Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. It is a subsidiary of General Motors
Corporation (GM), and is part of GM Europe. Most current Vauxhall models are
right-hand drive derivatives of GM's Opel brand. There are also several
performance vehicles coming from Opel Performance Center (OPC), Holden/Holden
Special Vehicles in Australia and Lotus Cars of Norfolk, England.
Alexander Wilson founded the company in Vauxhall, London in 1857.
Originally named Alex Wilson and Company, then Vauxhall Iron Works,
the company built pumps and marine engines. In 1903, the company built its
first car, a five-horsepower model steered using a tiller, with two forward
gears and no reverse gear. This led to a better design which was made available for sale.
To expand its production, the company moved the majority of its production to Luton in 1905.
The company continued to trade under the name Vauxhall Iron Works until 1907, when the modern
name of Vauxhall Motors was adapted. The company was characterised by its sporting models,
but after World War I, designed more austere models...