This is the single greatest honor in the motor vehicle industry, intended to honor a career and/or lifetime achievement. To become a "Hall of Famer" the nominee must be either retired or deceased. Recipients must have significantly impacted the development of the automobile or the motor vehicle industry. Typically, four to eight individuals are inducted each year. Search by: Last NameFirst NameYear Show All:   Sort by NAME or YEAR Inductees Back                Carl Opel (1869 - 1922) Produced 43 Opel models after World War II. In the mid-1920s, Opel became Germany\'s largest automaker. In 1929, General Motors bought 80 percent of Opel. Shortly thereafter, Opel became a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors.