Vauxhall History

The Vauxhall Company (at the known as Alexander Wilson & Co, Engineers) was set up in 1857 by Alexander Wilson in the Vauxhall Iron works in Wandsworth Road. He started by manufacturing marine engines and other items. When he left to company in 1897 the company’s name changed to Vauxhall Iron Works Co Ltd.

The company created a small one cylinder marine petrol engine which became the basis for their “horseless carriage” which debuted in 1903. They eventually produced 40 five horse power “A719”s.

The company expanded into a number of premises in the Vauxhall area. The main factory was on what is now the Sainsbury's petrol station on Wandsworth Road opposite the end of Wyvil Street. Panel beating took place in what became the Myers bed factory in Tyers Street - but the need for more working space caused the company to move to Luton in 1905.

The company continued to trade under the name Vauxhall Iron Works until 1907, when the modern name of Vauxhall Motors Ltd. was adopted. The company was characterized by its sporting models, but after the First World War, designed more austere models.

General Motors bought Vauxhall motors for 2.5 million dollars the 1925.

During World War II, as with most company’s car production was suspended to allow Vauxhall to work on the Churchill Tank, 5,600 were built after only a year of design.

After the War car production resumed after the war, Vauxhall’s reputation was not the best they were known for making rust-prone models however most manufacturers were equally as bad. This reputation dodged the company until the 1980s.

A model unique to the Vauxhall range is the high performance Monaro coupe, which is sourced from Holden in Australia. Although this model is also produced in left hand drive (LHD) for markets like the US (known as the Pontiac GTO) and the Middle East (known as the Chevrolet Lumina), the model is not currently offered by Opel in the Europe. Imports of this vehicle are limited to 15,000 to avoid additional safety testing.

The Luton plant closed in 2000, but production still continues at the plant in Ellesmere Port. Many cars badged as Opels, even LHD models, are produced by Vauxhall for export. Vauxhall has built some Holdens for export, too, notably Vectra As to New Zealand and Astra Bs to both Australia and New Zealand.

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