An article on the Carkeys website is called "Goodbye To Vauxhall" -- see www.carkeys.co.uk/columns/rufus_j_flywheel/2896.asp
It's intended as a "humorous" column, and it's not really my idea of funny -- too contrived and laboured for my tastes -- but central point is interesting.
The writer says that Vauxhall are imposing onerous conditions on journalists testing its cars, as a result of which he (and some other journos) are allegedly refusing to test GM cars.
Frustratingly, there is no info about what those conditions are.
I can guess that they might be some sort of request not to conpletely trash the car, which would obviously scare off those testers who seem most interested in assessing a family hatchback as if it was a rally car rather than a covered shopping trolley.
I can also guess that they might be something to do with liability for any damage caused, which would also scare off those who want to explore the limits of a car's handling.
But it occurred to me that a manufacturer might be attracted by the notion of placing some restriction on what can be written about the products they hand out for testing ... and it's tempting to speculate that Vauxhall might be inclined to use some legalese to prevent any repeat of Clarkson's suggestion that the Vectra was slightly less than perfect.
But that's all speculation -- it may, of course, be something much more benign. Does anyone know what's really going on here?
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From the fact that his lawyer advised him not to sign, I'd guess at some sort of admittance of liability?
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i think the question we should be asking is why GM persists in the unique UK brand that is Vauxhall? Totally unknown anywhere else in the world it should ditch the name and revert to Opel like the rest of Europe. Even the republic of Ireland use the Opel name.
I think Opel has a smart germanic image whereas vauxhalls image is fast becoming a bit naff.
The thing that makes me laugh when i read road test magazines is when you read Vauxhall engineers have done this that and the other, when in fact the cars are engineered at the GM facility at Russelhiem in Germany.
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I know what you mean imagos. When talking to the boss of one of the large Ford dealership groups, he said to me "since Vauxhall took over Daewoo ...". Even people that should know better say such daft things, call it Opel I say.
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Is the UK the only market in the world where the Vauxhall name is still used?
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Is the UK the only market in the world where the Vauxhall name is still used?
Correct!
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I'm with you all the way, Imagos.
In fact I had a letter published in Autocar a while back suggesting same. V's historian replied next issue saying that the V name had loads of 'history'. Well that's about all it's got and historians are notorious for permanently being in reverse gear. Car buyers couldn't give a monkey's.
Vauxhall. To me it reeks of naff old motors from the 50s and 60s (and 70s and...)
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To me it reeks of naff old motors from the50s and 60s (and 70s and...)
...and Griff Rhys Jones in underpants.
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I much prefer the Vauxhall V grill styling as opposed the the Opel O thingy.. and anyways if Skoda can lift their brand I am shure Vauxhall should be able to do the same.... but I must agree, the marketing person that came up with the ads with Griff in them should be limited to ads for push pops!
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"I think Opel has a smart germanic image whereas vauxhalls image is fast becoming a bit naff."
Strange that. I can think of one EU country where Opel used to be considered quite smart and almost prestige vehicles, but now they are considered as very second rate with market share disappearing rapidly.
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I can think of one EU country where Opelused to be considered quite smart and almost prestige vehicles, but now they are considered as very second rate with market share disappearing rapidly.
That'd be Germany then??
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So perhaps GM could launch a new brand in Germany. They could call it Vauxhall. And I liked the Griff Rhys-Jones adds for the Zafira. I thought they were amusing and informative.
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Dump the name Opel, and Vauxhall. Call them Holdens. Big butch name.
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Dump the name Opel, and Vauxhall. Call them Holdens. Big butch name.
I would have thought they could market Holden as the up-market version, a bit like VW do with Audi, or Toyota with Lexus. Not just slapping Holden badges on Vauxhalls though. Austin tried that with Rover, and it just brought the Rover name down-market.
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I can think of one EU country where Opel >> used to be considered quite smart and almost prestige vehicles, but >> now they are considered as very second rate with market share >> disappearing rapidly. >> >> >> >> That'd be Germany then??
was thinking of Sweden actually..........
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