Vauxhall Envoy
The Vauxhall Viva was a British compact car that was produced from belonging to General Motors car manufacturer Vauxhall. It was built from 1963 to 1979 in various designs and in 1979 discontinued in favor of the successor Vauxhall Astra.
The Viva HA was the first serious step of Vauxhall in the market the lower middle class. The car had an engine with 1057cc and overhead valve (OHV). The front engine drove the rear wheels. The wagon version was called Bedford HA and remained until 1983 in production. Thousands of these vehicles were purchased by the British General Post Office, so that the bright yellow vehicles were a common sight in the UK. In limited Edition appeared in a combined reconstruction of the company Martin Walter Ltd.. in Folkestone, which was based as Bedford Beagle on the Viva corresponding Bedford HA.
The Viva HA sat in his time setting new standards for light weight, ease of use, short shift, light steering and clutch, good visibility and relatively lively power delivery. As one of the first cars he was actively marketed as a vehicle for women.
The front subframe (steering, suspension and engine mounts) of the Viva HA were often used by the hot-rod manufacturers in the UK, as its mechanics similar to that was just from the 1930s, and could also accommodate much larger engines. The subframe contains a suspension, with double wishbones and can be removed in one piece from the vehicle and installed in another vehicle.
In Canada, was sold as the Vauxhall Viva HA Viva by Pontiac and Buick dealers as well as Vauxhall Envoy/Epic by Chevrolet and Oldsmobile dealers. He finished with the VW Beetle the second place in the import statistics for cars of the lower middle class.
At the beginning of the Viva HA was only offered as a basic and deluxe version; the better-equipped SL (super deluxe) version was not published until the end of 1965. There was the standard engine and the more powerful "90", which meant that the Vauxhall Viva was available in some markets in 6 specifications. The "90" models were there with front disc brakes, while the SL versions lightning bolt applications on the side faces, a more elaborate grille, large Hubcaps (instead axle caps), three round taillight elements and a better interior possessed.
The Viva HA was sold over 306,000 times, and so Vauxhall returned successfully in the market of lower middle class back, which she had left after the Second World War. Like other Vauxhall models from this period also suffered from the Viva HA but under massive corrosion problems, so that today there are only a few examples.
1964-1966 was also offered as Holden Viva HA HA of Holden in Australia.
The Viva HB was a larger car than the Viva HA and had as the U.S. General Motors models Chevrolet Impala/Caprice from this period accentuated Coke-bottle waistline. By default, he had the ³ to 1159 cm drilled motor his predecessor.
In addition to the standard and the "90" engine for a short time there was also a "Brabham 90" engine, of whom it was said that he had been developing along with the well-known racing driver Jack Brabham. The now rarely encountered Brabham models had distinctive black stripe that ran from the front end of the hood on the fender to the rear.
Were also offered two larger engines with overhead camshaft (OHC) from the Vauxhall Victor: a dual carburetor engine with 1975cc for the Viva GT from February 1968 and a 1599cc engine for the Viva 1600 from May 1968.
The extended range of engines there were many changes in the different models in basic, deluxe and SL equipment, such as a standard 1 0.2-liter, a 1.2 liter "90" and a 1.2 liter "90 Brabham," and in addition combinations with the aforementioned OHC machines. The "Brabham" was actually replaced by "Viva 1600", however, many customers complained about the high fuel consumption with this engine. Disc brakes it was in the "90" models and with OHC engine in which, while the larger 56 liter tank was the "1600" and the "GT" reserved.
The GT models were initially with pseudo-sporty features, such as matte black hood with Lufthutzenattrappen, 4-pipe exhaust dummies, chrome hubcaps. This overly "sporty" features disappeared in late 1969, as the exterior and dashboard of the GT models revised and the gear ratios have been changed, the "GT" to a more sophisticated – made sport model – albeit somewhat slower. From Viva GT were only 4606 Built piece, which is why they are highly sought after today and priced accordingly.
First there was the Viva HB only as a two-door sedan, the end of 1967, sales figures followed an attractive, three-door station wagon, but only the extension of the offer by a four-door sedan was the end of 1968 worldwide up fast.
The bodywork specialist Crayford built some two-door convertibles to.
The Vauxhall Viva HB was built and sold in Australia as a Holden Torana.
Canadian Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealers sold until 1970 as the Viva Vauxhall Envoy/Epic.
The elegant exterior and the crisp power delivery made the Viva HB bestseller; nearly 560,000 units were built. After Vauxhalls bad experiences with the rust preventive predecessor, the build quality of the body has been significantly improved when Viva HB.
The Viva HC corresponded in mechanics to its predecessor, but had a more modern styling and offered more interior space through improved seats. There were two four-door sedans and a station wagon and hatchback. The range of engines included the Standard – 1159cc, the 1159cc "90" and the 1600 OHC engine. The 2.0 GT in Europe was no longer available, but the only one available in Canada as Firenza offered (without Vauxhall) vehicles Motorization. Chevrolet dealer replaced the "Envoy Epic" by the Chevrolet’s "Vega" model. In Canada, the Viva HC was taken off the market, after the customer had complained for two years about corrosion and lack of reliability. A class action suit against General Motors was only decided in the early 1980s.
The American influence was still noticeable at Viva HC: he had narrow, horizontal taillights, a flat dashboard with broadband speedometer and a pronounced increase at the center of the hood, which continued in the front bumper.
A Vauxhall Firenza called coupe version was introduced in early 1971 to compete with the Ford Capri and the announced Morris Marina Coupe can. They came in DeLuxe and SL features; latter had twin headlights. Finally, we also took over the twin carburettor engine from the Viva GT.
The base engine was drilled in late 1971 from 1159cc to 1256cc and accounted for "90" version.
The OHC engines were overhauled in the spring of 1972; the 1.6-liter now got 1759cc, the 2.0-liter twin carburettor ³ 2279 cm. In the same train of Viva 2300 SL and Firenza Sport SL lost their broadband speedometer and got an attractive seven-part instrument. Firenza SLs had two circular instruments, while all other Vivas and Firenzas still had the original furnishings.
In September 1973, the Viva-offering was divided: The 1256cc basic versions remained Vivas, as well as the 1.8-liter engine with automatic transmission is selected. The other 1.8 liter and 2.3 liter models were given a more luxurious and were henceforth called Vauxhall Magnum. The Vauxhall Firenza was heavily revised and received an aerodynamic front and a stronger 2.3-liter engine with twin carburettors and a ZF 5-speed gearbox, making him the "Firenza HP" (High Performance) made.
In 1975, the Viva was again revised; the new trim levels were called E (for Economy), L and SL. The E was Vauxhall’s answer to the Ford Popular and was first with the surplus Firenza bodies offered as a two-door coupe special edition before him from an official Viva model, a two-door sedan was. He was the only Viva, who still owned the broadband speedometer after the L and SL, the same two round instruments such as the Firenza SL got.
In New Zealand, the Viva was founded in 1975 renamed "Magnum 1300". He had to overcome the dual headlight system and better equipment the worse Image of a Vauxhall-based version and the associated deteriorating sales.
A "Chevrolet Firenza" named version of the Viva HC was produced in South Africa, either with the UK 1.3 liter engine or with the 2.5-liter engine from Chevrolet. The Firenza coupe from the UK was also offered in South Africa in a special version with the powerful Chevrolet V8 "Small Block" (= 5.7-liter engine).
The Vauxhall Viva production was shut down in early 1975, when General Motors introduced the new Vauxhall Chevette as a sedan, wagon and hatchback – the station wagon was sold as the Opel Kadett City. The Vauxhall Viva remained in production until 1979 when the new Vauxhall Astra came on the market. Production ended at a time when European manufacturers in the lower middle class of the sedan with rear-wheel drive to the station wagon with Front-wheel drive umschwenkten. The setting of the Viva in 1979, Vauxhall is a milestone because it was the last car, which was completely designed by the company in Luton. All of the following Vauxhalls were Opel with Vauxhall Insignia, or in the case of the Vauxhall Monaro of 2004 Holden with other logos.
The Viva HC was sold about 640,000 times; together with its predecessors of the same name, he went to more than 1.5 million units. The one millionth Vauxhall Viva was a gold lacquered Viva HC and ran in August 1971 from the tape.
Over the next 25 years, the name "Viva" did not appear in the brochures of General Motors. 2004, the GM-AvtoVAZ Chevrolet Viva appeared from a production together with the manufacturer of the Lada automobiles, AvtoVAZ, Russia. In essence, however, this was a four-door Opel Astra G. The name is also used by Holden in Australia and New Zealand versions of the Daewoo Lacetti and the Daewoo Nubira.