Opel takeover by Peugeot comes after years of crisis

The imminent takeover of General Motors' European subsidiary Opel by French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen comes after almost two decades of crisis for the historic manufacturer.Recent woes cast a pall over the firm's storied history, dating back to its founding in 1862 by Adam Opel as a sewing-machine and later bicycle manufacturer.Based in Ruesselsheim outside Frankfurt, the company was Germany's largest carmaker for decades before being overtaken by northern rival Volkswagen.