The History of Vauxhall

Vauxhall Motors is a company originally from the London borough of Vauxhall that began producing cars in 1903. At the beginning of the XX century it was famous for its sports cars that won both British and international endurance marathons. In 1925 it joined the General Motors Corporation (GM) and gradually became its English subsidiary. From 1930 to 1994 it produced trucks under the Bedford brand. For a long time it kept a strong position in the market thanks to the American style and advanced technology, because its models were developed by specialists in Detroit. But over time, Vauxhall products were criticized for discrepancy with the needs of the British market and susceptibility to metal corrosion.

Since 1962, Vauxhall cars were increasingly based on common platforms with Opel, distinguished by original design and engines. This helped to reduce design costs and improve build quality, so in the crisis 70s GM continued to consolidate its European divisions. By the early 90s all Vauxhall models became twins with Opel, and today the same cars are produced under these brands. Geographically the markets for Opel and Vauxhall are clearly separated: Opel is sold mainly in continental Europe, and Vauxhall - only in the UK. The same principle applies to Vauxhall's two plants, one in Luton, Bedfordshire, and the other in Port Ellesmere, Cheshire. In 2017, after 92 years as part of GM, the Opel and Vauxhall brands were taken over by the PSA Groupe.

Vauxhall's current products fully duplicate those of Opel. Under these brands, the Adam (segment A), Corsa (segment B), Astra (segment C), Cascada (convertible), Insignia (segment D) and Zafira (minivan) passenger cars are produced, as well as the Crossland X, Grandland X and Mokka X crossovers. The Vauxhall Ampera hybrid, a twin of the Chevrolet Volt, was available from 2012-2015. General Motors is selling all of its European assets, including Opel and Vauxhall brands, to the French PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) group. The price of the deal was €2.2 billion. Do not forget to use Vauxhall VIN decoder in order to avoid potential problems when buying a used car.