Vauxhall Victor
The Vauxhall Victor was a passenger car model of the upper middle class, the British GM - subsidiary Vauxhall Motors was produced from 1957 to 1976. It was then renamed the Vauxhall VX series and continued to be built in 1978 until it was replaced by the Vauxhall Carlton , which was based on the Opel Rekord E. The last model was built under license from Hindustan Motors in India as the "Hindustan Contessa" in the 1980s and early 1990s with an Isuzu engine.
The first Vauxhall Victor was the first European car model with a panoramic windshield . For a time it was Britain's most exported vehicle; Exports went to the USA (sold there by Pontiac dealers, since Vauxhall had been part of the General Motors group since 1925 ), to Canada , Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and to Asian markets (LHD and RHD), such as Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) , India , Pakistan , Malaysia , Thailand and Singapore .
In Canada it was sold as both the Vauxhall Victor (at Pontiac dealers) and the Vauxhall Envoy (at Chevrolet , Oldsmobile and Buick dealers). The first 5-door factory station wagon of the Victor was built at Vauxhall, which was placed alongside the 4-door sedan.
Models
Series F (1957–1961)
The first Victor was called the "Series F" and over 390,000 pieces were made. It was comparable to the smoother, better processed German Opel Rekord P1 , to which it was technically similar, but the shape was more influenced by North American styling. Today only a few of this model have survived as they were very susceptible to rust. Fist-sized holes, which opened up in the third year, made it the worst car in its class and gave its manufacturer, who had previously been hit by durability, an even worse reputation.
FB series (1961–1964)
The cleanly styled second edition was called the "FB series". The shape and durability of the body had been improved and adapted to the values of the upper class of buyers in England. It was exported many times, although exports to the USA ceased in 1961 when compact cars designed by Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick in the USA appeared. As a result, the FB only reached 328,000 units, until it was replaced as the best Vauxhall to date in 1964.
FC series (1964–1967)
The "Serie FC", also known as "101", was the first Vauxhall that also had curved side windows, which enabled a larger interior width. From the “cobbled together” appearance, it was considered a step backwards compared to the conservative, solid, finely crafted FB. He was with the German Opel Rekord A comparable. It was the last Victor with an underneath camshaft (ohv) and reached 238,000 units by 1967, when it was replaced by the FD with its fashionable “Coke-Bottle-Hip swing”. In order to reassure unsettled customers who still remembered the rusty FA, the car was named "101" because it was claimed that it had 101 improvements over the FB.
FD series (1967–1972)
The "Series FD" was launched in Great Britain when there was a currency crisis and increasing waves of strikes, which led to price increases and poorer product quality. On paper, the new design of the 1599cc and 1975cc OHC engines was just as advanced and much better than that of many earlier mass-produced British cars as the new wheel suspensions, with coil springs instead of the usual leaf springs and double wishbones at the front, however Driving stability and manufacturing quality of the FD were much worse than the paper form promised. The independent tuner Blydenstein was able to easily change the cams of the ohc machine so that the performance corresponded to the ambitious specifications.
The FD had contoured individual seats in the front and no front bench like the Victor as a good family car had before. The new seats were part of the standard equipment of the Victor 2000 (later 2000 SL after the facelift of 1970) and could be ordered as special equipment for the Victor 1600 (later Super after the facelift of 1970). Contoured individual seats were standard on the VX 4/90 and Ventora ; The latter also had lumbar supports as standard from 1969. All single-seat models no longer had a steering wheel shift, but a four-speed gearbox with center shift, in the case of the VX 4/90 and the Ventora with overdrive as an option .
The production numbers of the FD were 198,000 units below those of its predecessor, and that over a somewhat longer production period, which ended in spring 1972. This is also due to a long strike in 1970, as well as the breakdown of some export markets: the FD was the last Vauxhall Victor to be sold in Canada (under the name “Vauxhall” or “Envoy”) and the last to be officially imported into New Zealand.
FE series (1972–1976)
The last Victor series was called "Serie FE" or "Transcontinental". The car had the same floor pan as the Opel Rekord D , but a slightly different body, different wheel suspensions and a different steering gear (worm instead of recirculating ball bearings).
The same engines were used as in the FD, but with a slightly larger displacement (1759 cm³ and 2279 cm³). For a short time there was an in-line six-cylinder engine in the Ventora and in the 3300 SL , a Victor station wagon with slightly less equipment than the luxurious Ventora. The station wagons had a more forward-sloping rear end than the Opel models and a 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles.
In 1974 a real Ventora Estate was finally introduced, with a few other changes to the rest of the model range.
The energy crisis , declining exports and the deteriorating image led to the decline of Vauxhall during the early 1970s ; so the FE only reached 55,000 copies before becoming the VX in 1976.
VX series (1976–1978)
The "VX series" was created through a small facelift of the FE series. You can recognize them by a new grille and new headlights, as well as a better interior. The Vauxhall VX 2300 GLS replaced the Ventora as the flagship.
VX 4/90 and Ventora
The Vauxhall VX 4/90 was introduced with the FB series. Initially it was called VX Four-Ninety for a short time and the last derivative of the VX series was called VX 490 . The name was derived from the prototype: “'V'auxhall e'X'perimental' 4 'cylinder engine of' 90 'cu.in. capacity ". In addition to the performance-enhancing changes, the VX 4/90 had a few highlights inside and out that set them apart from the simpler Victor models.
The Vauxhall Ventora was introduced into the FD series in 1968 and was also manufactured in the FE series until 1976. It had the body of the Victor, but the Bedford-derived 3294 cc in-line six-cylinder engine of the larger Vauxhall Cresta . The Ventora also differed from the Victor in that it was better equipped.
Big Bertha
A unique piece of the Ventora FE was manufactured by Holden - Repco in 1974 for the V8 touring car championship and was nicknamed "Big Bertha". It was driven by British racing driver Gerry Marshall and had a tuned 5.7 liter V8 Holden engine. It had little resemblance to the production vehicle, but only reminded something of it in its overall concept. The design was immature and the car had a serious accident after just a few races. It was too big and too heavy and had massive handling problems, even in the knowledgeable hands of Gerry Marshall. So it was decided to build a completely new, much smaller vehicle around the same engine and the same (greatly shortened) chassis and to give it the appearance of the “Droopsnoot” - Firenza . This car was nicknamed "Baby Bertha", was very successful and dominated racing until Vauxhall withdrew from there in 1977 in favor of rallying.
