# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/21 "2009-01-03T16:21:43Z")
There were a considerable number of Irish people working at the Vauxhall plant in Luton (including a cousin of mine). I always assumed that if you saw a Vauxhall with Rep. of Ireland plates, it was owned by one of them who had come home. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/22 "2009-01-03T16:54:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > 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. Chevy, meet Pontiac, meet Buick, meet Oldsmobile (R.I.P.), meet Cadillac. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/23 "2009-01-03T17:05:24Z")
Because in a plummy English accent, “Hello, Vauxhall,” just sounds so much better than “Hi, Opel!” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/24 "2009-01-03T17:11:44Z")
How does one pronounce “Vauxhall” in proper British English? Making allowances for my US background, I’m imagining something like “VAWX 'All” with almost but not quite equal emphsis on the two syllables. Hell, it might be pronounced like the word “vowel”, e.g. “vow’l”. ---
**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, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/25 "2009-01-03T17:53:47Z")
Depends on your location but Like Vaux and Hall, run into one another, or Vox’all if you live anywhere near me. The proposed “W” wouldn’t come up anywhere AFAIK. The name derives from the area where the original factory was located. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/26 "2009-01-03T18:11:10Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Because in a plummy English accent, “Hello, Vauxhall,” just sounds so much better than “Hi, Opel!” > 😛 That, and “Opel and I” just doesn’t have much (so to speak) curb appeal for music fans. > **[Morrissey - Vauxhall and I - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Vauxhall-I-MORRISSEY/dp/B000002MNL)** > > Morrissey - Vauxhall and I - Amazon.com Music ---
**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, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/27 "2009-01-03T18:30:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > How does one pronounce “Vauxhall” in proper British English? VOCKSawl, or VOCKS-hawl. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/28 "2009-01-03T18:39:06Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > 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. [Didn’t seem to sell too many Cadillac Cimarron’s however.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Cimarron) ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/29 "2009-01-03T18:40:26Z")
Here’s a genuine British motoring show host pronouncing the name: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJUNI9lk0PA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJUNI9lk0PA) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/30 "2009-01-03T18:46:57Z")
Thanks all for the pronounciation help. For once it seems I got it about right on my own. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/31 "2009-01-06T19:54:09Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > 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. Something occurred to me today that might be another reason: Vauxhall has a big share of the market for supplying police cars, probably due in part to being perceived as a British brand. Remove the Britishness, and you remove a reason for using Astras as a standard squad car. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/32 "2009-01-06T19:59:34Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > That, and “Opel and I” just doesn’t have much (so to speak) curb appeal for music fans. But [Opel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_(album)) does. ---
**Author:** ![terrymiff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@terrymiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terrymiff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/33 "2009-01-07T00:48:18Z")
By the same reasoning (company ownership) why aren’t Harley Davidsons called Hondas? ---
**Author:** ![Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tool\_of\_the\_Conspiracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tool_of_the_Conspiracy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/34 "2009-01-07T02:24:14Z")
> [@Struan](#): > > 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. I think I’ve seen a few early-70s Mantas here in the US, but the only Opel that I’m familiar with is the old GT. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Vauxhall in person. ---
**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 7, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/35 "2009-01-07T02:29:18Z")
> [@terrymiff](#): > > By the same reasoning (company ownership) why aren’t Harley Davidsons called Hondas? Do Honda retail the exact same Harley Davidsons in some other market with Honda branding? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/36 "2009-01-07T02:56:05Z")
> [@terrymiff](#): > > By the same reasoning (company ownership) why aren’t Harley Davidsons called Hondas? Maybe because Honda _doesn’t_ own Harley? There were [rumors](http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/25/honda-buyout-of-harley-davidson-does-it-pass-the-sniff-test/) about a year ago that Honda was going to buy Harley, but Honda denied it, and Harley’s website makes no mention of being purchased by Honda (though Harley _does_ own Buell, it seems). ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/37 "2009-01-07T15:09:02Z")
> [@Struan](#): > > 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. Now that I recall, that sounds about right, from what I remember of the many classic car magazines I’ve read on the loo. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/38 "2009-01-07T15:21:57Z")
I dimly remember that my parents had a Vauxhall in the late sixties or early seventies in Canada. Evidently GM sold them here. There was a lot more British stuff in Canada before Britain entered the European Community (in the seventies?) and abandoned Commonwealth trading preferences. [quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:14, topic:479651”] Then there’s the [Holden Astra.](http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/latestofferscontent?regionId=13&offerId=848&gclid=CLvh8YSU8pcCFQMCagod6yVMCg) [/QUOTE] And the [Saturn Astra](http://www.gm.ca/ss/gm/overview.do?model=astra5&lang=en_CA&brand=saturn&contextDisplayMode=normal). ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/39 "2009-01-07T15:34:12Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > There were [rumors](http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/25/honda-buyout-of-harley-davidson-does-it-pass-the-sniff-test/) about a year ago that Honda was going to buy Harley, but Honda denied it, and Harley’s website makes no mention of being purchased by Honda (though Harley _does_ own Buell, it seems). Harley has owned controlling interest in Buell for quite a while. I don’t understand why Honda would have considered buying Harley; it’s a brand with no future. > [@GorillaMan](#): > > Something occurred to me today that might be another reason: Vauxhall has a big share of the market for supplying police cars, probably due in part to being perceived as a British brand. Remove the Britishness, and you remove a reason for using Astras as a standard squad car. That’s basically it; Vauxhall’s bread and butter is fleet sales, and fleet buyers want to buy British. Better tax break, _much_ better PR. Frankly, I think they underestimate just how much better their non-fleet appeal would be if they dropped the Vauxhall name. (UK) People know Opel = Vauxhall, but I doubt they conflate Opel with the Bedford Rascal or the Astramax and other such abominations the way they do Vauxhall. [QUOTE=Pushkin] Did GM think it would be better not to sell British in Ireland? [/QUOTE] When it comes to cars, it’s generally better not to sell British anywhere you go, even Britain. High-end British cars have a reputation for being superb for about six minutes, then breaking down. Low-end British cars\* just have a reputation for breaking down. \*Nowadays, Ford of Europe and Vauxhall, basically, since Rover has finally snuffed it. > [@](#): > > And the Saturn Astra. The Saturn Astra _is_ a rebadged Opel/Vauxhall; I think the Holden has different engine and transmission options and some changes to the metalwork. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651/40 "2009-01-07T15:38:35Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > > [@Struan](#): > > > > 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. > > Now that I recall, that sounds about right, from what I remember of the many classic car magazines I’ve read on the loo. I’m sure I remember there being separate Opel and Vauxhall model lines on sale in Britain in the 70’s, although the Opel models were already very similar to Vauxhalls. In addition to the Manta, there were the Kadett and the Rekord, slightly different shapes to Vauxhall’s Chevette and Carlton, respectively. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-opel-called-vauxhall-in-the-uk/479651.md?page=3)