Caviar from General Motors
| Author | David Moreau |
| Published date | 01 October 1988 |
| Date | 01 October 1988 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X8806100413 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DAVID
MOREAU
CAVIAR FROM GENERAL
MOTORS
Not
everyone realizes that the history of Vauxhall is very old - the
Vauxhall Iron Works was founded in Lambeth in 1857, and the first car
badged with the flag-waving griffon appeared in 1903. Vauxhall Motors
moved to Luton in 1907. As early as 1910, one
of
their cars became the
first 20hp to exceed 100mph at Brooklands, and by 1914, the Vauxhalls
were so respected that the powerful 25hp was chosen as the official staff
car for the terrible war that was to follow.
General Motors bought the company in 1925, and shifted the
emphasis from the handsome, patrician vehicles that had sopleased King
Edward VII, to the more popular range that the company has sold ever
since. After building 5,640 Churchill tanks in World
War
Two, the
company rapidly expanded, producing its one millionth car in 1953, and
its two millionth in 1959.
Then,although they produced such winners as the Cavalierin 1977,
and the Astra in 1981, the Luton company found themselves in such a
struggle with Ford, and its own unions, that from 1979 on it made
continuous losses.
The
peak was 1983, when it lost over £83 million.
Even in 1986, their losses totalled over £61 million pounds.
Now at last, with the labour force slimmed over 10 years from
33,344 to 11,492, the company has checked in with a substantial profit of
over £31 million in 1987.
The stern competition that they have had to endure has forced
Vauxhall to market one
of
the finest ranges
of
cars in the world, as many
policeofficers will know.
For
example, malefactorswouldprobably have
to be handling aPorsche or Ferrari to get away from the 137mph top speed
of the 16val ve 2litreGTE Astra, which has astonishing roadholding to go
with its 7.4 second time to 6Omph.
For
a mere £11,776, owners also
get
headlampwipes, electric outside mirrors and central locking, and exemplary
economy for such a performance car - at a constant 75, you can
get
39.2mpg,and 49.6
if
you have the selfcontrol to keep to 56mph. From the
11.3 gallon tank, you should thus be able to cover well over
400
miles
betweenstops at night in Injun country. As a generalpurposecar for small
families, Icould not fault it.
The
boot even held 14cu.ft.
of
goods, with
35cu.ft. available if you lowered the back seats. The drag factor
of
0.30
means that you hardly hear the wind until you get up to what are racetrack
only speeds in the UK,
and
the
brakes are so even and powerful that for
some days I thought Imust have ABS.
October1988 381
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