Vauxhall to "move upmarket"

colino

Once turned a job down because they were supplying Lancia Dedras. I was right.

sniperpenguin

marlot wrote: »

Vauxhall moving upmarket? Sounds a bit like polishing T**rds!

More seriously, they did well with the VX220. They should make more cars like that!

VX220 was an exception to the rule.

That car was essentially a rebadged Lotus Elise with a different bodyshell (even had the same Metro mirrors!) and a 20%-odd lower price. The VX220-Turbo went even further and gave it power beyond a stock elise.

DKLS

sniperpenguin wrote: »

VX220 was an exception to the rule.

That car was essentially a rebadged Lotus Elise with a different bodyshell (even had the same Metro mirrors!) and a 20%-odd lower price. The VX220-Turbo went even further and gave it power beyond a stock elise.

The monaro wasnt too shabby either although a tad thirsty.

Lum

Strider590 wrote: »

Unless they use/resurrect the name "Opel" in the UK, I think most of the current generation have sufficiently forgotten the god awful Opel Manta by now.

I haven't. My dad still goes on about what a great car that was. :eek:

jase1

sniperpenguin wrote: »

VX220 was an exception to the rule.

DKLS wrote: »

The monaro wasnt too shabby either although a tad thirsty.

Funny how neither of these were engineered by Opel isn't it?

Lum

Was just thinking that. The Monaro is a rebadged Holden, from Australia.

photome

You lot should have director roles at GM, you know better then them, supposedly.

The Manta was a great car :T

Robisere

I lived in Germany for 8 years, from early 1968 to late 1975. I had several cars made there, one of which was Ford Capri 3.1 RS, which I sold for more than my purchase price, when I left. I also had 3 Opels, a Rekord, an old Admiral (a barge of a V8 but a great fraulein magnet) and a beautiful beast of an Opel Monza - a 3.0 S. That is the one motor that I wish I had kept.

The Monza was made by Vauxhall as the Royale, but as usual it was light years behind the Opel version. I would say the Capri 3.1 RS was the faster of the two, but the Monza did it all in comfort and style.

The perception of cars in Germany is a little different to that in Britain, I believe. That is because most Brits take what they are given without complaint, whereas most German motorists expect the advertising to tell an accurate story - and they certainly DO complain when it does not! Germans have higher expectations and the manufacturers know it. That's why the Vauxhall equivalent of each Opel model, is usually at a lower standard of trim and engineering. And before anyone shouts me down: I was a workshop foreman for many, many years before retirement and I worked on a mix of modern and classic cars, I have engine oil in my DNA!

The post from someone who says that there are no more British-manufactured cars, is totally incorrect. The most efficient car factory in Europe, is not German, it is the Nissan factory in Sunderland. And what about Toyota in Burnaston, Derbyshire, or Honda in Swindon? The latter two have seen some slowdowns, but they are picking up again now. the Poster probably meant British -OWNED, because Jaguar/Land Rover cannot keep pace with demand, nor can the Mini factory (owned by BMW and a valued part of their empire.)

londonTiger

Thanks for the input Robisere,

I wonder if all cars are becoming a little bit "higher end" over the years anyway. The saftey standards and pushing the manufacturing costs higher and higher. As they are packed with ever more saftey instruements. This is leads to higher retail price and in order to justify the higher price car makers are being forced to improve the cosmetics a lot. Adding these electronic steering wheel adjuster, sear adjusted, heated seats, more expesive feeling dash and central column material etc.

skivenov

londonTiger wrote: »

Bad idea, Honda created a new brand for the higher end market called accura in the USA. Using the same brand will make their target market reluctant to buy as the brand is associated with budget cars and blue collar workers vehicles. Also it will price out their core market if they suddenly hike up prices

So have Toyota and Nissan.