Vauxhall Chevette

Vauxhall Chevette
Overview
Manufacturer Vauxhall (General Motors)
Also called Opel Chevette
AYMESA Cóndor (Sedan)
AYMESA Gala (Hatchback)
Production 1975–1984
Assembly Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, United Kingdom

Quito, Ecuador (AYMESA)
Body and chassis
Class Supermini (B)
Body style
Platform GM T platform (RWD)
Related Chevrolet Chevette
GMC Chevette
Holden Gemini
Isuzu Gemini
Opel Kadett
Opel K-180
Daewoo Maepsy
Powertrain
Transmission
  • 4-speed manual
  • 3-speed automatic
Chronology
Successor Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Nova

The Chevette is a supermini model of car which was manufactured by Vauxhall in the United Kingdom from 1975 to 1984. It was Vauxhall's version of the family of small "T-Cars" from Vauxhall's parent General Motors (GM). The family included the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, and in the U.S. and Canada was re-badged as Pontiac Acadian/Pontiac T1000.

Development

The Chevette, as its name implies, was intended to be a baby Chevrolet. At the same time as this project was being considered in America, Vauxhall gave much publicity to a new design project, provisionally referred to as the 'Baby R'. In the event, however, economics held sway and a design for all markets was chosen based upon an existing vehicle, the Opel Kadett. The car was first launched in Brazil in 1973 as a slightly restyled Kadett with a hatchback added to the lineup. This hatchback was launched in the U.S. and Britain in 1975 with restyled front ends. Initial production started at Luton, but Chevette assembly was moved to the Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire as production of the larger Cavalier and Carlton models was moved from Opel plants in Belgium and Germany.

The UK version of the vehicle was intended to fit into the Vauxhall range below the Viva, and was initially presented only in its hatchback version, a style that soared in popularity during the 1970s. With its Pontiac-inspired 'shovel nose' and inset headlamps, the hatchback's UK version looked radically different from the Opel Kadett and was easily accepted by the motoring public as a totally new car. It was only when the saloon, estate car and van variants appeared and the hatchback was added to the Kadett lineup that the conjuring trick was revealed. The Chevette was the first British-built hatchback of this size, and Ford did not respond with a similar product until the following year (their similar-sized offerings all having conventional rear boots).

Sales began on 1 May 1975 from a price of £1,593.[1]

From 1975 until 1978, the Chevette was the UK's best selling hatchback as UK branded rivals failed to respond to the challenge of the imported Peugeot 104, Fiat 127 and Renault 5 until the arrival of Ford's Fiesta at the end of 1976. Chrysler UK did not launch its Chrysler Sunbeam until 1977, while it was only in 1980 that British Leyland came up with the Austin Metro. The Chevette also managed to outsell larger hatchbacks including the Austin Maxi and Chrysler Alpine.

The Chevette's 1.3 litre engine and relatively small bodyshell allowed for good performance. The Chevette had a light steering, clutch and gearchange, as well as good visibility and was spacious inside. The Chevette's success was probably due to its versatility, which compared well with larger cars like the Ford Escort. It was available in three-door hatchback for the single driver, and saloon models which suited families, estate car for the service fleets and the 'Chevanne', van version for all other utility purposes.

Vauxhall Chevette 4-door saloon (pre-facelift, without headlamp covers).
The Chevrolet Chevette copied the Vauxhall Chevette's shovel-nose.
In 1976 the estate version was introduced, essentially the "Caravan" version of the Kadett C with a droopsnoot nose. The two and four door saloon versions also appeared at the same time.
A minimalist facelift in 1979 saw protruding headlight covers applied to the front of the car and plastic trims to highlight the extractor vents on the rear pillars of the saloon Chevette.
Vauxhall Chevette, a rare HSR rally model in road-going trim

The original hatchback was launched in the UK in the spring of using Vauxhall's slogan and musical 'jingle', which capitalised on its practicality and widespread appeal: "It's whatever you want it to be! - A sporty coupe, a family saloon, a handy estate...".[2] It was made at the purpose built factory in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, under a government initiative to bring employment to the area.

More conventional 2- and 4-door saloons, and 3-door estate variants (essentially the Kadett C with Vauxhall front sheetmetal and engines) were also offered from June 1976.[3] The two-door coupé version of the Kadett C was the only version of the Opel car not to have a Chevette equivalent.

The Viva remained on sale until the end of 1979, when the Opel Kadett D was launched. It was intended that this car would be produced also in America and the UK, as the second generation Chevette, but due to various industrial issues, at the time, GM had decided to mothball most of the Ellesmere Port Plant, retaining only the assembly shop to build the new car. These would be produced from 'knock-down' kits, shipped from Opel's Russelsheim plant. Due to the huge loss of workforce which this would entail, representations were made, which resulted in the decision to continue production of the existing models, alongside the new. This meant that a new name would have to be found for Vauxhall's version of the new Opel Kadett, and so in March 1980 the Vauxhall Astra was born, replacing the Viva in the Vauxhall range, while the Chevette remained on sale until 1984. At this time, the planned mothballing of the major proportion of the Ellesmere Port plant went ahead, as had been originally planned, following a five-year stay of execution.

This longevity led to the Chevette being exported to Germany after 1979, following the discontinuation of the Kadett C; here the Chevette was an unusual small car in that it still featured rear wheel drive, as most of its competitors were now driven by the front wheels. In order to give German buyers the option of rear-wheel drive following the Kadett D's introduction a further 12,332 Chevettes were sold through Opel dealers in Germany with effect from October 1980, although they never actually carried Opel or Vauxhall branding - being badged simply as "Chevette". By this time, the Chevette was the only Vauxhall badged car to be sold in markets such as Mauritius and New Zealand: successor models assembled in the UK for sale in mainland Europe, such as the Astra, have been badged as Opels.

A van version, based on the estate and called the Bedford Chevanne was also built, and badged as part of GM's Bedford commercial vehicles marque.

Although the Chevette was largely a rebadged Opel Kadett C with revised front-end (detailed below), it did use the 1256 cc overhead valve (OHV) engine of the Viva instead of the Kadett's units, which were produced by Opel. The Kadett's double wishbone front suspension, rear-wheel drive and rear suspension with Panhard rod, torque tube and coil sprung live axle were carried over unaltered. Inside, the two cars differed only in terms of their dashboard and switchgear: the Chevette stuck to the British & Japanese right-hand drive tradition of having the indicator switch on the right-hand side of the steering column, while the Kadett had the mainland European left-hand drive custom of the flasher stalk being on the left. The Chevette also had a much more angular instrument binnacle, although the instrument cluster itself was directly transplanted from the Kadett (though in imperial rather than metric measurements).

The Chevette's front end featured a more aerodynamic-looking nose treatment than the Kadett, based loosely on the design of the "droopsnoot" Firenza, itself having been inspired by the Pontiac Firebird, a sister GM product. In contrast the Kadett had a more conventional flat-fronted design. In 1980, the Chevette underwent a facelift with flush fitting headlights, giving it a "family look" alongside the larger Vauxhall Cavalier version of the Opel Ascona. It also received new wheel designs, revised C-pillar vent covers and revamped interior trim with re-designed front seats to increase rear knee room marginally. However, it was effectively the beginning of a phase-out in favour of the newer Astra, Vauxhall's version of the front wheel drive Kadett, which was launched in January 1980, although it was not produced in Britain until November 1981. The phasing-out of the Chevette continued in April 1983, when the hatchback model was discontinued due to the launch of the Spanish built Nova.

Production of the remaining saloon and estate versions finally finished in January 1984, although sales continued for about a year afterwards, with many B-registered Chevettes finding homes from August 1984 and beyond. A total of 415,000 Chevettes were sold in Britain.[4]

Timeline (UK model range)

Countries

Austria

The Chevette was also sold in Austria, where it was also offered with the option of a low output version of the 1256 engine (49.5 bhp). The range included 2 & 4 door L saloon and Estate, GL 3 door Hatch, GLS 4 door saloon and 3 door Hatch.

Ecuador

The local factory AYMESA produced a version of the Chevette starting in 1978. This version was called AYMESA Cóndor. It had a glass fiber body and a 1500 cc engine with the higher compression cylinder head from GM Brazil to compensate for the Andean altitudes.

France

The Chevette was also sold in France but it did not sell well against the Peugeots and Renaults of the time. The Chevette was the last Vauxhall sold in France.

On 6 December 1979 Vauxhall announced that they were pulling out of 11 major European countries where Vauxhall cars were sold alongside Opels. This was to be completed by the end of 1981.

Germany

However within weeks of this being announced Vauxhall said they would be exporting Chevettes to Germany. At the time Opel had already started selling the Kadett D/Astra Mk1, but as it was felt that there was still a market for the previous rwd model the Chevette was sold through Opel dealers with a 1,256 cc 53 bhp N and a 57 bhp S Automatic. The only Vauxhall badging was the hub caps and steering wheel.

New Zealand

Although the Chevette was generally a European car, it was also assembled in New Zealand between 1976 and 1981. All bodystyles that were available in the UK were sold. The first models built were three-door hatchbacks.[5]

It was notable that New Zealand had the Chevette as well as the Isuzu Gemini, as neighbouring Australia had only the Isuzu Gemini-based Holden Gemini. The Vauxhall 1.3L (from the Viva and Magnum) was the standard engine unit for all Chevette models.

Most models were of "GL" specification and all had metric instrumentation. A lower-level trim Chevanne commercial fleet model was also offered, however unlike the European models it used the estate's bodyshell - complete with side windows - and was badged as a Vauxhall.

In 1979 the New Zealand Chevette had a mechanical update unseen on the European models, when it gained Holden-developed Radial Tuned Suspension. This resulted in the entire Chevette range being re-suspended on wider tyres, and tuned suspension, giving the car superior handling over its rivals.

At the beginning of 1980 the Chevette received a facelift, which included flush mounted headlamps, and various new interior appointments, including extra air vents and different seats, giving more legroom to the cars.

An additional base "E" model was introduced to the range in 1980, aimed at fleets and budget-minded buyers, using the four-door bodyshell. This car was incredibly spartan – fitted with plain wheels and vinyl seats – and lacked many necessities, including reversing lamps, hazard flashers, radio and many gauges.

Production of the New Zealand Chevette ceased in June 1981, when it was replaced by the Holden Gemini, which for the New Zealand market had initially been sold as an Isuzu in the mid-1970s and then been dropped before making an early-80s comeback. The Chevette was the last British-sourced GM product to be assembled in New Zealand.[6]

Sweden

The Chevette was also sold in Sweden. The range was a little different from that of the UK with the 2 door saloon and 3 door Estate only available in L spec and the Hatch and 4 door saloon only available in GLS spec - no E or GL models were offered.

Vauxhall Chevette-style, plastic-bodied Grumett coupé utility (Uruguay)

Uruguay

In Uruguay, the Viva-based "Grumett" had been marketed since 1962. This was a 2+2 coupé utility based on the Viva HC, with imported metal doors and locally made fiberglass front and rear ends. A similarly constituted copy of the Vauxhall Chevette was created to replace the original Grumett. However, this featured the 1.4 litre engine and mechanical underpinnings of the Brazilian Chevrolet Chevette. This was then succeeded by a version which featured the Brazilian-style bodywork, although this time it was also available as a station wagon.

Special models

Chevette HS

In 1976, at the instigation of new chairman Bob Price, Vauxhall decided to increase their profile in international rallying. In conjunction with Blydenstein Racing, who ran Dealer Team Vauxhall, the nearest thing to a 'works' competition effort, they developed a rally version of the Chevette.

They created a far more powerful Chevette variant by fitting the much larger 2.3 litre Slant Four engine into the shell, using a sixteen valve cylinder head which Vauxhall was developing. Suspension and rear axle were from the Opel Kadett C GT/E, while the gearbox was a Getrag 5-speed. Chevrolet Vega Alloy wheels (similar in appearance to the Avon wheels used on the droopsnoot Firenza) were used, as well as a newly developed glass-reinforced plastic air dam.

The resulting car was extremely fast, with 135 hp (100 kW), and a far cry from the small-engined Chevettes from which it was developed. In order to compete in international rallying, the car had to be homologated; for Group 4, the class the HS was to compete in, this meant building 400 production examples. The result was an incredibly fast and well handling, if rather unrefined, road car. Like the Droopsnoot Firenza, the HS was available only in silver, with red highlighting and a bright red, black and tartan interior; though (partly to help sell unsold vehicles) some cars were repainted black, such the Mamos Garage HS-X.

Chevette HSR evolution version

The HS had some early issues, and Vauxhall quickly responded. Fifty examples of a modified version were built in late 1979; these had new spoilers and wings, and a new bonnet to allow an altered fuel injection system. The rear suspension was also modified.[7] The HS ended up a great success as a rally car, clocking up notable wins for drivers such as Pentti Airikkala and Tony Pond. It was a challenge to the most successful rally car of the time, the Ford Escort, winning the British Open Rally Championship for Drivers in 1979 and for manufacturers in 1981. It was also successful in other national rally championships, such as Belgium's.[8]

To keep the rally car competitive into the 1980s an evolution version, the Chevette HSR, was developed which held its own for several more years. Evolution in Group 4 demanded a production run of 50 cars incorporating the new modifications; these were made by rebuilding unsold HSs and by modifying customers' vehicles. However, the merger of the Vauxhall and Opel marketing departments had already resulted in Dealer Team Vauxhall and Dealer Opel Team (DOT) joining to form GM Dealer Sport (GMDS); with the Chevette soon to be obsolete, Opel were able to force the cancellation of the HSR rally programme in favour of the Manta 400.

Chevette Blackwatch

This was a Special Edition Chevette made by Star Custom Vehicles, Station Road, Ampthill. They came with Black and Silver Paint, a plaque inside the door stating styles by Farina, sports steering wheel, flared arches and low profile wheels. Blackwatch was written on the nose of the car and on the bottom of each door.

Chevette Grenadier

Also produced by Star Custom Vehicles, Station Road, Ampthill. Features Black, Silver and Orchid livery. Color impregnated Front Air Dam. Flexi Rear spoiler. Alloy wheels with locking option. Head restraints. Black four spoke Sports Steering Wheel. Centre console. These features in addition to the Chevette L Hatch Specification. Burr walnut fascia, hinged glove box and door capping. Removable glass tinted sun hatch. 2 wave band radio/stereo cassette player with door speakers. Lock wheel centers.

Both the above special editions were created by Rob Darcus of Star Custom vehicles. Rob started to create specials to shift more metal when he was District Manager for Vauxhall in London. He got Hamilton Motors involved and they set up a facility in Ampthill called Star Custom Cars. They did fancy paint jobs on various Chevette dealer specials (that is they were ordered by Rob's dealers in London and not available else where). He eventually got the call from Luton where he did the same sort of thing national. Sadly Rob died some years ago.

Chevette Jubilee

This 1977 special edition was produced in Silver to commemorate the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977.

Bedford Chevanne

The Bedford Chevanne was a small commercial vehicle based on the GM T platform Vauxhall Chevette estate, however unlike the Chevette it had a flat rear floor, no rear seats and panels in place of the side windows. It was introduced in September 1976.[9] Intended as a replacement for the Bedford HA, the Chevanne was replaced by the Astravan before the HA was cancelled. It was fitted with the same 1256 cc inline-four as the Chevette (and the Bedford HA), although here it produced 39.3 kW (53.4 PS; 52.7 hp) with a 7.3 to 1 compression ratio.[10] As part of making the Chevanne as car-like as possible, it was also available with a three-speed automatic transmission. The automatic also included a heavy-duty battery and front suspension, better carpeting, and a higher compression engine (8.7 to 1) with 42 kW (57.1 PS; 56.3 hp).[10]

A similar T-Car variant existed in Australia, being the Holden Gemini van, which actually utilized the Chevanne's rear panels.

References

  1. ↑ "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  2. ↑ Original Vauxhall Chevette advert, Vauxhall Motors, 1975
  3. ↑ "It's not a Kadett, they say......but...". Autocar. Vol. 144 no. 4154. 19 June 1976. pp. 12–13.
  4. ↑ "Survival Rate". Cavalierandchevetteclub.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  5. ↑ Webster, Mark (2002), Assembly: New Zealand Car Production 1921-98, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand: Reed, p. 158, ISBN 0-7900-0846-7
  6. ↑ Webster, p. 159
  7. ↑ Rombauts, Walter, ed. (1979-09-15). "Nieuw bij Vauxhall" [New from Vauxhall]. Keesings Auto Magazine (in Flemish). Vol. 2 no. 17 (Antwerp, Belgium). p. 48.
  8. ↑ de Jong, Nico, ed. (1979-03-24). "Sportjournaal". Autovisie (in Dutch) (Amersfoort, Netherlands: Arnold van der Wees) 24 (6): 62.
  9. ↑ "World car of the 70s". Far East Auto Literature. 1999. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  10. 1 2 Bedford Light Vans (brochure), Luton, England: Bedford Commercial Vehicles, Vauxhall Motors Limited, April 1981, pp. 2–3, B/1938/4/81

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vauxhall vehicles.


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Chevette
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