Erich Bitter Automobil GmbH (Bitter) is a premium sports-luxury automobile marque produced in Germany and later Austria. Founder Erich Bitter, a former racing driver turned automobile tuner, importer and ultimately designer began crafting his own vehicles after business ventures with Italian manufacture Intermeccanica ended.
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany is a country in Central and Western Europe, lying between the Baltic and North Seas to the north and the Alps, Lake Constance and the High Rhine to the south. It borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France to the southwest, and Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west.
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in Central Europe comprising nine federated states. Its capital, largest city and one of nine states is Vienna. Austria has an area of 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi), a population of nearly nine million people and a nominal GDP of $477 billion. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The terrain is landlocked and highly mountainous, lying within the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 m (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 m (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speaks local Bavarian dialects as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other regional languages are Hungarian, Burgenland Croatian, and Slovene.
Car tuning is the modification of a car's performance. Most vehicles stay stock for an average driver's expectations and conditions, although tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics of a vehicle to the owner's preference. Cars may be altered to provide better fuel economy, produce more power, or provide better handling and driving.
Bitter specialises in rebodying other manufacturer's vehicles and its initial production was between 1973 and 1989, selling vehicles in Europe and the United States. Thereafter, several prototypes followed with an eye on resuming low-volume production, but none of those plans came to fruition until the launch of the Bitter Vero in 2007.
CD
Bitter CD coupé
The Bitter CD, a three-door hatchback coupe featuring a 227hp (169kW)Chevrolet V8 with a 327ci displacement, was built between 1973-1979.
Chevrolet, colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet and ousted General Motors founder William C. Durant started the company on November 3, 1911 as the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. Durant used the Chevrolet Motor Car Company to acquire a controlling stake in General Motors with a reverse merger occurring on May 2, 1918 and propelled himself back to the GM presidency. After Durant's second ousting in 1919, Alfred Sloan, with his maxim "a car for every purse and purpose", would pick the Chevrolet brand to become the volume leader in the General Motors family, selling mainstream vehicles to compete with Henry Ford's Model T in 1919 and overtaking Ford as the best-selling car in the United States by 1929.
The CD was first shown in prototype form on 9 September 1969 at the Frankfurt Auto Show, as the Opel Coupé Diplomat ("CD") derived from the sedan version. It was designed by Charles M. "Chuck" Jordan (Opel's Design boss between 1967-1971 and later vice-president of General Motors (GM)) and Opel designer Dick Ruzzin,[1] with the assistance of George A. Gallion, David Holls, Herbert Killmer and Hideo Kodama, as well as Erhard Fast (Director of the Opel Designstudios 3 for Advanced Design from 1964). The tail was inspired on a proposal by Erhard Fast's for the 1969 Opel Aero GT.
Opel Automobile GmbH is a German automobile manufacturer, a subsidiary of French automaker Groupe PSA since August 2017. From 1929 until 2017, Opel was owned by American automaker General Motors. Opel vehicles are sold in the Great Britain under the Vauxhall brand. Some Opel vehicles are badge-engineered in Australia under the Holden brand, and in North America and China under the Buick, Saturn, and Cadillac brands.
The Opel Diplomat is a luxury car manufactured by Opel from 1964 to 1977. Opel's top-ranging models were traditionally the Admiral and Kapitän, introduced in 1938 and 1937 respectively.
Charles Morrell "Chuck" Jordan was an American automotive designer who was born in Whittier, California. He graduated with honors from Fullerton Union High School in 1945. He studied at MIT before joining General Motors in 1949. His son, Mark Jordan, is an automobile designer for GM and Mazda.
Thanks to the positive reaction to the CD prototype, Opel considered developing a production model. The doors would adopt a conventional opening system and the bumper bar, windshield wipers and other parts would be derived from the Opel Diplomat in order to facilitate production and maintain costs. Robert "Bob" Lutz, who was the Head of Opel at the time and was keen to produce the car, commissioned Pietro Frua to advance the concept and produce two road-going prototypes.
Robert Anthony Lutz is a Swiss American automotive executive. He served as a top leader of all of the United States Big Three, having been in succession executive vice president of Ford Motor Company, president and then vice chairman of Chrysler Corporation, and vice chairman of General Motors.
Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1971, it was David R. "Dave" Holls (Opel design boss since July 1971; previously assistant to Chuck Jordan) who encouraged Erich Bitter to build the Bitter CD. As a result, Bitter GMBH was formed in 1971 to market the CD. He based his company on a 1-acre (4,000m2) site in his home town of Schwelm, Germany.
Schwelm is a town in the district of Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis in the administrative region of Arnsberg within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
However, because he did not have the necessary capital and other resources to set up his own production facilities, Bitter turned to Baur GMBH in Stuttgart, as a proven independent small-scale manufacturer. He selected them based on their ability to produce high-quality prototypes and limited-production cars for other German manufacturers.
Bitter based his original CD designs on those of Frua, before making alterations closer to production. The basic design changes to Frua's CD design vis-à-vis the 1969 Opel CD consisted of a truncated rear end, modified windshield and less chrome application. Dave Holls and Opel's design team supplemented the design with a small front spoiler, larger grille, higher bumper bars and by prolonging upwards the lower edge of the rear side windows across the C pillar to the rear hatch. Final prototype testing was conducted at the Opel Test Facility in Duden, in addition to load duration tests by Bitter at the Hydropulseur facility of Baur.
The Baur team also engaged in significant constructive and production development work, which included manufacturing a hard foam mockup. Their role then extended to manufacturing the CD's body panels, assembling the shell, interior fitting and trimming as well as installing the Opel Diplomat's mechanicals.
The Bitter CD was displayed, with great success, at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show, where Erich Bitter took 176 orders for his stylish new coupe. However, the oil crisis at the time led to the cancellation of most orders. Despite this, production commenced later that same year at Baur GMBH. The target of 200 units/year was never realised and, in total, Bitter sold 395 units. The purchase price in 1974 was DM 58,400.
Visual similarities between the 1979 Bitter SC and the 1972 Ferrari "Tipo F101" family
The first SC model launched was the coupé in 1979, followed by the convertible in 1981 at the Frankfurt Auto Show and the sedan in 1984. Like the CD, the SC was based on Opel's largest model at the time, the Opel Senator. It remained in production until 1989.
Exterior styling design echoed that of the Pininfarina-designed Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 first shown in 1972, and later marketed as the 400 (1976) and 412 (1979). The SC was powered by a fuel-injected Opel 3.0-Litre in-line 6-cylinder engine of (177hp (132kW)) or a stroked 3.9-Litre version of (207hp (154kW)).
Along with the introduction of the convertible in 1981, a four-wheel-drive version of the coupé was also added.[2] The four-wheel-drive system was developed by Ferguson Research who also offered it for installation into the Opel Senator/Vauxhall Royale.[3]
In 1984, Bitter announced at the New York Auto Show that it would enter into a limited marketing agreement with GM to sell the sedan version in the United States, through participating Buick dealerships. By being able to offer a premium European product, GM had hoped to regain market share lost to BMW at the time. The option of importing Opel cars was dismissed on the basis that it was perceived to be an entry-level brand, relative to BMW's premium status. Ultimately, less than a dozen Buick dealers (mostly in the metro New York City area), would bear the Bitter signage as a result of which sales proved minimal.[4] Bitter's failure was based on its business model, and the diminishing trend of rebodying other manufacturers' vehicles, which became unpopular by the 1980s.
In 2003, in an attempt to resume its small-scale production, Bitter presented a modern reincarnation of the CD, known as the CD II. It was based on the Australian-made Holden Monaro[5] but rumoured to feature a V12 engine.[6] Investors were sought but the car never reached full production.
In 2007, Bitter resumed small-scale production by launching the Vero at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. This car was derived from the Australian-made Holden Caprice (WM) sedan (the long-wheelbase luxury derivative of the Holden Commodore (VE)), believed to be purchased directly from Holden thanks to Erich Bitter's friendship with Holden's former Peter Hanenberger.[6]
Relative to the donor car, the Vero features unique restyling claimed to have cost A$1 million,[7] which take about a week to apply.[6] In particular, the vehicle is shod 20 inch alloy wheels and has a prolonged bonnet along with a redesigned front bumper incorporating a new grille, and an additional rear bumper insert to house rear foglights required in Europe. Its leather-trimmed interior featured luxury fittings from the donor car such as a DVD player and screens in the back of the front headrests for rear passengers. The donor car's Chevrolet V8 6.0-Litre 362 CV (266kW) engine, with a six-speed automatic transmission, remained unchanged.
The Vero was sold in Germany for €121,975[8] and was discontinued in 2012.
In 2009, Bitter unveiled a "Vero Sport" at the Geneva Motor Show. Unlike the regular Holden Caprice (WM)-derived Vero, the Sport was directly based on the short-wheelbase Holden Commodore (VE) SS sedan, also sold as the Pontiac G8 in the United States.[9] Like the Vero, the Vero Sport was also discontinued in 2012.
Bitter Insignia
Erich Bitter posing with a Bitter Insignia
Bitter produced a luxury version of the Opel Insignia OPC between 2010 and 2013 as the Bitter Insignia.[10]
Current models
Bitter Cascada
Bitter currently produces luxury versions of the Opel Adam, the Opel Cascada and Opel Mokka. The Bitter Adam (marketed as "Adam by Bitter") has been produced since 2013. Production of the Bitter Mokka (marketed as "Mokka by Bitter" begun in 2016. The name was changed to Mokka X (marketed as "Mokka X by Bitter") in late 2016 along with a facelift, just like the Opel and Vauxhall versions.[10]
Future models
2nd generation Bitter Insignia
Bitter has a picture of a Bitter-badged new Insignia on their website, hinting at a possible next-generation Bitter Insignia.[11]
GM Korea Company is South Korea's third largest automobile manufacturer and a subsidiary of General Motors. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001. It has 3 manufacturing facilities in South Korea as well as a vehicle assembly facility in Vietnam. In addition, GM Korea provides region and brand-specific vehicle assembly kits for assembly by GM affiliates in the United States, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, and Mexico. In 2008, GM Korea built more than 1.9 million vehicles, including CKD products. It now produces vehicles and kits for Chevrolet, Holden and Buick that are offered in more than 150 markets on six continents. GM Korea also has design, engineering, research & development facilities that are involved in development for various GM products, above all small-size cars.
The Opel Astra is a compact car/small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards. It has also been sold by Holden in Australasia as the Holden Vectra, and by Chevrolet in Latin America as the Chevrolet Vectra.
The Opel Omega is an executive car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel between 1986 and 2003. The first generation, the Omega A (1986–1993), superseded the Opel Rekord, was voted European Car of the Year for 1987, and was available as a saloon or estate. The second generation, the Omega B, was manufactured from 1993 to 2003.
The Holden Monaro was a rear-wheel drive coupé and saloon car that was produced by Holden between 1968–77 and between 2001-05. Three generations of the Monaro have been produced, with the final spawning a limited edition model (CV8-Z) to say goodbye to the historic name.
The Buick Regal is an upscale mid-sized automobile that was first introduced by Buick for the 1973 model year. North American production ended in 2004 and began again in 2011. For the 2011 model year, Buick re-introduced the Regal to the North American market, positioned as an upscale sports sedan. Production and sales in China have continued since 1999.
Gamma is General Motors' global subcompact front-wheel drive automobile platform, first used in the 2000 Opel Corsa C.
The Opel Monza is an executive fastback coupe produced by the German automaker Opel from 1978 to 1986. It was marketed in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Royale Coupé by Vauxhall.
The Isuzu Gemini was a subcompact car that was produced by the Japanese automaker Isuzu from 1974 to 2000. The same basic product was built and/or sold under several other names, sometimes by other General Motors brands, in various markets around the world. While the first generation was of a rear-wheel drive design, later versions were all front-wheel-drive. The last two generations were no more than badge-engineered Honda Domani until the name was retired in 2000.
The Holden Gemini is a compact car that was produced by Holden and sold in Australasia from 1975 to 1986. It was based on the Japanese Isuzu Gemini, one of the many models based on the GM T-car platform.
The BMW New Class was a line of sedans and coupes produced by German automaker BMW between 1962 and 1977. These models ensured BMW's solvency after the company's financial crisis of the 1950s and established the identity of BMW automobiles as sports sedans.
Opel Performance Center (OPC) is a division of the German automobile manufacturer Opel, initially set up as a subsidiary in 1997. The main focus of OPC is the development of performance derivatives of the Opel range, such as the hot hatch Corsa OPC and Astra OPC.
Intermeccanica is an automobile manufacturer, founded in Torino, Italy, in 1959 by Frank Reisner. It subsequently moved first to the United States, then to Canada, and is currently headed by Frank's son, Henry Reisner.
The Holden Commodore (VT) is an executive car that was produced by the Australian manufacturer Holden from 1997 to 2000. It was the first iteration of the third generation of this Australian made model and the last one to be powered by a locally made V8 engine (1999). Its range included the luxury variants, Holden Berlina (VT) and Holden Calais (VT) but not a new generation utility version.
Peter Hanenberger is a German-born automotive specialist who worked all 45 years of his professional career for General Motors (GM) and subsidiaries. At the age of 16, he joined GM as apprentice in the Opel technical development center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and retired at the age of 61 by the end of the year 2003 as chairman and managing director of Australian GM subsidiary, Holden, having served in the meantime in a number of managerial positions at Opel, Holden, and General Motors internationally.
The Opel Insignia is a mid size/large family car engineered and produced by the German car manufacturer Opel. Production of the Insignia began in August 2008, as a replacement for the Vectra and Signum. The vehicle is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom, in Australia as the Holden Commodore, and sold in North America and China as the Buick Regal.
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. It has been sold under a variety of other brands and also spawned various other derivatives.
The Opel Mokka is a crossover SUV engineered and built by German automotive marque Opel since 2012. Sales began with the model year of 2013, in the end of 2012. The Mokka is now built in Bupyeong, South Korea and Zaragoza, Spain. In 2016, the Opel Mokka was renamed to the Mokka X. It is also sold under the Vauxhall brand in the United Kingdom, and as the Buick Encore in North America and in China.
The General Motors T-car was a platform designation for a worldwide series of rear-wheel drive, unibody subcompact cars. It was GM's first attempt to develop a small car to be sold internationally with engineering assistance from Isuzu Motors of Japan, and GM's Opel Division of Germany. GM's European Divisions Vauxhall, Opel, and Australian Division Holden were already producing small vehicles for their respective local markets, but subcompact car production wasn't being done by GM in North America until the introduction of the Vega earlier. Subcompacts from international divisions were being offered in North America as captive imports.
↑ Büschi, Hans-Ulrich, ed. (March 3, 1982). "Automobil Revue '82" (in German and French). 77. Berne, Switzerland: Hallwag, AG: 206–207. ISBN3-444-06062-9.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
↑ Frère, Paul. "Hat der Vierradantrieb eine Zukunft?/L'avenir des quatre roues motrices?" [Does four-wheel drive have a future?]. Automobil Revue '82 (in German and French): 101.
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