Innovations included a modern Ponton-style body incorporating styling features from the United States, and the start of annual model year changes to exterior and interior trim.

The name "Rekord" was added in 1953 based on the theme of sporting success and reflected a spirit of optimism that the model's marketplace performance would validate.

Opel's executive, Edward Zdunek, explained the annual facelifts, stating they gave customers the possibility of "sozialen Differenzierung" (social differentiation).

[3] The Olympia Rekord set a pattern that Opel would follow for decades, providing more car for the money than other competing models.

Starting in August 1953, Opel offered a two-door convertible ("Cabrio-Limouisine") priced an extra DM 300, but found few customers.

The car's styling incorporated an "Americana flavour" that "was in tune with the times, rather than decreed" by the General" from corporate headquarters in Detroit.

[4] The Opel Olympia Record featured an open-mouthed front grill which reminded commentators of a shark's mouth (der "Haifischmaul-Kuehlergrill").

[5] Production of the first Olympia Rekord ended in July 1954, In late summer 1954, the mildly facelifted 1955 car was presented.

The advertised power output of the 1,488 cc engine was unchanged at 40 PS (29 kW) despite a slight increase in the compression ratio from 6.3:1 to 6.5:1.

It was the first of a long line of Opel models that would outsell competitor vehicles from Ford, both in Germany and in key European export markets.

During six years from 1952 until 1958, Ford recorded production of 564,863 Taunus 12Ms and 15Ms[3] which were comparable to the middleweight Opel in many ways, though half a class down in terms of price and (at least in the case of the 12M version) power.