charm.

General Motors then entrusted the production of the sports coupe to Erich Bitter Automobil GmbH, a new automotive company founded by former racer Erich Bitter whose previously known  his bussiness venture with Turin-based automaker, Intermeccanica. Furthermore, the bodywork of the sports car which retained its concept name is done by Baur, and the mechanical components were supplied by Opel. As the result was the Bitter CD, which went into production line ranging from 1972 to 1979.

The Bitter CD is built only 395 coupes in seven full years of production and positioned as an exclusive grand tourer, as indicated by its price (it was sold of the DM 58,400 at the time). After the CD models, the company made another models, but it was another parts of the company stories. Today, besides known as a tuning studio specializing in Opel cars, the Bitter is also a premium sports-luxury automobile marque produced in Germany and later Austria. *** [EKA [18082021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BITTERCARS | CARSTYLING.RU | BRINGTRAILER | MIDCENTURYMODERNFREAK | LOTUSESPRIT ]

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