Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 (1975 – 1981) Review

January 0001

January 1972

Work begins on new mid-sized Opel, and it will also form the basis for the next Vauxhall

By 1972, Vauxhall's health was so poor, parent company General Motors decided that drastic measures were needed, and the best way of effecting them would be to rationalise its European operations with a long-term goal of combining Vauxhall’s and Opel’s model ranges.

Actually, the writing was probably on the wall for Vauxhall as an independent designer of cars with the arrival of the Victor FE. Although the style was very much from Luton, as were the engines and gearboxes, the floorpan was shared with the Opel Rekord. Although it meant that Vauxhall’s all-important mid-size saloon had grown beyond the size of its natural rivals. But this was in-hand, again thanks to Opel.

September 1975

Opel Ascona and Manta B launched

In September 1975, Opel rolled out its updated Ascona and Manta B models. The new cars were clear evolutions of the 1970 original, and were solidly engineered. The styling was overseen by Henry Haga in Opel’s design studio in Rüsselsheim, and incorporated lessens learned in the in 1973 OSV (Opel Safety Vehicle).

Larger windows were the main evolution, and once again, the Ascona and Manta were treated to wildly differently styling, with the coupe receiving a dramatic droop snoot… little did we know, that Wayne Cherry, Vauxhall’s incoming Director of Design would adopt this front end for the upcoming Cavalier.

The rest of the engineering package remained pretty much as before – but refined and improved carefully. The suspension set-up incorporated a live rear axle located by short torque tube, trailing arms and Panhard Rod with coils springs and an anti-roll bar; and up-front, wishbones and coil springs with telescopic dampers. All very conservative, but nicely engineered.

As for engines, the Opels were powered by a 1.2-litre ohv Kadett engine, and a pair of cam-in heads, of 1.6- and 1.9-litres. Top of the tree was the fuel injected 105bhp Manta GT/E (which we never saw in the UK) – and that was capable of 110mph. In summary, the Ascona was a solid, well engineered and nice-to-drive mid-sized saloon – perfect to take the fight to the Ford Taunus in mainland Europe.

January 1972

Work begins on new Vauxhall saloon

And so it proved in the UK too. In 1972, Vauxhall’s management knew that the Opel U-car would make the great basis for a new mid-size saloon, and in the interests of range rationalization began working on an Anglicised version. The Cortina Mk3, which had been launched in 1970 had defined its market perfectly, with a 100in wheelbase, and a full range of engines from 1.3- to 2.0-litres. Vauxhall knew the Ascona could match the Cortina inch-by-inch, although the top 1.9-litre cam-in-head Opel engine was down on power compared with Ford’s Pinto unit by 10bhp.

Development in the UK was a two-pronged affair. Design chief Wayne Cherry was tasked with giving the new car a British style all of its own, while the chassis and engineering teams hit Millbrook to make it ride and handle UK roads well.

On the styling front, initially, Cherry’s team wanted to give the car an all-new body as had happened with the Victor FE, but management soon vetoed that plan, strictly containing budgets. Given that Vauxhall’s star designer was a lover of all things wedge shaped, having penned the stunning 1970 SRV concept as well as the droopsnoot Firenzas, this must have been a blow.

But the arrival of the Manta proved a godsend, allowing him to use that car’s front end styling, therefore adopting a pragmatic approach. The Manta’s front end was further cleaned up for UK saloon consumption, losing its nose slots and headlamp surrounds to create a clean and modern look that would prove rather striking come launch date.

In engineering terms, the Cavalier was almost pure Ascona/Manta. The UK was spared the entry-level 1.2-litre ohv also used in the Kadett, leaving the initial launch line-up down to the two larger engines. There would be a good reason for this – the Cavalier would initially be built in Opel’s Antwerp plant in Belgium, and it meant production simplification. But, the 1256cc ohv unit used in the Viva and (later) Chevette would be developed to fit into the Cavalier, creating a much more UK-flavoured car.

October 1975

Vauxhall Cavalier launched

When the wraps came off the Cavalier at the 1975 London Motor Show at Earls Court, it was a genuine surprise, catching the media – and potential – buyers off guard. But the stylish saloon and coupe combination was soon attracting rave reviews, hitting the market in the dying days of the Cortina Mk3, when it was looking its weakest. Initial road tests were also complimentary. What Car? Magazine was certainly complimentary, and in a group test alongside the Cortina and Morris Marina (both of which the Cavalier trounced), it concluded, ‘Vauxhall’s version of the Opel Ascona has helped put the previously ailing Luton firm on the road to recovery – and it’s easy to see why. The Cavalier is a good handling, sporty saloon aimed directly at the Cortina…’

The magazine went on: ‘As far as driver appeal is concerned, the Cavalier must be one of the best – perhaps the best – conventional saloon at the price. Its steering is accurate and responsive at all times, and it is not too heavy at parking speeds. Its cornering ability on smooth roads is excellent, although the well-located rear axle can hop about if the surface is poor. The ride may be a little firm for some tastes, but he ride/handling compromise is near perfect.’

Buyers certainly liked it, but that caused problems itself. Early availability was poor, with dealers clamouring for stock, while the waiting list grew. With production limited to a shared factory in Belgium, this was always going to be the case, while production at Luton was prepared and the Victor FE (now known as the VX range) wound down. In the end, the Luton plant came on stream in 1977, also seeing the arrival of the 1256cc car. Eric Fountain, Vauxhall’s Manufacturing Director drove the first British Cavalier off the production line on 26 August 1977 – and immediately after, the supply problems eased. And this removed the Cavalier’s main barrier to mass-market success.

Fleet managers also liked the Cavalier, and its imported content dropped from 100% in 1976 to 64% in 1978, it established itself as the company’s bestseller during the late 1970s.

As for model evolution, the Cavalier Mk1 was tweaked rather than facelifted throughout its life. In April 1978, the 1.9-litre model was upgraded to 2-litres and 100bhp (and 110bhp for the equivalent Manta GT/E, which again we didn’t see in the UK until 1983), giving the Coupe a genuine 110mph potential top speed and a sub 10-second 0-60mph time. Six months later, the innovative and stylish Sportshatch joined the coupe, which put right the older car’s one shortcoming – its lack of a wide-opening tailgate, like the Ford Capri.

October 1978

Sportshatch launched

When the Sportshatch was launched, the Vauxhall press office issued an interesting image of the new car alongside Concept 1 and Concept 2 – a pair of three-door proposals penned by Cherry. Both were considered during the development of the Sportshatch, and lined-up like this show an interesting timeline of how the idea was honed for production. Concept 1 was a clean sheet design, which Concept 2 incorporated the Cavalier’s front end styling. The definitive production car also shared its doors with the existing Coupe, and is probably more visually appealing as a result.

Cavalier Sportshatch in front of Concept 1 (left) and Concept 2 (right)

Again, What Car? was impressed. In a group test pitching the Sportshatch in 1.6GL form against the Alfasud Sprint, Ford Capri and Renault Fuego, there were plenty of nice things said about Vauxhall’s seemingly less than soulful Cavalier. ‘Although its rear tends to go out if treated roughly on corners, there is not the same degree of sliding in wet weather as there is with the Capri. The steering is quite light, which means that any breakaway is easier to control, and during most driving, the Sportshatch is predictable and controllable’.

In summary, it said: ‘Coming past the post ahead of the Capri, the Cavalier looks good and has price on its side. However, it really does need a newer engine, and it you want an all-rounder, you really should go for the two-litre model.’ The Sportshatch was a good-looking and adaptable coupe, which also proved the basis for a couple of very different themes.

March 1979

Cavalier Centaur launched

The first was the very coupé-based convertible, known as the Centaur. That car was developed by Magraw Engineering and built by Crayford Engineering. Rather like the Crayford Cortina, which was sold at the same time, the Centaur was sold through a number of Vauxhall dealers. It was well-engineered, but with a strengthened floorpan and Triumph Stag-like T-bar roof arrangement, it came at a cost. In mid-1980, a new Centaur would cost you £8502 – compared with £5230 for a standard 2000GLS Sportshatch. But then, what rivals did it have?

October 1980

Cavalier-based Silver Aero concept car launched in Birmingham

More exciting was the Wayne Cherry developed Silver Aero concept. This beauty was unveiled it at the 1980 British Motor Show in Birmingham, and followed on from 1974’s wonderful Silver Bullet. The one-off, which was based on the Sportshatch, featured a radical looking bodykit, a seriously upgraded interior and power by a 150bhp 2.4-litre turbocharged engine by WBB Racing and Turbo Torque Limited. Its most striking styling feature was undoubtedly the even sharper nose treatment, which maintained Cherry’s love for the droopsnoot. The press release that accompanied the car’s unveiling spoke of customer kits being made available – but they never subsequently appeared.

Across the range model development was limited to tweaking of trim levels. After the introduction of the 2-litre cars in 1978, and the rebadging (from 1300, 1600 and 2000 to 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0), it was just a matter of improving trim packages along the way. In 1980, an interim LS model was introduced to bridge the gap between L and GL – this was hardly exciting stuff – and that was about it. The biggest omission was an estate model, which also held true in the Opel Ascona range. Given this was a variant included in the Ascona range, it’s surprising a five-door never made the showroom, despite being an actively persued model on the drawing board.

So the Silver Aero would prove to be the Cavalier’s swan-song – and that never made it beyond one-off status, even if aspects of the concept made it into the 1983 Manta facelift. The Cavalier Mk1 lasted six years, before being phased out in favour of the front-wheel drive Mk2 in August 1981, and during this time proved a strong and steady seller.

June 1981

Cavalier Mk1 production ended

Although it failed to threaten Ford in UK sales chart, along with the Chevette, it went a long way to rehabilitating the marque and regaining its credibility with fleet buyers. Its sales achievements would subsequently be dwarfed by what came later with the Mk2 and Mk3, but the original Cavalier’s place in Vauxhall – and therefore, UK – model history should never be underestimated.

The General’s turn-around

The 1979 Vauxhall Cavalier range: saloon, Coupe and Sportshatch.

Vauxhall was in trouble in the early 1970s, and sales were taking a nosedive. The Viva might have been selling reasonably well in HC form, but in the fleet car market where the Ford Cortina Mk3 was king, the FE-Series ‘Transcontinental’ Victor singularly failed to measure up to this – or the Morris Marina.

At the time, it looked like it could be curtains for Vauxhall in the UK, and given how many people the company employed in Luton and Ellesmere Port, that would have been a disaster at a time when the economy was generally considered to be in free-fall.

The situation wasn’t helped by the fact that Vauxhall’s name was mud, anyway. And had been since at least the 1960s. Buyers have long memories, and reputations are easily soiled, and this was the case here – rampant rust in the company’s 1950s and ’60s cars, had created a ‘rot-box’ image that was proving difficult to shift.

By 1972, the situation was so bad, parent company General Motors decided that drastic measures were needed, and the best way of effecting them would be to rationalise its European operations with a long-term goal of combining Vauxhall’s and Opel’s model ranges.

Actually, the writing was probably on the wall for Vauxhall as an independent designer of cars with the arrival of the Victor FE. Although the style was very much from Luton, as were the engines and gearboxes, the floorpan was shared with the Opel Rekord. Although it meant that Vauxhall’s all-important mid-size saloon had grown beyond the size of its natural rivals. But this was in-hand, again thanks to Opel.

In September 1975, Opel rolled out its updated Ascona and Manta B models. The new cars were clear evolutions of the 1970 original, and were solidly engineered. The styling was overseen by Henry Haga in Opel’s design studio in Rüsselsheim, and incorporated lessens learned in the in 1973 OSV (Opel Safety Vehicle).

Opel OSV lent some of its styling cues to the Ascona and Manta B

Larger windows were the main evolution, and once again, the Ascona and Manta were treated to wildly differently styling, with the coupe receiving a dramatic droop snoot… little did we know, that Wayne Cherry, Vauxhall’s incoming Director of Design would adopt this front end for the upcoming Cavalier.

The rest of the engineering package remained pretty much as before – but refined and improved carefully. The suspension set-up incorporated a live rear axle located by short torque tube, trailing arms and Panhard Rod with coils springs and an anti-roll bar; and up-front, wishbones and coil springs with telescopic dampers. All very conservative, but nicely engineered.

As for engines, the Opels were powered by a 1.2-litre ohv Kadett engine, and a pair of cam-in heads, of 1.6- and 1.9-litres. Top of the tree was the fuel injected 105bhp Manta GT/E (which we never saw in the UK) – and that was capable of 110mph. In summary, the Ascona was a solid, well engineered and nice-to-drive mid-sized saloon – perfect to take the fight to the Ford Taunus in mainland Europe.

Opel turns to Vauxhall

Initial plans were to introduce a new body style, but this was dropped in favour of a lightly restyled Ascona.

And so it proved in the UK too. In 1972, Vauxhall’s management knew that the Opel U-car would make the great basis for a new mid-size saloon, and in the interests of range rationalization began working on an Anglicised version. The Cortina Mk3, which had been launched in 1970 had defined its market perfectly, with a 100in wheelbase, and a full range of engines from 1.3- to 2.0-litres. Vauxhall knew the Ascona could match the Cortina inch-by-inch, although the top 1.9-litre cam-in-head Opel engine was down on power compared with Ford’s Pinto unit by 10bhp.

Development in the UK was a two-pronged affair. Design chief Wayne Cherry was tasked with giving the new car a British style all of its own, while the chassis and engineering teams hit Millbrook to make it ride and handle UK roads well.

On the styling front, initially, Cherry’s team wanted to give the car an all-new body as had happened with the Victor FE, but management soon vetoed that plan, strictly containing budgets. Given that Vauxhall’s star designer was a lover of all things wedge shaped, having penned the stunning 1970 SRV concept as well as the droopsnoot Firenzas, this must have been a blow.

But the arrival of the Manta proved a godsend, allowing him to use that car’s front end styling, therefore adopting a pragmatic approach. The Manta’s front end was further cleaned up for UK saloon consumption, losing its nose slots and headlamp surrounds to create a clean and modern look that would prove rather striking come launch date.

Vauxhall Cavalier GL saloon: cleanly styled by Wayne Cherry.

In engineering terms, the Cavalier was almost pure Ascona/Manta. The UK was spared the entry-level 1.2-litre ohv also used in the Kadett, leaving the initial launch line-up down to the two larger engines. There would be a good reason for this – the Cavalier would initially be built in Opel’s Antwerp plant in Belgium, and it meant production simplification. But, the 1256cc ohv unit used in the Viva and (later) Chevette would be developed to fit into the Cavalier, creating a much more UK-flavoured car.

When the wraps came off the Cavalier at the 1975 London Motor Show at Earls Court, it was a genuine surprise, catching the media – and potential – buyers off guard. But the stylish saloon and coupe combination was soon attracting rave reviews, hitting the market in the dying days of the Cortina Mk3, when it was looking its weakest. Initial road tests were also complimentary. What Car? Magazine was certainly complimentary, and in a group test alongside the Cortina and Morris Marina (both of which the Cavalier trounced), it concluded, ‘Vauxhall’s version of the Opel Ascona has helped put the previously ailing Luton firm on the road to recovery – and it’s easy to see why. The Cavalier is a good handling, sporty saloon aimed directly at the Cortina…’

The magazine went on: ‘As far as driver appeal is concerned, the Cavalier must be one of the best – perhaps the best – conventional saloon at the price. Its steering is accurate and responsive at all times, and it is not too heavy at parking speeds. Its cornering ability on smooth roads is excellent, although the well-located rear axle can hop about if the surface is poor. The ride may be a little firm for some tastes, but he ride/handling compromise is near perfect.’

Buyers certainly liked it, but that caused problems itself. Early availability was poor, with dealers clamouring for stock, while the waiting list grew. With production limited to a shared factory in Belgium, this was always going to be the case, while production at Luton was prepared and the Victor FE (now known as the VX range) wound down. In the end, the Luton plant came on stream in 1977, also seeing the arrival of the 1256cc car. Eric Fountain, Vauxhall’s Manufacturing Director drove the first British Cavalier off the production line on 26 August 1977 – and immediately after, the supply problems eased. And this removed the Cavalier’s main barrier to mass-market success.

Fleet managers also liked the Cavalier, and its imported content dropped from 100% in 1976 to 64% in 1978, it established itself as the company’s bestseller during the late 1970s.

As for model evolution, the Cavalier Mk1 was tweaked rather than facelifted throughout its life. In April 1978, the 1.9-litre model was upgraded to 2-litres and 100bhp (and 110bhp for the equivalent Manta GT/E, which again we didn’t see in the UK until 1983), giving the Coupe a genuine 110mph potential top speed and a sub 10-second 0-60mph time. Six months later, the innovative and stylish Sportshatch joined the coupe, which put right the older car’s one shortcoming – its lack of a wide-opening tailgate, like the Ford Capri.

When the Sportshatch was launched, the Vauxhall press office issued an interesting image of the new car alongside Concept 1 and Concept 2 – a pair of three-door proposals penned by Cherry. Both were considered during the development of the Sportshatch, and lined-up like this show an interesting timeline of how the idea was honed for production. Concept 1 was a clean sheet design, which Concept 2 incorporated the Cavalier’s front end styling. The definitive production car also shared its doors with the existing Coupe, and is probably more visually appealing as a result.

Cavalier Sportshatch in front of Concept 1 (left) and Concept 2 (right)

Cavalier Sportshatch was a stylish addition to the range in 1978

Again, What Car? was impressed. In a group test pitching the Sportshatch in 1.6GL form against the Alfasud Sprint, Ford Capri and Renault Fuego, there were plenty of nice things said about Vauxhall’s seemingly less than soulful Cavalier. ‘Although its rear tends to go out if treated roughly on corners, there is not the same degree of sliding in wet weather as there is with the Capri. The steering is quite light, which means that any breakaway is easier to control, and during most driving, the Sportshatch is predictable and controllable’.

In summary, it said: ‘Coming past the post ahead of the Capri, the Cavalier looks good and has price on its side. However, it really does need a newer engine, and it you want an all-rounder, you really should go for the two-litre model.’ The Sportshatch was a good-looking and adaptable coupe, which also proved the basis for a couple of very different themes.

The first was the very coupé-based convertible, known as the Centaur. That car was developed by Magraw Engineering and built by Crayford Engineering. Rather like the Crayford Cortina, which was sold at the same time, the Centaur was sold through a number of Vauxhall dealers. It was well-engineered, but with a strengthened floorpan and Triumph Stag-like T-bar roof arrangement, it came at a cost. In mid-1980, a new Centaur would cost you £8502 – compared with £5230 for a standard 2000GLS Sportshatch. But then, what rivals did it have?

More exciting was the Wayne Cherry developed Silver Aero concept. This beauty was unveiled it at the 1980 British Motor Show in Birmingham, and followed on from 1974’s wonderful Silver Bullet. The one-off, which was based on the Sportshatch, featured a radical looking bodykit, a seriously upgraded interior and power by a 150bhp 2.4-litre turbocharged engine by WBB Racing and Turbo Torque Limited. Its most striking styling feature was undoubtedly the even sharper nose treatment, which maintained Cherry’s love for the droopsnoot. The press release that accompanied the car’s unveiling spoke of customer kits being made available – but they never subsequently appeared.

Silver Aero concept was based on the Cavalier Sportshatch, but with far more aggressive styling.

Across the range model development was limited to tweaking of trim levels. After the introduction of the 2-litre cars in 1978, and the rebadging (from 1300, 1600 and 2000 to 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0), it was just a matter of improving trim packages along the way. In 1980, an interim LS model was introduced to bridge the gap between L and GL – this was hardly exciting stuff – and that was about it. The biggest omission was an estate model, which also held true in the Opel Ascona range. Given this was a variant included in the Ascona range, it’s surprising a five-door never made the showroom, despite being an actively persued model on the drawing board.

So the Silver Aero would prove to be the Cavalier’s swan-song – and that never made it beyond one-off status, even if aspects of the concept made it into the 1983 Manta facelift. The Cavalier Mk1 lasted six years, before being phased out in favour of the front-wheel drive Mk2 in August 1981, and during this time proved a strong and steady seller.

Although it failed to threaten Ford in UK sales chart, along with the Chevette, it went a long way to rehabilitating the marque and regaining its credibility with fleet buyers. Its sales achievements would subsequently be dwarfed by what came later with the Mk2 and Mk3, but the original Cavalier’s place in Vauxhall – and therefore, UK – model history should never be underestimated.

With thanks to the Cavalier and Chevette Club.