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The V platform (or V-body) is a rear-wheel drive automobile platform that underpinned various General Motors (GM) vehicles from 1966 through to its final discontinuation in 2007. The V platform was developed in the 1960s by the German subsidiary of GM, Opel, and underpinned vehicles competing in the European E-segment, with the Opel Rekord and Opel Omega being its two most prolific nameplates.
However, it was not without significant revision over its lifetime, with major updates in 1978, 1986 and 1994 corresponding with new generations of the Opel Rekord/Omega and their various derivatives. The platform's phase-out began when European production of the Opel/Vauxhall variants ended during 2003, while the Australian variants, produced by Holden continued until 2007, after their final replacement by Zeta-derived models. The first of these Zeta cars came in 2006, with the remaining changing over in 2007. V-cars are identified by the "V" fourth character in their Vehicle Identification Number. Although completely unrelated, the "V platform" designation was also used for a series of North American front-wheel drive personal luxury coupes (see: GM V platform (1987)).
