# Why is Opel called Vauxhall in the UK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651 "2009-01-03T01:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/1 "2009-01-03T01:10:30Z")
I’m assume Opel bought Vauxhaull back in the days, but why did they decide to keep the name? Why not just switch to Opel? It can’t be an anti-German thingy, considering Brits drive Beemers, Mercs and Opels? So why? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/2 "2009-01-03T01:26:44Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > I’m assume Opel bought Vauxhaull back in the days, but why did they decide to keep the name? Vauxhall and Opel were both acquired by General Motors in the 1920s. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/3 "2009-01-03T01:33:41Z")
What? So long ago? But why then run the same models under two different brands? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/4 "2009-01-03T01:34:53Z")
Opel never bought Vauxhall. These days, of course, they are just brands used by GM Europe, the cars being identical. As for why the don’t drop the Vauxhall brand, I guess it just comes down to British buyers’ familiarity with the name. Personally I think “Opel” sounds cooler, and it has a much better logo too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/5 "2009-01-03T01:41:43Z")
I sure do agree with that. My Opel Astra sounds a lot better than a Vauxhall Astra 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/6 "2009-01-03T01:57:59Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > I sure do agree with that. My Opel Astra sounds a lot better than a Vauxhall Astra 😃 I’m no great car enthusiast, but the only GM model I can recall being branded as Opel in the UK was the Opel Manta, in the 70s - early 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/7 "2009-01-03T01:58:54Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > My Opel Astra sounds a lot better than a Vauxhall Astra 😃 Must be that custom exhaust you have. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/8 "2009-01-03T02:01:58Z")
Hell yeah, it’d da [bomb](http://www.blavish.com/hello-kitty-exhaust-pipe/) 😉 And now back to regular programming. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/9 "2009-01-03T02:45:58Z")
It used to confuse the hell out of me when I was a kid. We have both Opels and Vauxhalls on our roads. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/10 "2009-01-03T02:48:55Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > It used to confuse the hell out of me when I was a kid. We have both Opels and Vauxhalls on our roads. Are both sold in Ireland? Or are one or the other imported? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/11 "2009-01-03T02:53:12Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Are both sold in Ireland? Or are one or the other imported? They’ll both be imported. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/12 "2009-01-03T03:03:28Z")
> [@Struan](#): > > They’ll both be imported. Rephrasing the question: Would both be sold by dealers, or would one or the other be privately imported. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/13 "2009-01-03T03:49:09Z")
I think the Opels are sold in the Republic and Vauxhalls are/were from the Northern (UK) market. Plenty of Northern registered cars on Southern roads. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/14 "2009-01-03T10:10:21Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > I sure do agree with that. My Opel Astra sounds a lot better than a Vauxhall Astra 😃 Then there’s the [Holden Astra.](http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/latestofferscontent?regionId=13&offerId=848&gclid=CLvh8YSU8pcCFQMCagod6yVMCg) ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/15 "2009-01-03T14:13:34Z")
I read a few months ago that Vauxhall will be discontinued and they would all be branded Opel. I don’t think we have a Vauxhall factory here any more anyway and they all come from Germany anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/16 "2009-01-03T14:20:23Z")
> [@Myglaren](#): > > I don’t think we have a Vauxhall factory here any more anyway and they all come from Germany anyway. The plant at Ellesmere Port appears to be hanging in there - although a quick scan of recent news items shows that the workers have been asked to apply for a nine-month sabbatical at 30% pay, so that doesn’t sound too healthy.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/17 "2009-01-03T14:46:08Z")
I thought they had all closed. (Vauxhall plants) Wrong again as usual ☹ . ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/18 "2009-01-03T15:30:32Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > What? So long ago? > > But why then run the same models under two different brands? Why does GM sell a Chevy Blazer as a GMC? Same company, same vehicle, different badging. People have peculiar ideas about brand loyalty, even if there’s really no difference, and automakers capitalize on that. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/19 "2009-01-03T15:41:29Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I think the Opels are sold in the Republic and Vauxhalls are/were from the Northern (UK) market. Plenty of Northern registered cars on Southern roads. Plenty of Opels with Northern Ireland plates too, if you buy new cross border, you save on taxes of some sort AFAIK. Although I assume your Opels are simply rebadged Vauxhalls, given that we all drive on the left in the British Isles. Which makes me wonder, why would the Irish get Opels? Did GM think it would be better not to sell British in Ireland? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/20 "2009-01-03T15:42:03Z")
> [@Myglaren](#): > > I read a few months ago that Vauxhall will be discontinued and they would all be branded Opel. > I don’t think we have a Vauxhall factory here any more anyway and they all come from Germany anyway. Even if they closed the Vauxhall plants, that wouldn’t necessarily mean that they drop the brand. For years now many Vauxhall-badged cars have been made outside the UK. GM seem to consider the brand valuable. I think it would take quite a marketing effort, over several years, to get your average British car buyer to accept an Opel Corsa as easily as a Vauxhall Corsa. Since there is no sign of such an effort, I doubt that they are considering switching to Opel in the UK. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651.md?page=2)