Vauxhall Commercial Vehicles rise to the challenge

It may be a challenging market, but Vauxhall has proven that great products speak volumes by increasing its commercial vehicle sales in September by over eight per cent compared to the same month in 2007, along with its highest retail share ever.

Furthermore, the Luton-built Vivaro was the UK’s best-selling van to retail customers, recording 1,167 sales in the private sector and a further 1,177 fleet sales – making it the UK’s second most popular van overall. The Combo also shone, leading the light van segment at both fleet and total levels.

Vauxhall’s total share of the retail van market was the highest ever recorded by the company, accounting for 17.47 per cent of sales to small businesses and individual customers. Out of a total of 7,028 sales, 2,183 were to the retail sector.

In a market that’s 7.3 per cent down in total over 2007, Vauxhall’s year-to-date van sales at the end of September were up by 1.78 per cent, showing a 0.92 percentage point share increase at 16.27 per cent of the total van market. Retail sales in the same period were up 4.31 per cent.

Vauxhall’s National CV Sales manager, Richard Collier, said: “This is great news, as it proves that Vauxhall has great products – essential in a challenging marketplace. Our performance in the retail sector shows that our products appeal to customers who want great value and quality, both of which are incredibly important to small businesses in the current climate.”

Vauxhall’s parent company, General Motors, is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the UK, building over 100,000 vans a year at plants in Luton, Beds, and Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.