The slow death of Vauxhall?

[Cavcraft]

Yes

 

Mustard Mitt I didn't know that, I thought the 4x4s were either 2.0L(I) or GSi, and nothing in between.

[RoadworkUK]

" The slow death of Ford "

 

If I've read that right , Ford are only going to make 2 cars , the Mustang and the Focus Active .The rest being SUV's and trucks.

 

They would be mad to kill off the Fiesta.

 

The above concerns US operations only, where the Fiesta has been something of a novelty item from the beginning. A few enlightened folk rather took to the Fiesta ST, but Ford's entire non-SUV operation (Mustang aside) has been irrelevant over there for years.

[rantingYoof]

A manual diesel Mustang SUV.

THIS IS HOW THE EVOQUE CONVERTIBLE STARTED PEOPLE

[Junkman]

THIS IS HOW THE END OF DAYS STARTED PEOPLE

 

EFA

[lesapandre]

By the looks of this Ford are having a massive restructure too. Not sure what this means for the UK market..

 

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2018/04/25/ford-cutting-car-lineup-earnings/34244867/

Interesting. It would seem Ford would then not be doing development on 'European' style or size cars - so non US- Fords would need separate development strands. Hmmmm - perhaps that means a sale of the European operation to VAG, BMW? Mercedes-Benz? Renault? 

[lesapandre]

Or even PSA. An exit by Ford could spell the end of the need for competitors especially if they are in the same group. Given this sentiment I wonder where this leaves Vauxhall?

[Sir Snipes]

The push toward SUVs, trucks and other commercials seems logical for the US market. I'd expect the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo to keep going in Europe, unless Ford has simply decided to abandon market segments to the likes of VAG, Kia etc.

Hard to call it, I'd say the whole landscape has changed more in the past 10-years than the 30 years prior so who knows!?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

A couple of months ago i needed to hire a car on a Sunday, the only place open was Thrifty. They seem to only have SUV things, I asked for a medium size car, to me a Mondeo or Insignia etc.

On arrival I was given a Kuga, which was quite pleasant , well equipped and not slow( 2.0 diesel), the yard was full of Mokkas, Qashqais and lots of Korean things, the only saloons being Jag XEs and BMWs, for which I declined a £6 per day upgrade.

[AnthonyG]

If the Fusion saloon goes I’m not sure there will be a new Mondeo as they are the same car. I guess if the S-Max and Galaxy continue they can continue to spin a big hatchback off of that platform.

[SiC]

Vauxhall Corsa diesel axed due to low demand

[Pillock]

Mustard Mitt I didn't know that, I thought the 4x4s were either 2.0L(I) or GSi, and nothing in between.

 

Not sure it was ever badged as a SRi officially. At launch, the 4x4 Cavalier was L spec with wheeltrims, black bumpers and stuff.

The launch brochure at https://www.flickr.com/photos/61090099@N04/sets/72157643053689504/with/13550046615/ pitches the 4x4 between L and GL with L seat trim and steel wheels.

 

 

A couple of years later (but before facelift) they upspecced it with SRi trim but I'm not sure it ever gained the badges? See here - where the SRi would be on the door just says 4x4 but it's got the wheels etc.

[sierraman]

The Corsa diesel has been one of the worst cars I have ever driven. A lousy engine in an awful chassis with a foul unwelcoming interior. The feeling I came away with was that they had purposefully made it that bad. There couldn't have been any other explanation. It was that bad. It said nothing about you other than your house probably stank of chip fat. The 1.2 was acceptable at a push, the 1.0 couldn't get out of its own way, then you were left with the 1.7 diesel. An incredibly foul car. It didn't even look good, I felt like an absolute fool every time I test drove the thing. On every level. I'll be a happy man when the last one is crushed.

[Kiltox]

The 1.3 has never been a great seller even during the diesel frenzy - far more 1.2 and 1.4 petrols about

[Felly Magic]

Isn't the 1.3 diesel engine the Fiat lump? One that was prone to grenade after the oil spray bar gums up, as fitted to the awful Fiorinippenemo?

[Felly Magic]

Guff also reads a slimmed down spec range, and adios Corsa VXR, replaced with a lighterweight GSi

[D Spares & Tyres]

The 1.2 diesel is a great little engine. The one in our family has done about 140,000 with little servicing. It's been reliable, nippy and economical. Horrid interior but it drives nicely. I tried not to like it but it has done its job well so far

[angle]

Re selling Vauxhalls as Opels, slightly unrelated but, I was surprised to see that Toyota still run a network of Toyopet dealers in Japan. I'll stand corrected, but I think the last Toyota branded as a Toyopet was made in the 1950's.

 

The way that Toyota market their cars domestically makes British Leyland look streamlined and efficient. Even putting aside Lexus, Toyota run four different type of dealership - theoretically, Toyota dealers will sell you big cars, Toyopet are for medium sized cars, Corolla dealers for small cars and Netz for women and the youth ('Network of Energetic Teams for Zenith').

 

Except it doesn't work like that - you can buy a Prius in any (although it'll come with a different badge from a Netz garage), you can buy an Auris from Netz or Corolla or a Blade (an Auris with more equipment) from Toyota and Toyopet etc etc...

[Timewaster]

All joking aside (including AVAS) Vauxhall had a half decent reputation in the 80s and 90s.

 

A guy at work who is not a car person at all chose a Vauxhall Antera as a company car on the basis that the Cavalier he had a few years ago was a decent car.

 

It was so bad, it's the only car I've ever known returned to the lease company as not fit for purpose.

 

That guy, and his family will never touch another Vauxhall as long as they live.

 

Anyone who ever even sat in a Sintra is unlikely to consider a Vauxhall.

 

Clarkson did massive damage to their image when he couldn't be bothered to test the Vectra but he did that to Peugeot and Toyota too and they survived it.

 

My dad had to take his Zafira back several times and drive it all summer scared to turn the AC on incase it caught fire.

 

That is his first and last Vauxhall.

 

For every 1000 decent cars they knock out, people will only remember the duff ones.

 

There has been a steady erosion of Vauxhall for years and they haven't had any stand out cars to turn the tide.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Well, we've had Pictures of favourite Opels, let's do Vauxhall, I know some are Opels , but to me and most British people they'll be remembered as Chevettes, Cavaliers etc not Asconas and Kadetts.

 

[lesapandre]

When in their pomp. It was a great, and popular brand. Where PSA take it next who knows but one thing is for sure I feel they won't take eyewatering losses in medium or long term like GM have stood. They will axe anything that could drag the group down. My own view is the wanted the vans and also wanted to stop a competitor getting it. Interesting there was no Chinese interest.

[Felly Magic]

China only buys car companies when they've been pushed in to complete collapse, then buy the firm for a tiny amount & ship all the tooling back to China

[lesapandre]

Or it would have been an immediate way into the UK market. But no interest so Vauxhall may not have been very desirable. Its feeling like another Rover alas with PSA taking the BMW role this time.

[lesapandre]

Thought some brands live on...but not at all like they were. I'm no idea what the sporting MG fraternity make of this - its a bit of a far cry from an MGB - more in common with a Farina Magnette maybe?

[lesapandre]

...http://mg.co.uk/mg-zs

[Felly Magic]

I fear that the only Vauxhalls we will see before much longer are rebadged PSA vans. I cannot believe my next door neighbour's partner is thinking about a Mokka, they are so unbelievably awful, cheaply made crap, that are shite on fuel, the last Vauxhall they encountered was his mk3 Cavalier, a highpoint in Vauxhall's history, but ever since then it's been a rapid downhill spiral in to the gutter for the brand, and I think if they actually look at a Mokka, it might wake them up

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I reckon MG will make good before too long. Remember the Kia Pride and Hyundai Pony?

[lesapandre]

Seen lots of Mokka's about in London. Are they that bad?

[lesapandre]

MG yea here's hoping. A good designer would help. If they position themselves as a premium  mini-Jaguar with a sports halo model it might work. They need a British designer. They have a swish showrooom on Piccadilly opposite the Ritz but the cars look dire.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Have a look at this review of the Mokka if you want a flavour of how terrible they are. If even the Vauxhall-loving champion of the underdog AROnline couldn't avoid giving it such a thorough pasting, it must be bad.

 

Of course the Mokka isn't really an Opel/Vauxhall at all (aside from being descended from the Corsa C), but a GM Korea product with different badges glued on.

[Timewaster]

Back to what I said about the Antera and Sintra.

 

GM have stuck their hard earned badge onto any old shit and wonder why their reputation is in tatters.