Why are our's called vauxhall????

[LAV6Y]

The wifey asked me this today on our way home from a romantic weekend . Why are vauxhalls in europe called OPEL and ours are called VAUXHALL??? I didn't know. Can anyone enlighten me????

[pricey]

This might answer your question.

clicky linky

[david173]

The original company was called Vauxhall, due to it being founded in Vauxhall, London. In 1925 GM bought it over and started using European Opel models as the basis for Vx's models, then in more recent times just rebadging opels as vauxhall's in the UK, probably just because the brand is well established here.

[john_k_sri]

The original company was called Vauxhall, due to it being founded in Vauxhall, London. In 1925 GM bought it over and started using European Opel models as the basis for Vx's models, then in more recent times just rebadging opels as vauxhall's in the UK, probably just because the brand is well established here.

Organisationally within GM, Vauxhall Motors Limited, headquartered in Luton, is effectively a subsidiary of Opel which has its headquarters in Russelheim, Germany, which is also the HQ of GM Europe.

Incidentally, irrespective of whether UK-sourced Vectra-C's are made in Germany, or elsewhere, they all have a 'W' (for Germany - formerly 'West Germany') and an 'O' (For 'Opel') as the first two letters of the VIN. No. The seventh number from the end of the VIN. No. indicates place of Manufacture...e.g. '1' = Russelheim, '8' = Ellesmere Port. My Edition100 has a VIN No. beginning 'WO' and a manufacturing plant code of '8' and was made by "VAUXHALL MOTORS LTD."

I believe I am correct, but stand to be corrected.

[stevedee3]

Same reason they're called Holdens here...

[parapaul]

You try saying 'Vauxhall' in a dodgy French accent! Just comes out as 'veeerkseeerrrl'...or german.....'vowkshal'....

Just my opinion!

[Maverick]

Organisationally within GM, Vauxhall Motors Limited, headquartered in Luton, is effectively a subsidiary of Opel which has its headquarters in Russelheim, Germany, which is also the HQ of GM Europe.

Incidentally, irrespective of whether UK-sourced Vectra-C's are made in Germany, or elsewhere, they all have a 'W' (for Germany - formerly 'West Germany') and an 'O' (For 'Opel') as the first two letters of the VIN. No. The seventh number from the end of the VIN. No. indicates place of Manufacture...e.g. '1' = Russelheim, '8' = Ellesmere Port. My Edition100 has a VIN No. beginning 'WO' and a manufacturing plant code of '8' and was made by "VAUXHALL MOTORS LTD."

I believe I am correct, but stand to be corrected.

I think you just gave a very good and clear account for it all!!

My 04 reg Vectra was Ellsemere Port built and was actually the 2nd ever 1.9 CDTi ever to be built at the plant!!! I was told this by a friend who used to work at the plant.

My second 06 reg was built in Germany asEllsemere Port no longer build Vectra.

[john_k_sri]

Thanks Matt. Am I right in saying that Vectra production ceased at Ellesmere Port when production started there on the current Astra? And that some early Vectras were built at Luton?

As a scouser, I do hope that Ellesmere Port retains the Astra, as they don't deserve to get shafted like Fords at Halewood did with the Focus and got the X-type instead, that Americans regarded as 'too cheap to be a proper Jaguar'. Trouble is with American-owned multinationals you never know....fingers crossed.

When I found out my 04 Edition 100 was built at Ellesmere Port I worried a little, as the 1.8 Active i had before was built at Russelheim and virtually trouble-free over 2 years, but the 'niggles' it had were sorted out under Network Q, and were in part due to the way the previous owner cared for it.....at least when it was built it had a fully-adjustable passenger seat and ventilated rear discs, neither of which were in the brochure.....so I'm not complaining.