Vauxhall Motors was started in 1857 by Alexander Wilson, who built pumps and marine engines. Renamed Vauxhall Iron Works, the company built its first car, a five-horsepower model steered using a tiller, with two forward gears and no reverse gear, in 1903. The company moved the majority of its production to Luton and then in 1907 changed name to the now familiar Vauxhall Motors was adapted.
In 1925, GM bought Vauxhall for US$2.5 million. This, together with the Ford's presence in Europe, led to substantial American influence in styling that persisted through to the 1980s.
During World War II, car production was suspended to allow Vauxhall to work on the Churchill tank, which was designed at Luton in less than a year, and assembled there Over 5,600 Churchill tanks were built.
After the war, car production resumed with models designed for the mass-market. During the 1960s Vauxhall acquired a reputation for making rust-prone models that dogged the company until the early 1980s.
From the 1970s, most models were based on cars made by Opel in Germany, another GM company. The Chevette, Cavalier and Carlton were basically restyled versions of the Kadett, Ascona and Rekord, for instance. This continued with little engineering input from Luton. In 2000, the Luton factory was closed and all manufacturer moved to Ellesmere Port.
Compare Vauxhall car insurance quotes now
Use our free car insurance comparison tool to find the best policy for your Vauxhall.
Check Vauxhall insurance groups - select a model to start
Whether you currently own a Vauxhall or you are considering buying a model from
the Vauxhall range, it helps if you understand insurance groups and how they affect
your premium.
Insurance group ratings take into account performance, security, damage and parts costs, new
car values, availability of body shells and repair costs and times. What you'll typically
find is that cars in lower insurance groups attract a lower premium, whilst cars in higher
insurance groups attract a higher premium - usually because they are high performance models
or have high repair or replacement costs. Just choose a model to check its insurance group ratings.