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Vauxhall XVR - The legend of the three griffins

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Created on November 17, 2021

Reading time 12min

Written by:

Paul Krüger

Photos:

Stellantis

10

Werk / Vauxhall Motors

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Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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Archiv

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Stellantis

10

Werk / Vauxhall Motors

8

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

1

Archiv

2

Vor der Premiere in Genf, noch ohne Kontrollschild. Die Scheibenwischer sind noch in der Wagenmitte angelenkt.

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Das Holzgerippe des Ur-Entwurfs in der Designabteilung. Gut zu erkennen: die länglichen Radläufe. Dahinter ein Modell des Victor FD Estate

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Das Tonmodell in der Designabteilung, bereits mit verlängerter Schnauze und Kiemen.

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Das Tonmodell im Vauxhall-Designstudio. Das Heck wirkt wie eine frühe Mischung aus Jaguar E-Type und XJS

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GFK-Wagen Nummer 1, erkennbar an dem aussen montierten Tür-Aufsteller und am Schriftzug hinter dem Vorderrad

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Prototyp Nummer 3 (der zweite GFK-Wagen) mit unvollständigem Innenraum und ohne Vauxhall-Namenszug

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Der fahrtaugliche Stahlblech-Wagen (links) und die beiden Präsentationsmodelle aus GFK auf der Terrasse des "Griffin House" in Luton

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Erst neben einem MGB wird deutlich, wie klein der XVR tatsächlich war

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Die vier Hauptverantwortlichen hinter Prototyp Nummer 3: Leo Pruneau, John Taylor, Judd Holcombe und Wayne Cherry. Nicht im Bild: Vauxhall-Designchef David Jones sowie Innenraum-Chef Pat Fury.

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Blick in den Innenraum von XVR Nummer Zwei. Kurios: das aufklappende Armaturenbrett

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Premiere auf dem General-Motors-Stand am Genfer Salon 1966.

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Der bereits zugelassene Wagen kurz nach der Premiere in Genf. Am Steuer sitzt Linda Cale, die Tochter eines Vauxhall-Mitarbeiters.

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Der einzige fahrbereite Prototyp bei Versuchsfahrten in Chaul End. Am Steuer: Aubery P. Cohring

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"HXD 929D" in der Steilkurve des "Vauxhall Motors Research and Test Centre" in Luton-Chaul End

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Vereinfachtes Fahrgestell für die GFK-Modelle. Zentralrohr und Überrollbügel sind dennoch gut zu erkennen.

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Heute steht der XVR in der Sammlung des British Motor Museum

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Das einzige überlebende Exemplar vor dem inzwischen geschlossenen Vauxhall Heritage Centre in Luton

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Der überlebende GFK-Prototyp ohne Scheibenwischer und Türgriffe, aber inzwischen mit Lenkrad

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Die Pressemitteilung zur Präsentation auf dem Genfer Salon zitiert Design-Chef David Jones

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Gemässigt: der Opel GT zeigt einige Gestaltungsmerkmale des XVR in abgeschwächter Form.

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Kastenbrot auf Rädern: der Vauxhall Viva HA auf dem Genfer Salon 1964

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Summary

In the mid-sixties, Vauxhall launched a bold attempt to blow the thick layer of dust off its model range. The XVR study, which was presented in Geneva in 1966, was radically different from any Vauxhall before or since, but unfortunately remained a finger exercise for the designers. This article tells the story of the Vauxhall XVR and shows it in many historic photos.

This article contains the following chapters

Americans in England
Flip front and gullwing doors
All just a dummy
Premiere in Geneva
Weird bird
Under the sheet metal
Request for restraint
Plastic copies
Four more trade fair appearances
What became of the team

Estimated reading time: 12min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, in a United Kingdom far, far away, Vauxhall built not just re-labeled Opels, but independent automobiles. And yet they were plagued by the same problems as the cars from Germany that they would later sell: They were boring. Deadly boring. At best, the sister models Cresta and Velox, which were roughly the same size and engine power as the Opel Kapitän, offered a little pleasure for the eye with their American-style bodies from 1958 to 1962. For this reason, parent company General Motors had each of its European subsidiary brands build a design and development center to produce more exciting cars. The "Opel Advanced Studio" in Rüsselsheim opened in April 1964, while its English counterpart - the "Vauxhall Styling & Engineering Centre" in Luton - was occupied by chief designer David Jones and his staff in December 1964.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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