Autovisie number 23 from 1973. (Image: Autovisie)
No, it never wanted to get along well between the Dutchman and Vauxhall. In our Opel-friendly country you had to come up with a good story if you wanted to spend a few hundred guilders more on a Viva than on a comparable Kadett, while the trade-in value was a lot lower.
Yet the first Viva (HA, 1963-66) and Kadett (A) have the same roots. No parts are interchangeable, but they both came from the same General Motors development program. The second generation Viva (HB, 1966-70) is completely different, a lot bigger and has nothing to do with the Kadett anymore. The third generation (HC) appears in 1970 and is actually a thoroughly overhauled HB.
From Vauxhall Viva HC
The styling is tighter than before and again quite American oriented. A smart find is the symmetrical dashboard that is easy to adapt for left and right-hand drive markets. The range is bigger than ever and consists of a two- and four-door sedan, a three-door estate and a two-door coupe called the Firenza.
Autovisie number 23 from 1973. (Image: Autovisie)
Later, the luxury Vauxhall Viva versions will be known as Magnum. There is a choice of four-cylinder engines between 1.2 and 2.3 liters and even an automatic transmission is possible. The HC initially sells well; especially in the UK, they are hard to get hold of in the first year. But the name Viva has since suffered damage: the HA suffered from serious rust problems, the HB suffered from inferior brakes.
Basically not wrong
This reflects on the fundamentally not wrong HC, although the Firenza has to deal with quality issues and can even be a fire hazard (what’s in a name). Bad aftersales does the rest, resulting in major lawsuits. This is also getting through to European consumers, because sales on the mainland are not good.
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Nevertheless, Autovisie is positive about comfort and interior space in the road test; the appearance ‘exceeds that of an Opel’. However, the performance could be better. The Viva receives various upgrades during its life (extra safety features, better brakes and rust prevention); little changes in appearance.
The enthusiasm decreases further after the Vauxhall Chevette (the real English Kadett) appears in 1975, although the Viva remains in production until the Vauxhall Astra (Kadett D) replaces it in 1979. The Viva will then go down in history as the last Vauxhall developed in-house.
Offer and prices Vauxhall Viva HC
The same applies to the Viva as to many other utility cars from the 1970s: almost all of them have been used up and thrown away. Fortunately, the prices for those few remaining copies are reasonable: you can find a good Viva sedan under 8 mille. In the Netherlands, the offer is nil, but check the website of the Vauxhall club every now and then.
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Also useful for parts, by the way. If you look beyond the national border, you will find some Vivas in Belgium, Finland and of course the United Kingdom. A Viva Coupé costs £13,000, a ’77 Magnum Estate £18,000. Very rare are the Firenza’s HP with a droopsnoot nose.
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2023-08-21 05:36:11
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