Vauxhall | GM Authority

Opel Prices All-New Meriva MPV At 15,900 Euros
by Manoli Katakis
Posted March 10th, 2010 at 2:05 pm

For those of you on the east side of the Atlantic, start saving up for what could be the only car you’ll ever need. According to Opel’s media site, the Gamma II-based Meriva MPV will be priced just under 16,000 Euros – a little more than its smaller relative, the Opel Corsa.

Opel unveiled the next-gen MPV to the world at the Geneva Motor Show last week and – in case you missed it – we have a fairly detailed write-up outlining the car’s features right here. In a nutshell, the Meriva is a very unique vehicle: it overlaps the categories of a compact hatch, a small CUV, and a minivan all thanks to a thoughtful setup. The Meriva features higher ground clearance than the typical econo-hatch as well as suicide doors so that “parents and children can enter and exit the car together,” all in the package of a subcompact vehicle. Hopefully the Chevrolet Orlando will allow North American consumers to catch the MPV craze and bring more of these utilitarian and fuel-efficient vehicles to market.

The all-new Meriva offers three trim packages – the Cosmo, Enjoy, and Essentia – along with engine options ranging from 75bhp to 140bhp. Click past the break to see what the Meriva’s three trim levels have to offer as well as for our high-res gallery! (more…)

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Vauxhall Cuts at Luton Van Manufacturing Plant Seen as Comparatively Positive for the UK
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 17th, 2010 at 3:40 pm

Vauxhall Motors, the Colonel leading The General’s British invasion, is set to cut jobs at its commercial van manufacturing plant in Luton. With a population of 230,000, the Bedfordshire county locale is 32 miles north of London. Reports conflict on the precise number of jobs on the chopping block, but the best estimates suggest that 154 administrative, sales and marketing positions and 354 manufacturing positions would be cut. The manufacturing loss was announced last November, but the number continues to be adjusted. Vauxhall currently employs 1,458 people in Luton, and hopes to pare down its workforce there through voluntary means.

These cuts come amid the British marque’s own restructuring plan, made possible by £500 million in loans from British banks, all of which the government has agreed to underwrite. That money comes in addition to €2.7 billion in financial support from European governments, including the United Kingdom. Vauxhall chairman Bill Parfitt is currently negotiating the terms for the company, and the final plan is expected to be ready in a few weeks. (more…)

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Vauxhall Extends “Swappage” Program To Three Extra Models
by Alex Luft
Posted February 17th, 2010 at 11:14 am

Vauxhall is capitalizing on the UK’s scrappage scheme – a government-run program similar to that of the US CARS (Cash for Clunkers) program – by expanding the eligible models.

The Vauxhall Insignia, Meriva, and Zafira join the new Astra, Astra Sports Hatch, and Corsa as eligible models for the swappage offer. The Meriva and Zafira are MPVs while the world-class Insignia (aka Buick Regal) has won the Car of the Year award in 2009. Unfortunately, the Meriva in question is not the (awesome) all-new model, but rather the last-generation of the Gamma-based vehicle (available in the gallery after the jump).

Vauxhall introduced its own Swappage scheme February 5 as a play on the UK’s scrappage program. The Vauxhall program applies to new cars ordered or registered before March 31 – the official end date of the UK’s car scrap allowance initiative – and allows buyers to use any seven-year-old UK-registered vehicle with insurance, road tax, and MOT certificate as currency to reduce the cost of any of the six models by at least £3000 (no matter the condition or value of the old product).

In some cases, however, the deal is even better! For example, the Swappage price on a Zafira Life 1.6 (regular retail price £18,670) plunges to merely £12,995 when the buyer has an eligible trade in – a savings of £5,675! Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Retail Sales Director said, “There’s never been a better time to buy a new Vauxhall. Better still, buyers can take full advantage of the Swappage programme just in time for the new ‘10’ plate on March 1.”

So if you’re in the United Kingdom and looking for some amazing deals on some of the best cars in the world, here’s your chance!

[Source: European Motor News]

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Vauxhall Nameplate Stays; GM European Strategy Undergoes Shift
by Conor Cameron
Posted February 16th, 2010 at 12:00 am

In an internal e-mail, GM Europe President Nick Reilly indicated that The General would continue to use the Vauxhall brand in the UK. That announcement should not have come as too much of a surprise, as the former Vauxhall General Operations Manager has close ties to the company. What were refreshingly different were the changes he outlined in The General’s European strategy. Full text of the five page document, which was received by tens of thousands of employees, can be found here.

First and foremost, Mr. Reilly rejected hiring an outside consultant to devise a mission statement, instead submitting an internally developed working vision statement:

To be a leading European Manufacturer of high quality, desirable automotive products, based on German Engineering, driven by a united team of professionals and respected around the world.

In identifying specific steps to achieve that vision, he first distinguished Vauxhalls and Opels, allotting the former for Brits and the latter for everyone else. In a departure from previous goals, ‘everyone else’ encompasses more than merely Europeans. If Opel products are to be “respected around the world,” the the impetus is on the company to “look for opportunities to sell Opel products outside Europe.”

Mr. Reilly, who also served as President of GM International Operations, has a unique perspective on the expansion. Acknowledging non-European sales as a historical weak point and noting that a strong Euro makes such exports even harder, he suggested that desirable products and a positive image will be the keys to growing exports. The products and image motif ran throughout the memo. While he emphasized superior products as more important, he conceded that GM’s image in Europe requires more work. It is from this theme that what will inevitably be the most quoted line from this directive emerges: (more…)

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Advert: Vauxhall Astra Goes Oceans 11
by Alex Luft
Posted February 13th, 2010 at 2:22 pm

This ad is awesome to the max: it’s entertaining, catchy, and contains a facetious twist. Check it out after the break, complete with Brad Pitt and George Clooney look-alikes. All this brings up one question: why can’t we have these kinds of ads in the U.S. of A?

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Advert: Opel Corsa Gets Pop Art Treatment
by Alex Luft
Posted February 3rd, 2010 at 8:23 pm

Click me to watch the video!

Vauxhall has just launched a new ad for its vaunted Corsa model. The commercial, created by London-based DKLW, takes on a pop-art theme and is the most recent addition to Vauxhall’s recent art-and-style marketing campaign.

Andy Gilson, director of Vauxhall UK marketing, had the following to say about the ad:

Corsa remains one of the UK’s most popular small cars and we felt that pop art would be a great way to communicate the car’s style credentials in a fun, contemporary way.

Last month, GM Europe chief Nick Reilly presented a revised strategy for the operation, calling for the Vauxhall brand to remain a UK exclusive while marketing Opel twins (rebadges) throughout the rest of Europe.

The GM Authority Take

A fun ad for a fun car. The Gamma 2-based Opel/Vauxhall Corsa is an excellent B-segment car (called supermini in Britain) that has a loyal following in markets where it’s available. It’s this humble writer’s opinion that it would do very well in the U.S. against such vehicles as the beaten-by-the-ugly-stick Toyota Yaris and decent (yet not exciting) Hyundai Accent 3-door.

So if we put two and two together, what GM should do is produce the next-gen Aveo as a three-door hatch ala the Corsa. Afterall, the two vehicles ride on the same architecture – so a top-hat change-over wouldn’t be too much to ask.

Click past the break to watch the ad in its full glory. Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, the song is Run (I’m a Natural Disaster) by Gnarls Barkley.

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Possible Savanna/Express Replacement Appears Overseas In Vauxhall Movano
by Manoli Katakis
Posted January 29th, 2010 at 3:33 pm

European plumbers, carpenters and electricians will be delighted to read this: GM’s European units Opel and Vauxhall – in collaboration with Renault – have developed an all-new four-wheeled tool. The Vauxhall Movano is Europe’s latest full-size van built from the inside-out with function in mind.

According to the presser, the all-new Movano is set to offer a choice of 29 different body variations (count ‘em!), a total payload of up to 2.5 tons, class-leading cargo space, and even be available in either front or rear wheel drive depending on payload category, with the rear-wheel drive models having the option to be ordered with duallies on the rear axle. Additionally, the flexible 2.3L four-cylinder fuel-sipping common-rail diesel engine will deliver 100 hp/210 ft.-lbs., 125hp/228 ft.-lbs. or 150 hp/258 ft.-lb. options. The price? The moving utility starts at £21,660 ($35,184) – not bad considering its main competitor, the Mercedes/Freightliner/Dodge Sprinter, comes in just over that price point.

The Movano is set to go on sale in the UK in May, with the Opel variant coming later in the year to other European markets.

Considering that the Sprinter is already available Stateside and that not every every blue-collar worker (or fleet) can fit his/her equipment in a Ford Transit Connect – a Chevy or GMC variation can’t come fast (or soon) enough to replace GM’s aging Express and Savanna models.

The GM Authority Take

The Savanna and Express aren’t even in the same league as more evolved vans such as the Mercedes Sprinter (the Dodge version has ceased production) or even the Movano. Simply put, GM vans (in North America) don’t offer nearly as much versatility or options as the more utilitarian Sprinter. Therefore, GM needs a deeper line-up if it’s interested in remaining a serious contender in the commercial van space, and the Movano would be the perfect comeback vehicle. That said, if the Movano is brought to the U.S., we recommend GM make it a GMC exclusive.

If GMC were The General’s only brand selling commercial vans, it would lend more credence to the Professional Grade image. The Movano would – in essence – be the flagship GMC van, slotting in above the Savanna or replacing it altogether. Furthermore, If GM wishes to take on the Ford TransitConnect in the low-end market, the Vauxhall Combo should be considered for North America pronto!

In case you were wondering: Renault’s version of the Movano is called the Renault Master.

We have Vauxhall’s full presser after the break as well as this official brochure in PDF format.

Update: just got our hands on images of the Opel version.

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GM to Close Antwerp Opel Plant by Third Quarter 2010
by Conor Cameron
Posted January 25th, 2010 at 7:00 am

General Motors recently announced that it will close its Opel manufacturing plant in Antwerp, Belgium. The New York Times reports that the plant employs 2,606 workers and produced 89,000 Opel Astras in 2009. The Opel Astra, built on GM’s Delta 2 platform, is marketed elsewhere as Vauxhall Astra (UK), the Buick Excelle (China), the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra (Latin America), and – not so long ago – as the Saturn Astra (US). It is built in various places all over the world, including the plant in Belgium.

In a press release, GM, while expressing sympathy to the workers and their families, indicated that the closure was necessary to revamp its European production, which is the center of its small car strategy. Demand in 2010 is expected to fall 1.5 million units short of those sold in 2009, a total of 4 million units below peak production in 2007. The plant is scheduled to be closed as early as the end of the second quarter. GM is set to eliminate 8,300 jobs in Europe, including 4,000 in Germany. All plants will be affected, but there are no plans to close other plants, suggesting all current facilities will share the burden in this restructuring. GM plans to cut total European capacity by 20 percent, 9 of which will be accomplished with the Antwerp plant closing. Experts estimate the total European automobile production capacity at 28 million units, 40 percent of which sat idle in 2009. The Antwerp closing is comparatively inconsequential. GM further argues that closing this plant is key to reducing redundancy in other plants where the Opel Astra is produced, including those in Poland, England and Germany. The automaker reportedly spared plant closings in Germany because it relied on funds from the German government (which it has now fully paid back) during the financial crisis. Saab’s potential demise is not included in GM’s capacity reduction targets.

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GM Europe Chief Nick Reilly: A Minicar For Opel A Top Priority. Ampera Will Be Built In Europe
by Alex Luft
Posted December 10th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

During a conference call last Saturday, Nick Reilly – the newly-appointed president of GM Europe – said that a new Mini car is a top priority for Opel / Vauxhall. If we understand correctly, that would mean something the size of a Ford Ka, Peugeot 107, Fiat 500, and the other dozen or so Mini cars in the European market (read: something approximately 140 inches / 3500 mm long).

While occupying a lower price point than compact or mid-size vehicles, Mini cars (aka City cars) may well make up for that in volume: the Ford Ka has solidified its position with over 500,000 units sold in the UK alone in the last 13 years, the Fiat 500 has been receiving accolades and awards all of Europe, while the forthcoming VW Up! is getting ready to take a piece of that space all to itself.

Today, Opel’s smallest car is the Corsa, which is based on the global Gamma II/SCCS platform that it shares with the upcoming Chevy Spark. Rumor has it that Opel will be getting a version of the Spark sometime after it goes on sale in the United States. Opel showed off the Trixx Concept (pictured) at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, but GM ended up picking the Spark as its global City car.

Classes

As many GM fans may recall, Saturn briefly sold Opel’s Astra hatch in 3-door and 5-door variants in the U.S. The Saturn Astra, as it was called, is in a class above the Corsa, which itself is half of a class above the Chevy Spark and its future Opel variant. That was a mouthful, right? As such, there seems to be some confusion regarding the nomenclature of vehicle classes, since the names vary based on the country of origin. To clear things up, here’s a quick breakdown of the classes in their respective continents along with some examples of cars in those classes: (more…)

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Why GM Chose To Keep Opel
by Alex Luft
Posted November 8th, 2009 at 1:31 am

General Motors announced Wednesday it will not be selling its European subsidiary Opel (and its British counterpart Vauxhall) to Canadian parts supplier Magna (and its financial partner Sberbank). The General cited several reasons for the decision, including its own improved financial position as well as an improved business environment in Europe. And let’s not forget the fact that this comes just one week after the EU’s Directorate-General for Competition began an investigation into the Magna deal. But all those don’t get down to the real reason as to why GM decided to keep Opel:

I believe GM kept Opel because without it, GM would be completely uncompetitive in Europe.

Opel is a very popular mainstream marque in Europe, competing with the likes of Volkswagen and Ford. In fact, it’s the region’s third most popular brand (after those two, respectively) and holds a roughly eight percent market share in Western Europe. By selling Opel, The General would essentially be taking itself out of the European car market.

For an organization the size of GM, that’s not good news: huge car makers, especially those that compete globally, depend on economies of scale – the ability to reuse resources such as engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing to bring (and keep) costs down. By not competing in the European market, GM would be putting itself in a disadvantaged position where it would be less capable of taking advantage of that scale. (more…)

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The GM Authority Take

The GM Authority Take

Classes

I believe GM kept Opel because without it, GM would be completely uncompetitive in Europe.