Vauxhall commercial vehicles - Britain’s number one!

As well as parent company GM being Britain’s biggest van producer, Vauxhall has further reason to celebrate after its Commercial Vehicle range claimed the top spot in the LCV market for the first time since records began.

The Luton-based manufacturer, which builds both the Vivaro and the Astravan in Britain, achieved 4,332 sales in October, knocking its closest rival off the top for the first time since records began. Preliminary data suggests that Vauxhall also achieved a record market share of 23.83 per cent, accounting for almost one in four of all light commercials sold in the UK.

Sales were especially strong in the light van segment, with Combo, Corsavan and Astravan claiming the top three sales positions respectively. The Luton-built Vivaro was Britain’s best-selling medium panel van, accounting for 24.98 per cent of sales in the sector. Vauxhall has also increased its market share year-on-year by 1.2 percentage points, accounting for 16.8 per cent of van sales for the whole of 2008 to date.

Vauxhall’s national CV sales manager, Richard Collier, said: “Even in a challenging market, customers appreciate great products and good levels of service – that’s what Vauxhall delivers, and we’re thrilled that this is reflected in our sales figures. To be number one for the first time ever is an incredible achievement.”

In October, Vauxhall claimed four of the top 10 sales positions in the LCV market. Parent company GM builds over 100,000 vans a year in the UK – the Vivaro and its derivatives in Luton, Beds, and the Astravan in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Between them, the two plants directly employ over 3,000 British workers, as well as making significant contributions to the local economy in both areas.