More than four thousand jobs in the British motor industry are under threat as it emerged that the American owner of Vauxhall is in talks to sell its European operations to the French group, PSA Peugeot Citroën.
In a statement last night, the French company said: “PSA Group and General Motors confirm they are exploring numerous strategic initiatives aiming at improving profitability and operational efficiency, including a potential acquisition of Opel Vauxhall by PSA.”
The announcement will have immediately posed large question marks over the future of two of Britain’s largest automotive plants, at Ellesmere Port, the self-styled home of the Vauxhall Astra, and Luton, the historic Bedfordshire vans plant that makes the Vivaro.
A PSA takeover of the chronically loss-making European arm of General
