Vauxhall was, of course, a brand known for intelligent design, radical styling and making usefully stylish and affordable motor cars for everyone, for most of the twentieth century and before that, as well. The company became renowned throughout the world for its innovative mechanics, the way it organised production and for making vehicles which were not only effective and efficient but also an excellent value.

Over its years, Vauxhall adopted a variety of innovative ideas to give it a competitive edge over its competitors, and to provide customers with useable engineering solutions. In this chapter, we discover twelve examples when Vauxhall demonstrated a powerful synergy of innovation, performance, and customer appeal, proving that the name, once you became familiar with it, really represented value for money, and truly became synonymous with the Britain car.

1. Securing the Luton Factory Site 

Buying up six and a half acres of land on the conveniently named Gallows Road (now Kimpton Road) in Luton in April 1904 was perhaps one of Vauxhall’s most farsighted decisions ever. With its lease at the old Wandsworth Road yard running out and a critical shortage of space to move into larger, multi cylinder car manufacturing, the choice of Luton secured everything. In addition, this gave local industry, heavily reliant on hat making, a real injection of jobs, supported and encouraged by Luton’s Chamber of Commerce.

Why the Move Mattered:

• Purchased site in April 1904
• Six and a half acre Luton plot
• Escaped expiring London lease
• Created jobs as industry declined
• Backed by Chamber of Commerce

Therefore, relocating to Luton was key for Vauxhall, allowing for their expansion from the cramped facilities that they owned in London, out to bigger, multi- cylinder producing manufacturing space. At Vauxhall, the move gave them room for expansion as well as a stable place for growth in the future, as well as providing work for a town who needed it due to the dying hat industry. As can be seen, the 1904 Vauxhall manufacturing site at Luton proved to be an investment that satisfied not only the manufacturer but the community (helped by the local Chamber of Commerce) as well.

2. Engineering the 3-Cylinder 12-14hp Engine

By the end of 1904, single cylinder motors were already becoming dated, so Vauxhall chief designer F W Hodges planned an ambitious, strong 2445cc 3-cylinder, limited to 1300rpm and capable of cruising along merrily at 30-35 mph with four on board. It was an engineering masterpiece for its era, comprising three independently water jacketed single cylinder engine units mounted in line on a crank case. Cruising at 30-35 miles per hour was comfortably achievable with four passengers.

Engine Design Highlights:

• 2445cc 3 cylinder engine
• Governed to 1300rpm
• Cruised at 30-35mph
• Four main bearings fitted
• Twin camshafts, spur gears

Hodges set up the crank with four main bearings and adopted twin overhead cams operating through spur gears in an accessible open arrangement, and fitted large access panels to the crank case with a drop away sump making for a much improved approach for servicing. Failures of the crank and connecting rods became commendably rare as a result.

3. Pioneering Rigorous Prototype Testing

In July 1904 director Percy Kidner decided on a programme of extremely severe test driving for a trial 12-14hp. He ordered his test car in April for delivery and paid for a “250 test run” for each car even before release to the market. This level of in house pre production development work was truly remarkable in the early days of motoring where vehicles tended to be released without rigorous real world testing and then “fixed” by customers.

Testing Approach:

• £250 prototype commissioned
• Ordered by Percy Kidner
• Fitted with solid tyres
• No mudguards or lighting
• Found and fixed overheating

Kidner fitted solid tyres and deliberately omitted the mudguards and electrics, sending the prototypes to tour extensive mileage across Britain, thus giving them a thorough hammering of every nut and bolt and more importantly identifying that the new engine cooled itself too slowly at low road speed. Vauxhall fixed this by doubling the size of its radiator, fitting a stronger core, and using a more efficient water pump prior to selling a single car.

4. Refining Driveability with the Two Stage Cone Clutch

For the era, even a manually selected clutch could sometimes deliver what could be described as an“all or nothing”experience causing drivers to lurch sickeningly into the road when pulling away, and Vauxhall applied thought and innovation to this well loved problem on the 12-14 hp. They redesigned the already well regarded standard cone clutch design, solving a problem which had faced pretty much all car owners of whatever make.

Clutch Improvement Details:

• Standard clutches felt jerky
• Leather pads added
• Created two stage engagement
• Eliminated harsh take offs
• Easier for everyday motorists

By the adoption of a few, small, effective leather pads within the driving cone giving it a sort of “two stage engagement”Vauxhall was able to provide a smoother, more progressively responsive engine power take up eliminating much of that jerky take up experienced across the industry, resulting in a much easier car to drive for the motorist at large.

5. Delivering Complete Value with the 12-14hp Touring Car

When launched to the press in November 1904 the 12-14hp Four Seater Touring Car seemed a very attractive offering for its list price of £375. Vauxhall was unique, not only did the car include in its list price (other than driver and passenger) side paraffin lamps and rear lamp, but also provided a full set of spares comprising not just lamps, but also air pump and repair kit, and spare wheels. This level of standard equipment, especially spare tires, set it aside as great value.

Touring Car Value Package:

• Launched November 1904 at £375
• Included lamps and tyres
• Air pump and repair kit
• 28-36mph top speed
• Averaged 20mpg economy

Drifting nicely at between 28 and 36mph, the car achieved an economical 20 mpg average, proving itself a sensible and reliable machine for its era. Neither too fast nor too slow for most applications, be they for the daily commute or a cross country trip, it was widely considered by its contemporaries to be the perfect, practical road car and none of them thought of it as a mere toy.

6. Pioneering the 6-Speed Overdrive Gearbox 

At the September 1905 Isle of Man TT with driver A J Hancock, Vauxhall launched an ingenious development. To prevent engine speeds being maintained too high during competition and over-heating taking hold, A J’s Vauxhall came with a remarkable 6 speed overdrive gearbox that was controlled via twin gear levers; the level of complexity was almost unprecedented in cars at that time.

Gearbox Breakthrough:

• Debuted at 1905 Tourist Trophy
• Driven by A J Hancock
• 6-speed overdrive gearbox
• Controlled by twin levers
• Standard from September 1905 

A wheel collapsed during testing of the new unit, but Vauxhall pressed ahead and fitted the six-speed gearbox as standard equipment to its 12-14hp road-ready models as from September 1905. In an era when most cars had very few gears, it was one of Britain’s most ambitious automotive engineering achievements, the benefits in power, usability and performance being significant.

7. Pioneering three year face lift plans

In the 1960s the 12-14 hp and medium sized Victor along with the large Velox and Cresta sedans saw Vauxhall falling into a similar dilemma; using the often flashy style of US GM in America (a look many weren’t comfortable with in early ’60s Britain) with early Victors in particular suffer from an unwanted reputation for rust it seemed that Luton would have trouble making a success of this range of cars.

Solving the Style Problem:

• American inspired styling clashed
• Early Victors had rust issues
• Adopted three year facelift policy
• Swept away tailfins, chrome
• Kept saloons on trend

The changing demands of the market led to the systematic implementation by Vauxhall of a programme of facelifts and new models every three years. Thus, the Vauxhall mainstream saloon cars were kept modern, competitive, and appeal to the customer. These efforts meant that Vauxhall maintained an overall popularity for its range of saloons in the 1960’s.

8. Introducing Popular Compact Saloons 

In 1963 Vauxhall entered the market of burgeoning smaller cars when they unveiled the new and totally differentcompact saloon, the Viva HA. Measuring significantly longer than both the Mini and the Hillman Imp the Viva HA was available in either Standardor De-luxe trim, with a 1057cc engine. Though not the most flamboyant of designs, it was an economical and spacious car that offered a good all-round alternative to the other smaller cars on the market.

From Viva HA to Viva HB:

• Viva HA launched 1963
• Larger than Mini, Imp
• 1057cc engine offered
• Viva HB arrived 1966
• Featured in ‘Likely Lads’

The ‘Viva HB’, produced in 1966 received a stronger 1,159 cc engine, had new grilles, rectangular lamps and a new sleek coke-bottle body styling with which modern trends in the sixties became renowned. The modern look, along with performance boost attracted more customers and was ultimately remembered by being the used in ‘Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads’ by Bob Ferris (played by Rodney Bewes).

9. Crafting Practical Estate Transport 

In the long history of small British saloons to make their way into estate car guise few have remained quite as popular as Vauxhall’s Bedford Beagle. Launched back in 1964 the saloon was adapted, as much as possible, into an estate and was particularly popular for general transport, offering much greater practicality for families and trades people than the equivalent sedan version for people who didn’t particularly want too much more length of vehicle.

Bedford Beagle Facts:

• Launched in 1964
• Based on Viva HA
• Built for families, tradesmen
• Produced until 1973
• Maximized platform utility

The reliable Bedford Beagle sold for over the whole of the 1960s and the first few years of the 1970s; in fact it only ended its production run in 1973. When developing the Beagle, Vauxhall used its miniature saloon shell on a much stronger chassis, converting its basic saloon car into a very versatile car with good market understanding; using and optimizing the same structure as opposed to developing a whole new car was clever market sense.

10. Injecting Excitement with Sporty Derivatives 

1968 A further series of Viva models was launched, adding the performance-oriented Viva 1600 and sport-like Viva GT to the range. The new versions provided stronger performance while still delivering the convenience and flexibility for which the model was renowned. Vauxhall identified the potential in a motorist looking for added excitement without the in-built compromises of the typical sports car and introduced the faster models at a time when such vehicles was gaining in popularity.

Viva Performance Models:

• Viva 1600 added, 1968
• Viva GT joined lineup
• Twin carburettor engine fitted
• Coke bottle HB styling
• Built major street credibility

In flagship Viva GT guise, the family compact was quite an exciting piece of machinery, featuring a bigger 4 pot (with a twin carb configuration added to the mix). This punchy motor, coupled with the big “coke bottle” profile of the HB, made the Viva GT one of the most involving, useable sports saloons the maker had ever produced and added serious street credibility with performance buyers.

11. Widening the Victor into Executive Territory 

Even with its enormous sales throughout the sixties, it would seem that some customers simply wouldn’t stretch enough to consider buying a larger vehicle than the Victor. To attract middle management, Vauxhall started to develop these models to make them appeal far more at the executive level so owners could buy an executive car, or if that was beyond their reach, they bought their Victor.

Elevating the Victor:

• Cornerstone of sixties lineup
• Expanded into executive segment
• Elevated interior appointments
• Improved mechanical refinement
• Reached middle management buyers

But with an improvement in both mechanical sophistication and interior styling it was able to close the divide between family conveyance and the executive drive with more than one toe dip over the line. Expanding the range of Victor was an inexpensive route for Vauxhall to tempt status-aware aspirational executives from a generation back in the organization without the prohibitive cost of entirely new development.

12. Scaling Up Luxury with Flagship Executive Saloons 

At the high end of the mainstream motoring market the Velox and Cresta models provided the desired effect and stature in the late 1960s; becoming larger, more substantial, far more luxurious versions and so were popular as large estate and sedan cars at the executive top of the market to cater for any buyers left outside the smaller saloon ownership scheme. Top class luxurious design.

Flagship Saloon Evolution:

• Velox and Cresta led range
• Grew larger through decade
• Culminated in 1968 Ventora
• Delivered smooth cruising comfort
• Competed in every market tier

However, what the grand proportions offered, in tandem with their silky gliding over Britain’s byways, was an unmatched ability to coddle their occupants. At the top of the tree for 1957 Vauxhall was able to go head-to-head on the showroom floor with any number of smaller, even humbler, models and still hold its own in the most exalted executive mobile circles.