Vauxhall is one of the oldest established vehicle manufacturers and distribution companies in Great Britain. But, how did Vauxhall achieve its legendary status? We take a look at the interesting history of Vauxhall. Vauxhall was founded in by Alexander Wilson.
It started as a pump and marine engine manufacturer. It was bought in and began producing tavelling cranes. It was then that the company was christened Vauxhall Iron Works. The first car was a five-horsepower single-cylinder model. It was steered using a tiller and had two forward gears but no reverse gear. About 70 of these cars were made in the first year. The car was improved the following year after it had wheel steering and a reverse gear. The last surviving car was in the London Science Museum in The company continued to trade under Vauxhall Iron Works until , when it then became Vauxhall Motors.
The company, to begin with, were well known for their sport models. It also saw massive success at the Brooklands circuit. So much so it accomplished miles at an average speed of 46mph. There were four types of this vehicle produced until The A-Type Vauxhall could achieve mph and was one of the most acclaimed 3-litre cars of its day. This was a version of the C-Type, raced in the Prince Henry trials. The D-Type had the same chassis but a de-rated engine. The D-Type was used as staff cars for the British forces.
Vauxhall saw success in the pre-war period with their executive vehicles. With this, Vauxhalls target market changed dramatically. The low-cost two-litre Vauxhall Cadet and the Bedford truck were released in the late s. However, just as things were picking back up for Vauxhall, the Second World War was looming. The factory in Luton was bombed in August , killing 39 employees. The Churchill tank was taken from specification to production in less than a year.
More than 5, Churchill tanks were built during World War Two. To raise morale, Adelaide Hall appeared in concert on the 23, 24, and 25 February in Adelaide Hall was an American-born, UK-based jazz singer and entertainer. She was a major figure in the Harlem renaissance. She performed for the workers during their lunch break and performed in front of more than 10, workers.
Production resumed after World War Two and cars were considerably more mass-market then the pre-war products. The Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire opened in to make components to supply the production lines in Luton.
They did not start producing cars until In , production of the Vauxhall Viva started. The small family car was to compete with Ford Anglia and Morris Minor. The German version of the Viva was sold as the Opel Kadett. The Vauxhall Viva was launched in Australia in May They were finished in bright two colour schemes with fins on the boot and whitewall tyres. The Cresta wrap-round windscreen was a work of art in itself. These cars represented the end of post war austerity and were destined to become an essential part of the swinging sixties.
The next even smaller car the Nova was the first example of GM badge engineering. Sold on the continent as the Corsa, Nova was built in Spain.
Luton's lifeline was the Cavalier, and a very fine car it was. A new production line and massive paint shop dominated the skyline and much of the old factory was demolished. Luton built the next two Cavalier models and also its replacement the Vectra. In GM announced that the replacement model Vectra code named Epsilon would keep Luton building cars well into the new Millennium.
Retooling had started when the fateful announcement was made in December that the new Vectra would be made in Ellesmere Port and Luton would close. The last Vectra will be driven straight into the company's heritage centre alongside examples of most of Vauxhall's models. It used to be said that when Vauxhall sneezed, Luton caught a cold. Most Lutonians will remember the Vauxhall holiday when the whole town was deserted, and many a toy shop benefited each Easter as workers received a handsome cash bonus as profits were shared out.
The closure is not the economic disaster it would have been forty or fifty years ago, but it is the end of another major industry in a town that attracted people from all over the world to work in its many factories, of which Vauxhall was the largest. Home Explore the BBC. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. A Vauxhall model. School runs. Holiday jaunts. Weekly shops. Or why not check out our efficient Astra or our award-winning luxurious New Insignia?
If you need family-friendly, how about our 5 or 7-seater Combo Life or Vivaro Life? Our vans range from the award-winning Combo and Vivaro to our mighty Movano. We are also proud to announce we will have a fully electrified LCV line-up on sale by the end of by launching the Combo-e and Movano-e to sit alongside our current Vivaro-e.
About Vauxhall.
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