[1] The design of the new Rekord sedan came not from Germany but from the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, and was inspired by the successful Chevrolet II.

[1] It was styled to look slimmer and more sporty than its predecessor, but underneath its reassuringly clean design the Rekord A remained faithful to the trusted technical layout of previous models, from which the 1488cc and 1680cc four-cylinder overhead valve engines were taken, albeit now with an enlarged carburetter and claimed maximum power which even on the entry-level cars, came in at 55 hp (40 kW).

Opel also offered a three-door delivery van which was essentially identical to the estate except that the rear side windows and C-pillar were covered with a metal panel.

Based on the Rekord A coupé, these were conversions from the body builders Autenreith until they ceased production in 1964, and thereafter by Karl Deutsch.

This approach made them much more expensive than the other cars in the range, and the cabriolet conversion was not offered with the smaller 1,488 cc engine.

Unlike the modern bodywork, the 1,488 cc OHV four-cylinder water-cooled engine was very little changed since it had first been offered in the Opel Olympia back in 1937.

Available minimum fuel octanes had been progressively increased since 1945, however, and even the entry level, now with a compression ratio of 7.25:1, now came with a claimed maximum power of 55 hp (40 kW) at 4,500 rpm.

All the four-cylinder engines retained their side camshafts driving the cylinder valves by a combination of rods and rocker arms.

The six-cylinder Rekord, with its extra weight, came with front disc brakes included in the price, and the larger 230 mm diameter drums from the estate cars at the back.

The system was broadly similar to the Fichel & Sachs "Saxomat" automatic clutch offered at this time by other German automakers.

At launch the entry level the 1,488 cc two-door Rekord came with a domestic market manufacturer's recommended price of DM 6,830.

At the other end of the range a factory built Rekord coupé L-6, powered by the six-cylinder 2,605 cc engine borrowed from the Kapitän, could be purchased for DM 9,310.