Bitter was produced in Germany and later Austria. The founder Erich Bitter, a former race car driver turned automobile tuner, importer and ultimately designer began crafting his own vehicles after business ventures with Italian manufacture Intermeccanica soured.

The Bitter automobile company produced vehicles between 1973 and 1986. Since 1986 three prototypes have been created, but none sold. The Bitter exemplified the classic 1980's wedge design for a sports car, including a rear wheel drive design. The CD was built between 1973-1979 and the successor the SC between 1981-1986 available both as a coupe and sedan.

The ultimate failures of the Bitter brand were rooted in the business model. As was popular in the late 70's and 80's rebodied vehicles from other manufactures gave rise to smaller automobile companies. The Bitter vehicles were based on components from Opel. This approach became unpopular in the late 1980's and doomed the brand.