The future of hundreds of jobs for people in North East Wales is uncertain after Vauxhall parent Opel this week announced details of a voluntary severance scheme in Russelsheim, Germany which shares Astra production with Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. It has been known since spring last year that 2,100 jobs would be going in Germany when Opel produce the next … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Vauxhall Astra Hatch 1.5 Turbo D 122hp
The revised British built Vauxhall Astra has arrived in showrooms and that's good news for the 25% of Brits who have either owned or driven one since the Mark 1 appeared in 1979, writes David Miles. Since then through seven generations covering 40 years over three million have been sold in the UK, 30,000 of them in 2018. Now a major refresh sees the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Astra 1.2 145ps EliteNav
If proof was needed that sleeping giants are a threat, then the Vauxhall Astra proves it with the facelifted models now reaching showrooms, writes Robin Roberts. The model has been a staple of the Vauxhall brand for 40 years as the eighth-generation arrives and it’s arguably the best, and has benefitted from input by new owners Peugeot … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Vauxhall Astra Ultimate 200hp
It’s onwards and upwards in the constantly fast changing motoring world. Take the Vauxhall/Opel brand as an example. Now owned by the French PSA Group it has joined their brand line-up of Peugeot, Citroen and DS. Keeping their popular Astra mid-sized family car range future proof Vauxhall have just added two Euro 6d-TEMP engines to its … [Read more...]
£170M Vauxhall Luton van plant investment
Vauxhall Luton van plant will build the next generation Vivaro from next year, and probably some Peugeot and Citroen models which will use the same platform in the group. The news today secures about 1,400 jobs beyond 2030 and represents up to £170m investment in the plant said the Unite union, including about £9M from the Government. It is also expected … [Read more...]
Vauxhall cut another 250 jobs in UK, for now
A further 250 jobs will go at Vauxhall, Ellesmere Port. These are in addition to the 400 posts it announced in October and follow a dramatic slowdown in UK sales at a time when the company’s new parent in France, PSA Group, is looking for greater efficiencies at it rolls out a new business plan. The Ellesmere Port plant makes the Astra and it will move … [Read more...]
400 Vauxhall jobs going at Ellesmere Port
Vauxhall is axing 400 jobs making Astra hatch and sports tourer models at Ellesmere Port. There are potentially 80 workers from Wales who could be affected when the shifts are reduced from two to one next year. Owner PSA Peugeot Citroen said the rising cost of importing parts to make the cars affected their profits on each vehicle and with … [Read more...]
Asta-nomical achievement takes to the air
As the home of the Vauxhall Astra, Ellesmere Port has been making the car for almost 40 years. And proud employees have marked the landmark moment the 4 millionth car rolled off the production line with a choreographed display of 236 Astra Sport Tourers to spell out the feat and best viewed from the air. Making the iconic British car since 1981, the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Astra Elite diesel hatch
You could be forgiven for wondering how conservative Vauxhall would emerge as one of Britain’s Brexit champions with its Astra. This family focused five-door hatch and sports tourer is now in its seventh generation and rolling off the Ellesmere Port production lines bound for British and European markets, and it’s also pushing out Opel-badged … [Read more...]
New car sales collapse in Wales
New car registrations in Wales plunged over 30% last month after a boom in March due to new taxes and charges beginning in April, writes Robin Roberts. It was the steepest fall in the UK, with Northern Ireland just a little behind while England and Scotland did not suffer anywhere like the same downturn. The fall was expected but … [Read more...]
