an early example being the H-Type model of 1937, which was the fi rst UK production car to feature unitary construction, and the fi rst to use a synchro- mesh gearbox. During the Second World War, Vauxhall’s pro- duction lines continued to roll. It built thousands of Bedford military trucks, but most famously it produced the Churchill tank until 1944. Initial post-war car production went mainly to
export, but in 1948 the well-known Wyvern and Velox models were launched, aping the styling of GM’s full-sized Stateside cars. T is was Vauxhall’s heyday, with almost 36,000 people working at the Kimpton Road factory. In 1955, bus and truck production moved to
Dunstable, while the car factory continued to produce eye-catching products like the F-Type Victor and PA Cresta, with their abundance of chrome-fi nishing and wrap-around windscreens. T ese cars marked the end of Britain’s post-war austerity and were des- tined to be indicative of Swinging Sixties culture. Vauxhall spread its manufacturing wings in 1964, with an all new plant being built at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. T e factory took over all Viva production, which had started the year before in Luton, and it is now celebrating 56 years of compact car manufac- turing, during which time it’s delivered Viva HA, HB, HC, Chevette, and six generations of Astra. T e 1975 Cavalier became the fi rst Vauxhall
model to be co-developed with sister company Opel. T e Luton factory was heavily upgraded to cater for production, and the Cavalier Mk1 was fol- lowed by two more Luton-built generations, plus the Vectra replacement. In 2002, the fi nal Vauxhall passenger car rolled out of the Kimpton Road fac- tory, after which the site was completely dedicated to Vauxhall’s Vivaro van production. In 2017, Vauxhall and its European sibling, Opel,
was purchased outright by Groupe PSA, making the new parent company one of Europe’s largest motor manufacturers. Within 18 months of the takeover, Opel-Vauxhall’s business had returned to profi ta- bility and had announced exciting plans to meet growing demand for electrifi ed vehicles. T ose plans are now coming to fruition, with the launch of new models like the fully-electric Corsa-e and Grandland X Hybrid4, leading a charge that will see an electri- fi ed model in all of Vauxhall’s model lines very soon. Best of all, Vauxhall’s historic Luton plant – its
manufacturing home for the last 115 years – has ben- efi ted from substantial investment to accommodate a near-doubling of production for the new Vivaro van, which launched last year. Along with Ellesmere Port, Vauxhall’s Cheshire plant, where the Astra and Astra Sports Tourer are produced, Vauxhall contin- ues to be a major player in Britain’s car industry, as well as its oldest surviving automotive brand.
Find out more at
www.vauxhall.co.uk ALL THINGS BUSINESS 37
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