Vauxhall – the leading British manufacturer of family cars since 1963.

Vauxhall has been delivering leading family compact cars to the British public and worldwide for almost 50 years. To date a staggering 4.5 million Vauxhall cars have been sold in this sector.

New Astra will be 10th generation of compact family car to emerge from Ellesmere Port plant where production is due to start in late 2009.

Let us take you for a step back in time or for some a trip down memory lane, and take a look at some of Vauxhall’s compact family cars since 1963.

Viva HA
The H-Type in 1936 was Vauxhall’s first entry in the compact family car market, however, it wasn’t until 1963 with the launch of the Viva which saw the British manufacturer gain ground in what soon became and still remains, the best-selling sector in the market.

Originally built in Luton, production switched to the new Ellesmere Port facility the following year where each subsequent Vauxhall compact family car has been built.

Rolling off the production line in a time when tinkering with the motor on a Sunday was part and parcel of most family’s routine, the easy-to-maintain Viva HA had instant appeal. Produced for just over three years, 300,000 drivers were testament to Viva’s popularity.

Viva HB
The Viva HB was a more complex compact car and was aimed at the more discerning driver.
HA’s simple transverse leaf suspension and narrow track was replaced by a car that used sophisticated coil springs all round. Styling was much more sophisticated and the famous ‘coke bottle’ swage line seen in many cars of the era made its debut on the HB Viva.

Offered as both two and four-door saloons, as well as a stylish estate, there were also performance versions such as the ‘Brabham’ Viva, developed for GM by the 1966 F1 champion Jack Brabham and the even more potent Viva GT with trademark matt black bonnet with a top speed of 100mph. Over half a million Viva HBs were sold in four years.

Viva HC
HC enjoyed the longest production run of any Viva model from its introduction in 1970 through till the end of 1979. Much of the technical features of the HB such as the  four-link rear and independent front suspension set-up was carried over directly to the HC.

The angular, straight lines of the HC were very different to the curvaceous HB and many styling cues were imported direct from Detroit with the fluted bonnet reflective of the then current Pontiac whilst the Buick was reflected in the rear lamps units and wheelarches.

With a much broader range of engines and trim levels than ever before, the HC also reflected the growing importance of the embryonic fleet market. Two door, four door, estate and a coupe (the Firenza produced to rival Ford’s Capri) numbered among HC’s different versions. The more upmarket Magnum appeared in 1973 whilst the ‘Droop Snoot’ Firenza and Sporthatch models, finished in Silver Starfire metallic paint and fitted with an unusual polyurethane ‘beak’ containing triple headlights, are the most collectable HC variants today.

Chevette
The distinctive ‘shovel-nosed’ Chevette was launched in 1975 and this aerodynamic look was exclusive to Vauxhall despite the Chevette being the first ever global GM project with variations appearing all in chief world markets. Initially sold only as Vauxhall’s first ever hatchback, since it first appeared alongside the Viva, it wasn’t long before the three-door was joined by four-door saloon and estate models in late 1976. It was also built as a panel van, the Chevanne, which was the precursor to today’s incredibly successful Astravan range.

More than 415,000 Chevettes were sold by the time it was withdrawn in 1984 making it a popular choice for motorists but it also proved ideal for rallying, and the rally-tuned HS and HSR versions of the Chevette achieved some fine results for Vauxhall’s dealer-backed race team, DTV.

Astra Mk 1
Representing a complete transformation for the brand, Astra Mk1 set new standards of comfort, handling and refinement for its class. The first front-wheel drive compact family car from Vauxhall, it was an out and out challenge of the VW Golf.

Vauxhall had already started to produce a wider and wider range of variants for each of its models but this trend took off in the Astra Mk 1 which included three and five-door hatchbacks, a four-door saloon, three and five-door estates and a panel van. Another first for Vauxhall was the introduction of the 1.6 diesel in this segment which was key to the continually growing fleet market.

The most famous Mk 1 has to be the first Astra GTE which went on to become  a performance icon that would become one of the best-known hot hatches of the 1980s.

Astra Mk 2
Aerodynamics were expected by the drivers of the mid-1980s and the Astra Nk 2, whilst carrying over much of Mk 1’s technical and engineering aspects, delivered this in abundance. The Vauxhall design team had been set the task of achieving a drag co-efficient of less than 0.30 – a figure more akin to a sports car than to a family hatchback. Launched in 1984, the Mk 2 was full of innovations such as flush-fitting guttering and windows, a wraparound bumper and a curvaceous, windcheating front end. The result of the designers’ efforts was a car that, even today, doesn’t look outdated in modern traffic, and which quite deservedly won the 1985 European Car of the Year award.

The GTE remained the halo model, especially from 1990 when it gained a new 16v engine, developing 150bhp. Over 600,000 Astra Mk 2s were sold in a seven-year period.

Astra Mk 3
Taller, wider and longer, the Astra Mk 3 Introduced in 1991, remained true to its Mk 2 parent. Improved handling and higher comfort levels particularly appealed to fleet customers but it was also one of the safest cars in its segment. Popular with the British motorist, the Mk 3 was never out of the top 10 sellers charts throughout its life – with total UK sales of over 600,000 when it was finally withdrawn in 1998.

Astra Mk 4
Extensive standard equipment and a dynamic performance to match really sets the Mk 4 apart from its predecessors.

Encompassing the quality, integrity and solidity more likely to be associated with more upmarket brands, the Mk 4 appealed to fleet customers and retail buyers alike. The Bertone-styled (and built) coupe and convertible models introduced in 2000, the latter having a button on the keyfob with which you could remotely raise and lower the roof, stand out from the rest of the range.
The Mk 4 was also the first Astra (and, indeed, the first compact hatchback in the UK) to comply with the Euro 4 emissions legislation that has become the norm today.

Astra Mk 5
Once again raising the bar in terms of design, engineering excellence and innovative features, the current Astra replaced the Mk 4 in 2004.  A new range of engines, which included 1.9-litre CDTi diesels providing all the performance of a high-powered petrol engine without the associated running costs, were introduced.

In 2005 the three-door ‘Sport Hatch’ in 2005 combined coupe styling with the practicality of a three-door hatchback, and introduced such options as the new ‘Panoramic’ windscreen, with a glass area that cut back into the roof to give incredible airiness and visibility.

A panel van joined the line-up in 2006, along with the new Astra TwinTop – a hard-roofed coupe that could be turned into an open top at the push of a button.