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Vauxhall Chevette
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The Chevette was a model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1983. It was Vauxhall's version of the family of small "T-Cars" from Vauxhall's parent General Motors (GM); the family included the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in the United States, Canada and Brazil and a badge-engineered Pontiac Acadian/Pontiac T1000 across North America.
Development
The Chevette was designed to fit into the Vauxhall range below the Viva, and was initially presented as a hatchback, a style that soared in popularity during the 1970s.
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Encyclopedia
The Chevette was a model of car manufactured by Vauxhall in the UK from 1975 to 1983. It was Vauxhall's version of the family of small "T-Cars" from Vauxhall's parent General Motors (GM); the family included the Opel Kadett in Germany, the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in the United States, Canada and Brazil and a badge-engineered Pontiac Acadian/Pontiac T1000 across North America.
Development
The Chevette was designed to fit into the Vauxhall range below the Viva, and was initially presented as a hatchback, a style that soared in popularity during the 1970s. The Chevette was the first British-built hatchback of this size, with Ford not responding with a similar product until the following year. From 1975 until 1978, the Chevette was, in fact, the UK's best selling hatchback as UK branded rivals failed to respond to the challenge of the Renault 5 until the arrival of Ford's Fiesta at the end of 1976. Chrysler UK did not launch its Chrysler Sunbeam for two years, while it was five years before British Leyland came up with the Austin Metro.
It was launched in the UK using Vauxhall's slogan and musical 'jingle': "It's whatever you want it to be! - A sporty coupe, a family saloon, a handy estate...".
More conventional 2- and 4-door saloons, and 3-door estate variants (essentially the Opel Kadett with Vauxhall front sheetmetal and engines) were also built from 1976.
The Viva remained on sale until the end of 1979, when the Vauxhall Astra was launched, while the Chevette remained on sale until 1984, itself being replaced by the slightly smaller Vauxhall Nova that was launched in 1983, with Chevette production being reduced in November 1981, when Astra production was moved to the Ellesmere Port factory.
This longevity led to the Chevette being exported to Germany after 1979, when the comparable Opel Kadett City had ceased production; it provided an unusual small car in that it still had rear wheel drive. By this time, it was the only Vauxhall to be sold in continental Europe, while the Chevette also held this dubious distinction in markets like Mauritius and New Zealand; and none have been exported since.
A van version, based on the estate and called the Bedford Chevanne was also built, and badged as part of GM's Bedford commercial vehicles marque.
Although the Chevette was largely a rebadged Opel Kadett C with revised front-end (detailed below), it did use the 1256 cc overhead valve (OHV) engine of the Viva instead of the Kadett's units, which were produced by Opel. The Kadett's double wishbone front suspension, rear-wheel drive and rear suspension with Panhard rod, torque tube and coil sprung live axle were carried over unaltered. Inside, the two cars differed only in terms of their dashboard and switchgear: the Chevette stuck to the British & Japanese right-hand drive tradition of having the indicator switch on the right-hand side of the steering column, while the Kadett had the mainland European left-hand drive custom of the flasher stalk being on the left. The Chevette also had a much more angular instrument binnacle, although the instrumentation within was similar (though in imperial rather than metric measurements).
The Chevette's front end featured a more aerodynamic-looking nose treatment than the Kadett, based loosely on the design of the "droopsnoot" Firenza. In contrast the Kadett had a more conventional flat-fronted design. In 1980, the Chevette underwent a facelift with flush fitting headlights, giving it a "family look" alongside the larger Vauxhall Cavalier. It also received new wheel designs, revised C-pillar vent covers and revamped interior trim with re-designed front seats to increase rear knee room marginally. However, it was effectively the beginning of a phase-out in favour of the newer Astra, Vauxhall's version of the front wheel drive Kadett, which was launched in January 1980.
Production finally finished in January 1984, approximately one year after the launch of the Spanish-built Nova.
The Chevette was a successful model for Vauxhall, with around 415,000 units produced in just under nine years.
Timeline
- May 1975 - Introduction of the Chevette 3-door Hatchback in Base and L model variations. Both had an improved version of the 1256 cc OHV engine from the Viva, with a similar 4-speed gearbox, rear wheel drive, independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and servo-assisted dual circuit brakes. Initial standard equipment included two-speed heater fan, radial tyres, reversing lights, heated rear window and reclining front seats.
- November 1975 - Introduction of the Chevette GL with sports wheels with 175 x 70 SR tyres, bumper over riders, and higher equipment level including new center console, front door pockets and velour interior door panels.
- January 1976 - Limited edition Chevette E introduced with L type specification but with black rubber surrounds on windows, revised brightwork and vynide (plastic) seats.
- April 1976 - Revisions: base renamed L and gains cloth upholstery; L renamed GL with no changes; GL becomes GLS and gains velour upholstery.
- June 1976 - E and L 2- and 4-door Saloons and GLS 4-door Saloon introduced with mechanical specification of Hatchback versions. E has reduced equipment level without reclining front seats. L and GLS have specifications of hatchback models plus (on GLS) clock, cigar lighter and bonnet light.
- September 1976 - Chevette L Estate introduced with specification of Saloon model. Bedford Chevanne Van version of Chevette introduced. Similar to Chevette Estate, but without rear side windows and rear seats.
- January 1977 - Chevette E 3-door Hatchback introduced with similar specification to the Saloon model.
- January 1978 - Chevette HS 3-door Hatchback introduced with 16-valve 2279 cc slant-four engine, 5-speed close-ratio gearbox, uprated brakes and suspension. It proved extremely fast and a great success in the rallying tournaments. The HS also featured a full front air dam, black and tartan interior trim and additional instrumentation. Other versions of the HS included the HS-X (with walnut trimmed interior) and the Panther Westwinds (with single-cam turbo), both of which were made in very small numbers.
- October 1978 - Chevette GL 4-door Saloon model introduced with similar specification to Hatchback model. GL Hatchback now has sports wheels, additional bright trim around the windows, and matt-black rear panel. GLS Saloon discontinued.
- September 1979 - Revisions: all models now have flush-fitting headlights, restyled seats, front door pockets, additional fascia vents, new badging and rear fog light. GL adds protective side mouldings. Optional 3-speed automatic transmission available on L and GL models.
- November 1979 - The rear-wheel drive Opel Kadett range was discontinued and replaced by a new front-wheel range with the same model name.
- April 1980 - Chevette E Estate introduced with specification of Hatchback and Saloon versions; the E model was intended for the fleet market. Limited edition Chevette Special 2- and 4-door Saloons launched, based on L models. Introduction of the Chevette HSR, which was just an evolution of the Chevette HS.
- June 1980 - Limited edition Chevette Sun Hatch 2-door Saloon model introduced with sunroof, tinted glass and radio fitted as standard.
- October 1980 - Chevette ES 2-door Saloon and 3-door Hatchback introduced with similar specification to the E models but with even lower level of trim with vinyl trim plus carpets. Revisions: E has plaid cloth upholstery; L has radio and quartz clock; GL has front head restraints, radio and (on hatchback) load area cover.
- May 1981 - Limited edition Chevette Black Pearl introduced with black paintwork, silver strobe stripes and ES type specification.
- January 1982 - Limited edition Chevette Silhouette 3-door Hatchback introduced with black paintwork, strobe stripes and ES type specification.
- September 1982 - ES and E models discontinued; range now consists of L and GL saloons and hatchbacks and L estate. Revisions: all models now have laminated windscreen. L models now have push-button radio.
- August 1983 - With the introduction of the Nova four months earlier, the Chevette range was reduced to just the Chevette L 4-door Saloon and 3-door Estate.
- January 1984 - Production of the Chevette L 4-door saloon and 3-door estate, the last available model, ends.
Chevette in New Zealand
Although the Chevette was generally a European car, it was also assembled in New Zealand between 1976 and 1981. All bodystyles that were available in the UK were sold.
It was notable that New Zealand had the Chevette, as neighbouring Australia had the Isuzu Gemini-based Holden Gemini. The Vauxhall 1.3L (from the Viva and Magnum) was the standard engine unit for all models. Most models were of "GL" specification and all had metric instrumentation.
The New Zealand Chevette had a mechanical update unseen on the European models, when in 1979 it gained Holden-developed Radial Tuned Suspension. This resulted in the entire Chevette range being re-suspended on wider tyres, and tuned suspension, giving the car superior handling over its rivals.
At the beginning of 1980 the Chevette received a facelift, which included flush mounted headlamps, and various new interior appointments, including extra air vents and different seats, giving more legroom to the cars.
An additional base "E" model was introduced to the range in 1980, aimed at fleets and budget-minded buyers, using the four-door bodyshell. This car was incredibly spartan – fitted with plain wheels and vinyl seats – and lacked many necessities, including reversing lamps, hazard flashers, radio and many gauges.
Production of the New Zealand Chevette ceased in June 1981, when it was replaced by the Holden Gemini, which for the New Zealand market was actually a hybrid of British, Japanese and Australian T-Car variants.
Special models
Chevette HS
In 1976, at the instigation of new chairman Bob Price, Vauxhall decided to increase their profile in international rallying. In conjunction with Blydenstein Racing, who ran Dealer Team Vauxhall, the nearest thing to a 'works' competition effort, they developed a rally version of the Chevette.
They created a far more powerful Chevette variant by shoehorning the much larger 2.3 litre Slant Four engine into the shell, using a sixteen valve cylinder head which Vauxhall was developing. Suspension and rear axle were from the Opel Kadett C GT/E, while the gearbox was a Getrag 5-speed. Chevrolet Vega Alloy wheels (similar in appearance to the Avon wheels used on the droopsnoot Firenza) were used, as well as a newly developed glass-reinforced plastic air dam.
The resulting car was extremely fast, with 135 hp (100 kW), and a far cry from the small-engined Chevettes from which it was developed. In order to compete in international rallying, the car had to be homologated; for Group 4, the class the HS was to compete in, this meant building 400 production examples. The result was an incredibly fast and well handling, if rather unrefined, road car. Like the Droopsnoot Firenza, the HS was available only in silver, with red highlighting and a bright red, black and tartan interior; though (partly to help sell unsold vehicles) some cars were repainted black, such the Mamos Garage HS-X.
The HS was a great success as a rally car, clocking up notable wins for drivers such as Tony Pond. It advanced the state of the art in world-class rallying quite significantly, and was a challenge to the most successful rally car of all time, the Ford Escort, which had dominated the sport. However, its reign was not to last, as the Audi Quattro soon appeared, raising the stakes once again by introducing four-wheel drive.
To stay competitive, an evolution version, the Chevette HSR, was developed, which held its own for several more years into the early 1980s. Evolution demanded a production run of 10% of the original build incorporating the new modifications; these were made by rebuilding unsold HSs and by modifying customers' vehicles. However, the merger of the Vauxhall and Opel marketing departments had already resulted in Dealer Team Vauxhall and Dealer Opel Team (DOT) joining to form GM Dealer Sport (GMDS); with the Chevette soon to be obsolete, Opel were able to force the cancellation of the HSR rally programme in favour of the Manta 400.
Contemporaries
External links
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