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: http://patreon.com/bigcar
Support me using PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: https://teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigcartv
My second channel – Little Car: https://www.youtube.com/littlecar
Sources
http://vauxpedia.net/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Senator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Tech_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Carlton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Rekord_Series_E
https://www.senatorman.de/opel_omega_a.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_100
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_A
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Carlton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VN)
https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/opel-mutter-stellantis-steigert-gewinn-um-mehr-als-ein-viertel-a-b2d93f80-f415-464d-a27a-fd273d5ca436
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
https://rp-online.de/leben/auto/news/im-juli-wird-das-ende-eingelaeutet_aid-8691357
https://www.autobild.de/artikel/produktionsende-opel-omega-42059.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Omega
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VS)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Omega_B
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Monaro
https://www.senatorman.de/opel_omega_b.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile
https://www.autobild.de/klassik/artikel/opel-omega-v8-fahrbericht-1934437.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_V_platform_(RWD)
https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-facilities/gm-europe-facilities/gm-germany-facilities/gm-opel-russelsheim-rhein-main-germany-plant/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Signum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Epsilon_platform
#bigcar
source
Opel had a very goog image in Germany until the early 90s. Than the corrosion issues started and the brands name became a synonym for rust.
Everyone loved Opel for their motors and hated them for the body.
There was a Vauxhall alternative to the Monza, it was the Royale Coupe'
I used to see plenty of 6-door Omegas back in the day, but not as a car for large families. It was the Limo of choice for several local funeral parlours. Not quite what GM had in mind I should imagine.
The Omega was sold in the United States as the Cadillac Catera from 96-01
The Commodore in Australia did it so much better…with V8s
Lotus Carlton was based on the 24v GSI, they came out before the Lotus.
“Chevrolet Omega: ‘Absolut’”
This was GM’s marketing for Omega here in Brazil!
my dad had a Viva when i was a baby. He got a great discount on it coz he worked for them. Hell, he had a tie and tie clip that he would show to vauxhall dealers and if they where true vauxhall lads they would immediately give him 25% off. I have no idea what that was about but he used it quite a bit in his later days up to his death. I think he got my sister a nice discount too.
5:45 I also spent a hell of a lot of time in a H-reg one of those. He got the engine computer option on it and it was constantly screwing up and thoughing check engine lights.
Scorpio episode? 🙂
Remember my boss at work purchasing a maroon Vauxhall royale August 1979 ,what a car.
Had a 2.5 v6 Omega for 15 years. Magnificent car. Very economical on a motorway run 35mpg and very reliable too. Quiet and very comfortable too and loads of leg room.
I owned and drove a Datsun 120Y (Sunny in some markets) for about 3 yrs. Yes, it was incredibly reliable, and it's manual 'box was a sweet shifting little unit – but I would never call it elegant or dynamic in any way.
This bare-bones Datto was comparatively coarse riding, noisy, not particularly sharp around any bends, and as slow an any small commuter of the day.
Take a step up one class, and Nissan's 1600 (510) and subsequent 180B, were actually a revelation. A very strong OHC motor, and IRS made it the most dynamic Jap car of its time, and probably ahead of most (all?) BL products. 🙄
Just a note to make regards fuel injection. Not all were injected. My first Carlton was a 1988 1.8L estate on a carburettor. It was a decent car and towed a 16ft caravan at 60 with ease. I did eventually replace it with a 2.0 GL auto, also an estate
I still own a 3000 12V from 1989. One previous owner from 1989 to 2021, who took excellent care of it.
It's such a generic looking "car", like they averaged out all the design sliders and just made a car that best represented the color gray.
When looking at the Lotus Carlton whow…
Thanks, I didn't realise they had such a complex history. I got my first Senator in 1985 and another in 1988, I also had a Carlton in the top spec for the UK, they were all very nice cars in their day, never fancied the Royale, but always wanted the Monza, but my employer declined my request for the Monza. We had Cavaliers for the sales staff which were very popular.
After that, I moved on to Range Rovers, but now finally EVs.
I had a 2.0 CD Vauxhall Carlton estate.
A brilliant car.
I had a 2.5V6 24 valve CD Vauxhall Omega.
That was absolutely fantastic. I'd still have it now if a young chap hadn't driven his Mum's Peugeot 106 into it on a roundabout and stoved in the nearside B pillar.
Sometimes I look at AutoTrader and try and find a Vauxhall Omegas.
They are as rare as rocking horse poo.
For once a Car I actually owned , and I loved both of then , especially the 1998 2.5V6 Elite – a wonderful cruiser with enough grunt to get up and go when the mood took you. The 2001 2.2 was a little gutless but still an enjoyable car. Happy days
A sad story. Opel never had money for R&D to get to upmarket segment, just like Citroen and Renault.
All Omega's failed, Vectra B was total disaster, Insignia also. Same as SM, XM, Safrane, Velsatis, Avantime, ….
As a 12/13 year old l use to go to my dad's place of work to wash his boss's cars for pocket money one car was a Vauxhall Royale the other was a baby blue Opel Manta Berlinetta still preferred the open badge over the Vauxhalls
Your research is so detailed. Great presentation as well, you have loads of info but keep it light as well. Great channel 👍
They were popular as cop cars
The TS6000 wasn’t worthy of a mention?
Before the Omega, in Brazil the luxury Chevrolet (GM brand) cars were the Chevrolet Opala (Opel Record) and Chevrolet Monza (Cavalier). They became classics in Brazil with many fans to this day. Then we had the Chevolet Omega (Saloon/Sedan) and Omega Suprema (Estate/Station Wagon), With 4 Cilinder GM OHC engines in basic models, 6 Cilinder 3.0 European engines in luxury versions and finally a Lotus Tweeked 4.1 6 cilinder in line engine, an old engine recovered from the Chevrolet Opala, The same 3800 6 cil engine featured in many GM cars and trucks in USA since the 50's. And why you need to know that???? Because you are a petrol head. 🙂
Was the Vauxhall Ventura not a large car? What was that based on?
My God. Unequivocally, you are the Plato of car history and design. Please keep up this fantastic work. This will teach subsequent generations about petrol and (blesses himself) diesel fired UK shitfests. I've always had a soft spot tho' for big Vauxhall saloons. They seriously rocked, aesthetically and mechanically.
Luxury 😂😂😂 After five years was rusty like it’s hundred years old.
The Senator with the 3.0 6 cylinder was a great car. Comfortable and very, very reliable for our family. Good memories!
I once owned a 2002 Vauxhall Omega 2.6 CDX. It was hands down the best car I ever had and I miss it a lot.
Very nicely produced and presented. Good watch – thanks!
Interesting, but I think you are understating the 'engineering' that occurred with the Holden derivatives. They were significant in terms of being a wider body and longer wheelbase. Holden also developed 4 wheel drive versions of the same platform, including utes.
Further, the problems that were experienced by Lotus and Opel in trying to shoehorn a V8 into the engine bay was not a problem for the Holden chassis, as they had always been powered as a V8 option, using both the Holden V8 and the Chevy V8 (5.7ltr) throughout the Commodore's entire production life.
I think further investigation into the origins of the Holden Commodore need to be explored, as it was here that GM had the basis of a true 'world car' that could have been sold in all markets. However, GMs notorious internal politics and brand rivalries put an end to all that.
I had no idea how much a Senator looked like a fox body LTD styling wise.
Another fantastic history of a fascinating period in the automotive landscape. I love that you use factory photography and videos in these presentations, keeps this channel a step above others.
I thought my family tree 🌳 was confusing, nothing compared to what GM did globally.
Shortly before he died American tuner John Lingenfelter endeavored to put an LS V8 in a Cadillac Catera, which required A TON of modifications which, along with the stillborn Omega V8, really shows how different the VT-VZ Holden Commodore actually was under the skin.
Also, the Omega V8 wouldn't have been the first big Opel with V8 power: The 1964-'66 Diplomat (plus its cheaper Kapitän and Admiral siblings) was offered with the 283 cubic inch (4.6L) Chevrolet Small Block V8, while Diplomats from 1967 to '77 used the subsequent 327 c.i. (5.4L) version.
oMEga
Opel Omega😍
We had one of those purple colored omega stationwagon when I was a kid. It wasn't the most reliable car I think, but the seats in the back where so soft we (me, my brother and sister) could actually sleep on long roadtrips and holidays.
Хорошая машина ,но был один гигантский минус ,быстро сгнивал как и весьма хороший форд скорпио таже была беда