Vauxhall is officially launching its all-new Vivaro van, describing it as a vehicle that has secured 1,200 jobs.
Staff at the UK’s last van manufacturing plant won a 10-year contract and a £185 million investment to build the Vivaro, beating stiff competition from across Europe.
More than eight million vehicles have been built since 1905 at the Luton facility, which became the one remaining UK van plant when rival Ford shut its Transit factory in Southampton last year.
Last year Luton turned out 44,000 of the previous-generation Vivaro, having built almost a million Vivaros since 2001. Just over half of this production is exported, mainly to Europe.
Vauxhall adds that the new Vivaro will also benefit component makers around the country to the extent of £600 million of new business over the life of the new vehicle, as 40 per cent of its content has been sourced locally from UK suppliers. This is up by 60 per cent on the outgoing van.
Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director Tim Tozer describes the new Vivaro as of critical importance to Vauxhall and its manufacturing facility in Luton.
“I’m very proud of the men and women who build this vehicle to world class levels of quality and productivity,” Tozer says.
“Our customers will be delighted with the new Luton-built Vivaro. It offers the comfort and design of a passenger car but with class-leading practicality, improved cargo dimensions and excellent payload capability.”
The New Vivaro was designed by a team led by Vauxhall/Opel’s Design Director Malcolm Ward, himself born in Luton and continuing a family tradition that saw both his father and grandfather work at Vauxhall.
Vauxhall Vivaro first drive – coming soon