Not long ago, we reported that the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall minicar for Europe would be based on the Chevrolet Spark and would carry a base price of around £7,000 (about US $11,790). We assumed this new small car would be called Agila, the same name given to the outgoing small runabout model. However according to a new report from British motoring magazine Autoexpress, the new small car could revive a classic Vauxhall name, Viva.
Vauxhall last used the Viva name in 1979 on the predecessor to the present day Astra hatchback. The arrival of the new Spark-based Viva will mark the first time Vauxhall and sister brand Opel will use different names for their respective small cars. Vauxhall management said they picked the Viva name as they were keen to have a name which meshed well in the UK and reflected on the brand’s heritage.
Even though the Viva will be built in South Korea, Vauxhall’s European design team was allowed to give the car its own unique look to separate it from its platform mates. It will reportedly feature swept back headlights, we presume similar to the Spark’s, and a large Vauxhall badge which Autoexpress says is “sitting on chrome wings”. Inside, more stylish and higher quality plastics will be used, although GM’s IntelliLink infotainment system apparently won’t be making an appearance. This will be a £7,000 car, after all.
Under the hood should be GM’s new line of Ecotec motors, including the 1.0-liter three cylinder SIDI unit which will debut in the Opel Adam. This engine may also be offered in 90 horsepower and 115 horsepower guises, also like in the Adam.
Autoexpress is confident Vauxhall’s new minicar will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, so the new Viva is still a little ways off.
Comments
Not surprisingly I do not have a problem with the car being called Vauxhall Viva (perhaps they will call it the HD!!!), what I am surprised is that Opel will not use the same name – the Agila has never been a huge success in northern Europe and in the UK the name Agila has no meaning (not sure about elsewhere) but I wonder why? The last time this happened was with the Opel Speedster and Vauxhall VX220 which were both built by Lotus anyway. Viva fits in with the current general GM practice of short names that all end in “A” although the reason behind that is even more of a mystery.
I wondered about HD lol, The original Viva was new ground for Vauxhall it being smaller & cheaper to appeal to a new market. This new car is going to be just that hence why the Viva name makes sense.
The new Viva will have to have proper paint & corrosion protection as is the norm with other Vauxhall / Opel cars. The weather here can vary & in the past many cars have been known to rust in parts ether not treated or missed during the preparation stage.
to speak ill of people talk about the rust. Opel fans who are more up to date and know how to use the internet and not blind knows that Opel corrosion problems have historically been small. MB BMW Audi vag Grup rust in these cars, and many more do not want to wait for it though. I happen to know that the stories told, and I also know that the stories told in the industry-leading machine manufacturers. all machine manufacturers are stories of lovers and haters.
I, as a fan of GM-OPEL’s bad to listen to silly.
http://www.upload.ee/image/4065649/Picture_9612.jpg
and many examples can bring. Once the audi is rusting so what are you even talking about
I was referring to foreign manufactures because as you have pointed out they don’t understand the changing weather extremes we have here & thus cutback on vital corrosion protection which soon brings rust & a bad reputation with it. I wouldn’t want any GM product to have a bad name.
http://buickforums.com/forums/threads/36095-Those-damn-Iron-particles-little-orange-rust-spots
funny people and their problems. Do people not know about cars and do not know how to use the Internet.
the car is rusting. people are more likely to think about and distinguish things. Learn how to have the rust and see how to properly rust-MB-BMW AUDI vag.
GM cars are actually some kvalikteetsemad. Germany international studies have also shown that GM cars have very good results. GM cars are some of the very good and the price ratio quality.
It’s crazy how something like 2000 MB S Class and the other models in this era of rust. Many people compare the lies and different things. Some say that the 20 year old Opel has rust but the 10 year old Audi will not rust. 20 years old 20 years old compared to Audi Audi Opel will be even more rust.
So anxious about just how silly some listening.
Hate to butt in – opc you are arguing with somebody (V8 jon) that agrees with you!!!
This funny person who marveled over his buick rust spots. Learn from
one was surprised when he saw his car in the exhaust system to rust
Learn this
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php
People use inernetti and Google, and open your eyes and do not talk nonsense. thanks
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1701507-bmw-rust&s=10ad690516fefb98cf5b1166a78a19ee
Vauxhall outsells Opel, is the brightest spot in GM Europe. I think GM should give Vauxhall more freedom when it comes to naming much like Buick uses the name Regal as opposed to Insignia.
The UK is an unusual market in that it probably had more in common with the rest of Anglosphere (US, Canada, AU, NZ) than the rest of the European market.
Viva is a great name.
“Vauxhall outsells Opel, is the brightest spot in GM Europe.”
???
Don’t know why you are saying that but that’s simply nonsense!
YTD (April) Vauxhall makes around 25% of the combined numbers of sales of Opel and Vauxhall.
And Vauxhall is dramatically loosing market share in UK.
Only about a week ago it was published Insignia sales are up 40% (and that’s after it was it’s class best seller), Mokka sales have doubled & Corsa are selling 80,000.
…Insignia and Mokka sales are up in entire Europe, nut just UK…don’t know the sales for the Corsa, but in April, Corsa was 5th best selling car in EU.
But this fact doesn’t change the wrong statement that Vauxhall is outselling Opel. That’s simply not true.
Vauxhall has a severe problem. They are loosing market share and fell below 10% in April. That’s very dramtic in my opinion as Vauxhall can’t exploit the full potential of the very strong British market.
Vauxhall is on course for No1 spot in the UK. It’s great to hear Opel is doing well in Europe too, in the future many new car launches are imminent so it’s looking good.
“Vauxhall is on course for No1 spot in the UK.”
The facts and numbers are telling something different. Vauxhall is currently on course of becoming number 3 while being surpassed by Volkswagen.
Ford has increased its market share in UK as Volkswagen did while Vauxhall is loosing.
I hope that there will be a boost in UK for Vauxhall when the new Corsa arrives in late 2014.
I said Vauxhall was a bright spot because they account for about 30% of total EU sales.
As a ratio, percentage to population, Vauxhall, regardless of market position, is a bright spot.
I do appreciate you mentioning VW gains, as they are the elephant in the room whenever discussing Opel/Vauxhall, due to the group’s dramatic growth over the last decade.
I’m beginning to think Opel will never be more than a break even/tiny profit operation based on a recent Economist article in addition to Fiat President Chevy’s recent comments regarding volume sales in Europe. The brand is beautifully designed & high quality but is so damaged without a unique sales proposition. Its it any wonder that they rely on fleet sales to survive?
“they account for about 30% of total EU sales”
It about 27%, but as you know Opel is not selling cars in EU but also in EFTA, Russia, Turkey and other (smaller) markets.
“is so damaged without a unique sales proposition”
The same for Vauxhall. As far as I know Vauxhall has the same Image Problems as Opel. The cars are identical, so vauxhall also doesn’t offer a unique proposition.
“Opel will never be more than a break even/tiny profit operation based on a recent Economist article.”
If Opel/Vauxhall will break even in late 2015 or 2016 they will earn some hundred thousand Dollars every year by 2017/2018. What do you expect? Opel/vauxhall is a Mainstream carmaker in a very competitive market with a lot of overcapacities. These numbers would be still amazing.
“As far as I know Vauxhall has the same Image Problems as Opel”
In that case your knowledge is VERY limited indeed. Vauxhall sales are up 5.15% YTD and have a market share of 10.56% YTD, so as the German market is similar in size to the UK please DO TELL US ALL WHAT OPEL’S FIGURES ARE YTD in Germany! Opel has had an image problem for the last 10 years and not all of it justified but whilst I am sure they will get back on track (eventually) DO NOT lump them in the same league as Vauxhall because they are not, NOT EVEN CLOSE! If you take Germany out of the picture Vauxhall sells more cars & vans in the UK than all the other markets Opel sells in put together – now I would call that a pretty bright spot by anybodys standard. I will post the May figures on vauxpedia.net on Thursday this week when they are released and will re-post on here for information.
“please DO TELL US ALL WHAT OPEL’S FIGURES ARE YTD in Germany!”
OK I will then!
YTD Figures for the German market including May
1. VW = 267,050 21.2%
2. Mercedes = 113,557 9.0%
3. Audi = 111,411 8.8%
4. BMW = 96,835 7.7%
5. Opel 90,732 7.2%
6. Ford 88,900 7.1%
So Opel have sold 90,732 cars in 5 months, Vauxhall by comparison has sold 91,344 in 4 months – ENOUGH SAID!
The Viva name was first used by Vauxhall in 1963 on the Vauxhall HA Viva , which ironically was very closely related to the Opel Kadett A (see vauxpedia.net for the full story) The name Viva was an on the spot decision made by the then new MD of Vauxhall William Swallow, after approx 1.5 million cars later the name was phased out in 1979 when Viva HC production stopped. It was briefly used by Holden on a rebadged imported Korean Turd called the Daewoo Lacetti. It was also used on the Russion version of the Astra G 4 door sallon called the Chevrolet Viva.
Not suggesting it will or could happen & no one can predict the future, yet like Adam car Viva could have the potential of many spin offs (as mini have done) Firenza, Magnum, Beagle depending on IF & How the market pans out, & IF GM choose to use or not to use such names.
I LOVE your idea. For Vauxhall/Opel & even Buick to thrive, they must become disruptive market force that attracts a variety of different segments and demographics segments of the buying public.
I know everyone HATES Hynd/Kia BUT the way these brands span value to luxury is Channing the market place. The same is true of how Benz keeps mooning down market with $29,000 CLA.
Opel needs a value Viva family; a premium Adam’s family to challenge Fiat and Mini; tradition mainstream offerings; and higher end product that steps on Audi turf such as a new Omega based Buick flagship s well as other Buick offerings.
With Vauxhall, Opel & Buick, GM had an golden opportunity to redefine brand. This takes time, but within one decade, Opel should be able to cover Skoda, VW Brand and even Audi bandwidth all with one brand.
KIA- HYNADI like very much. They are pretty young, and very quickly developed lately. Design and engineering is like. such people have poor listening and seeing just a shame that with or derogatory to any other car manufacturer. It’s not really a car manufacturer to anyone resist KIA – HYNDAI and rapid development. Kia – hyndai and is very good value for the ratio of the car.