I will never forget our neighbor in LA telling me he was going to the Buick dealer to get a new car in 1961. When he returned, I was expecting him to come home in a big Buick and instead, he came home in a little yellow Vauxhall 4 door sedan. It had a 3 speed transmission on the column. Buick dealers sold the Vauxhall. And then later, sold the Opel. He used that car daily for 10 years and then bought a new Karman Ghia by VW. I have to say the Vauxhall held up well and gave him little trouble.

My family owned a few Vauxhalls, my father's car was a 1959 Velox, my mother drove a 1959 Victor and then my sister and brother-in-law drove Victor(s) too, i n fact they traded up about every three years from 1959 onwards .

So glad you mentioned the post war economy, 👏 many a subscriber on KZread forgets that before opening their mouth 👄 and ridicule the more humble models Vauxhall made.

My first was a Mark 1 Viva great car. Learnt driving in it and passed my test in it in 1966.

A pity one of the main drivers behind Bedford and getting Vauxhall into the black after GM's buyout wasn't mentioned, Laurence Hartnett.

I remember reading that Vauxhall built Churchill heavy tanks in World War Two. Obviously they also kept the same wing mounted rear view mirrors on their cars!

The iconic bonnet flutes still had echoes right through to the HC Viva of the 70s, and also the 'V' in the grille of later models still.

Ignoring some of the commentary...... pleased to see some mint old Vauxhalls, my first car in 1974 was a 1966 viva HA (which I passed my test in) which my dad bought new. I'd love to drive one again

My farther owned a Crests used it for his taxi services around Southampton docks. I was about 12 at that time and enjoyed many Sunday drives around the south of England. Yes we called it England then. I now live in the one free country of Europe Hungary.

That first Vauxhall with some modern improvements would be a great city car today.

I seem to recall Vauxhall with only a three day working week during the HC.

I had an HB SL90.

Owned by PSA Group today and based on a PSA platform and parts. No longer the brand it was. Vauxhall+Peugeot Citroen = Vauxcitgeot!

This documentary COMPLETELY missed the victor. The best overseas selling car ever. Very strange

Like the hat industry before it, Vauxhall became part of the fabric of Luton. It brought full employment to the Town with over 26,000 employed from all over the UK & Commonwealth. It made millionaires & paid the mortgages for the new homes being built. Sadly, almost gone & a mere shadow of its glory days.

Like the idea of a horizontally opposed single cylinder!

Good car 👍🇬🇧

I think BMW should reintroduce tiller steering on M series cars

The first old vehicle "single cylinder, horizontally opposed" how is it opposed if it's a single cylinder?

P.s. also have the special history book, given to me by a friend who ran the museum in Luton. Nita.