Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ford and Vauxhall/Opel were locked in a battle for European car sales in the 1980s and 90s. Any model Ford had, Opel had to match or beat them. Ford had the Granada, | so Vauxhall/Opel launched an expensive onslaught in the 1980s to topple them, hoping to repeat the gains they’d enjoyed with the smaller Astra and Cavalier. Yet by the time their luxury car, the Omega ended production, the Granada was long gone, and Vauxhall and Opel’s parent General Motors was running out of options despite competing with not one but two luxury brands. How did it go so wrong for two car companies that had been on the top of their game?
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Sources
vauxpedia.net
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Senator
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Tech_1
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Carlton
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Rekord_Series_E
senatorman.de/opel_omega_a.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_100
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_A
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Carlton
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VN)
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/opel-mutter-stellantis-steigert-gewinn-um-mehr-als-ein-viertel-a-b2d93f80-f415-464d-a27a-fd273d5ca436
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
rp-online.de/leben/auto/news/im-juli-wird-das-ende-eingelaeutet_aid-8691357
autobild.de/artikel/produktionsende-opel-omega-42059.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Omega
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VS)
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_B
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Monaro
senatorman.de/opel_omega_b.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile
autobild.de/klassik/artikel/opel-omega-v8-fahrbericht-1934437.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-facilities/gm-europe-facilities/gm-germany-facilities/gm-opel-russelsheim-rhein-main-germany-plant
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Epsilon_platform
#bigcar
Ford and Vauxhall/Opel were locked in a battle for European car sales in the 1980s and 90s. Any model Ford had, Opel had to match or beat them. Ford had the Granada, | so Vauxhall/Opel launched an expensive onslaught in the 1980s to topple them, hoping to repeat the gains they’d enjoyed with the smaller Astra and Cavalier. Yet by the time their luxury car, the Omega ended production, the Granada was long gone, and Vauxhall and Opel’s parent General Motors was running out of options despite competing with not one but two luxury brands. How did it go so wrong for two car companies that had been on the top of their game?
If you'd like to support what I do, and get early access to advert-free videos and exclusive channel updates, please consider supporting the channel from just $1 or 80p a month: patreon.com/bigcar
Support me using PayPal: paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
Twitter: twitter.com/bigcartv
My second channel - Little Car: youtube.com/littlecar
Sources
vauxpedia.net
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Senator
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Tech_1
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Carlton
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Rekord_Series_E
senatorman.de/opel_omega_a.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_100
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_A
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Carlton
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VN)
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/opel-mutter-stellantis-steigert-gewinn-um-mehr-als-ein-viertel-a-b2d93f80-f415-464d-a27a-fd273d5ca436
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
rp-online.de/leben/auto/news/im-juli-wird-das-ende-eingelaeutet_aid-8691357
autobild.de/artikel/produktionsende-opel-omega-42059.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Omega
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VS)
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_B
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Monaro
senatorman.de/opel_omega_b.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile
autobild.de/klassik/artikel/opel-omega-v8-fahrbericht-1934437.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-facilities/gm-europe-facilities/gm-germany-facilities/gm-opel-russelsheim-rhein-main-germany-plant
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Epsilon_platform
#bigcar










