Vauxhall historic concepts at Goodwood

 

Vauxhall historic concepts at Goodwood

Tags: concept cars, vauxhall Published on 24 June 2009 | 4,448 views

At the next Goodwood Festival of Speed Vauxhall will have on display two historic prototypes which have been not exhibited in public for two decades: the XVR Concept (1966) and the SRV Concept (1970). They will be presented together with the new Insignia VXR and the VXR8 Bathurst.

Vauxhall will use this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (3-5 July 2009) to present two historic concepts that have not been seen outside its Luton-based Heritage Centre for nearly two decades.

At the event Vauxhall will also exhibit the 325 hp Insignia VXR - a UK debut - and its most powerful production car ever, the 6.2-litre V8-powered VXR8 Bathurst S Edition.

Vauxhall XVR Concept (1966)

The two-seater XRV was the first Vauxhall concept car ever to be exhibited in public.

Originally shown at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, the XVR was largely the work of David Jones, Vauxhall’s charismatic head of design in the 1960s.

He claimed that being “uncompromising in its styling treatment”, the XRV showed “the future trend in world design”.

Featuring gullwing doors, pop-up headlights and all-independent suspension, the XVR’s unique dash treatment was used to test reaction to ideas he had for the later Firenza.

Most of all, it expressed the new means and power allocated to GM’s European design studios in the 1960s.

Additional images are available on OldClassicCar and Makke's Garage.

Vauxhall SRV Concept (1970)

Joining the VXR will be another wholly in-house Vauxhall concept, the radical SRV was first shown at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show.

The SRV (for Styling Research Vehicle) designed under Wayne Cherry was characterized by the low and sleek body (5.08 m long and just 1.05 m high) which was surprisingly combined with a four-door, four-seat layout, with handle-less rear doors.

The transversely mid mounted engine was located within the wheelbase.

This high-speed concept supported research into areas such as engine design and aerodynamics, and featured an electric self-levelling suspension.

The exterior - inspired by the Le Mans racers of the time - was characterized by an adjustable aerofoil nose which could change the aerodynamic profile and body panels made of GRP (glass reinforced plastic).

The interior featured fixed front seats, controls located on the driver's door and a ‘manometer’ to measure the air pressure on the car’s hull.

Additional information on the SRV is available on lotusespritturbo.com, carstyling.ru and diseno-art.com.

Vauxhall Chief Designer Wayne Cherry (1971)

About Wayne Cherry

Before heading the GM Design organisation from 1992 to 2003, Wayne Cherry spent 26 years of his career outside America.

He was strongly involved in the development of Vauxhall advanced concepts - like the 1970 SRV.

In 1983, when the Vauxhall and Opel design departments were merged and centralized in Rüsselsheim, Wayne Cherry moved to Germany and became their common director.

Vauxhall at Goodwood 2009

Together with the two concept cars, Vauxhall will display Insignia VXR - the high-performance version of the model - which has just completed a final 10,000 kilometre shakedown at the Nürburgring – will demonstrate its capabilities twice a day at 9.00am and 1.25pm on Goodwood’s notoriously tricky hillclimb course.