Cars: Vauxhall presents its long heritage

From the Edwardian era to the space age, the cars we loved, forgot and some that were never built...

The company has been manufacturing automobiles in the UK since 1903 (Vauxhall)

Housing a collection of 75 vehicles, spanning the company’s entire 115 year history, on Sunday 10 June Vauxhall Heritage Centre is welcoming families and enthusiasts to its Park Street base to see everything from the first Vauxhall model – a 5hp, single-cylinder, chain-driven ‘horseless carriage’ – to the very latest 600hp Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R.

The show boasts a diverse range of vehicles (Vauxhall)

Sitting between these bookend cars will be a few others with significant anniversaries. The 1918 D-type Staff Car helped mobilise the British Army during the First World War, as the company marks a century since the Allied victory and end of hostilities. It’s also been 70 years since Vauxhall stopped building Churchill tanks for the war effort and recommenced car production at Luton and the L-Type Wyvern saloon tells this story of post-war motoring perfectly.

Many of the cars were built just around the corner from the show's site (Vauxhall)

There are many other anniversaries too this year: 35 years since the first Astra GTE, a “hot hatch” based on its sister Opel model, some 55 years since the first Viva, 40 years since the first high performance Chevette HS – but arguably the most important is Vauxhall’s best-selling Corsa, which this year turns 25. Expect to see all four generations outside the centre on the day.

Of course, there’s more to the collection than just production cars. The XVR and SRV concepts showcase Vauxhall’s industry leading design capability in the sixties and seventies, while the VX Lightning shows how this could have continued into the 21st century. There will also be a nod to Bedford, a now defunct but well remembered van and lorry brand, with vehicles ranging from the 1930 two ton truck, to the CA and CF panel vans.

The breadth and quality of Vauxhall’s Heritage Collection is unique, with most cars roadworthy and maintained by senior restorer, Andy Boddy and Terry Forder. A majority of the vehicles were also built just around the corner from the Heritage Centre, at the famous Kimpton Road plant.

Vauxhall’s Heritage Centre Open Day will run from 10am to 4pm on 10 June. Refreshments will be available throughout the day and parking is free. As in previous years, the day coincides with the Luton Festival of Transport, nearby.

The Heritage Centre is situated behind Vauxhall’s Head Office on Park Street, Luton LU1 3HG

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