"Tree Frog"

The new Tree Frog




1925 - Worldwide Premieres

OPEL 4 / 12 CV
OPEL 4/12 bhp - "Tree Frog"
Exhibited at the Show of 1925, the Opel 4/12 bhp "Laubfrosch" (German for tree frog) was first produced in 1924. Its 4-cylinder pressure-lubricated engine could reach speeds of 45 mph. It had an electric starter and a 3-speed gearbox with reverse gear. Opel launched it on to the market at a price of DM 3000.
The age of automobile production began at Opel in 1899 with the legendary "Lutzmann patent motor car". During the subsequent period, the car manufacturer enhanced its popularity with a number of new attractive models and its exciting involvement in motor sports.

Historic Entrance of the Ruesselsheim Plant
When it launched the "Doktorwagen" 4/8 hp in 1909, Opel took the first step towards providing an affordable car for broader sections of the population. In 1913, Opel began building Grand Prix racing cars with pioneering engine technology: the 4-liter, four-cylinder units used the four-valve system with an overhead cam to drive a vertical drive shaft.

Pioneer in German Assembly-Line Production
In 1924 in Rüsselsheim, Opel became the first car manufacturer in Germany to install an assembly line. At the same time, the company updated its entire machinery and imported the very latest tooling machines from the USA. It all involved an enormous capital expenditure of one million gold marks. The first car to come off the production line was another history-maker: a new 4/12 hp model that was popularly called the "Laubfrosch" (or Tree-frog) because of its characteristic green paintwork. By 1926, all the production areas were linked to the production line and by 1927, a "Tree-frog" was coming off the line every 4.5 minutes.
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