1970s stars of the tarmac - Vauxhall and Opel
Consider if you will, the dark days of the 1970s. There was industrial unrest, the OPEC crisis and the three day working week. Luminaries like Edward Heath, Harold Wilson and James Callaghan were at the helm and Britain - a ship in distress - was heading for the rocks of Thatcherism.
But while some travelled from A to B in dismal cars like the Morris Ital, Morris Marina and the infamously useless Austin Allegro, others were commuting in style - American style…in Vauxhalls and Opels.
Manta
Take this Opel Manta, a sports coupe based on the Opel Asconda. It was, I think you’ll agree, a fine looking motor and with its excellent handling, was a successful rally car. As a youngster in the 1990s, you could still see this version on the roads - I always wanted one but as you’ll see I never quite made it to the top in terms of Vauxhall / Opel ownership.
Asconda
Quite saucy really and OK, so it’s not a Grand Torino, but I think it has something of Starsky and Hutch about it. The Asconda like the Manta, was brought out to compete with Ford’s super successful medium sized cars - motors like the Ford Cortina and the Capri - and by the time it was discontinued in 1975, the Asconda had sold around 700,000 units.
America
The similarity of the Opels and Vauxhalls of the 70s is no coincidence and neither is their American appearance. Both companies are subsidiaries of the American car giant, General Motors, and have been since 1925 in the case of British, Vauxhall and 1931 for German, Opel.
Interestingly, even during World War Two, links between the American owner and the German plant were at least partially maintained. Afterwards, a great deal of plant and tooling was given to the USSR in reparation for wartime destruction. However, the super loyal German car plant workers, soon began to clear away the rubble of the war to produce much needed spares for the Opel Kadett.
Kadett
I mean - look…
Why did people drive Austin Maxis when they could have been at the wheel of cars like these? Beats me…
Vauxhall
The Vauxhall Viva HC (or Firenza if you were from Canada) was a little bland (and underpowered) as a 1200cc, four door saloon. But by the time it became the ‘Magnum’ in 1973, it was a 2.3 litre boy racer, with sleek looks and muscular performance.
And finally, here’s the motor that I owned…
OK - not exactly this one, but still, a Vauxhall Chevette. Mine was a 1.3 pocket rocket, in sky blue with snazy blue tartan trim. Its performance was nippy and the handling superb. The car was rear wheel drive and OK, there was a massive rust hole in the floor pan but all I cared about at the age of 20 was that it looked good and it went like the clappers.
It did.