Vauxhall Motors on a roll

Vauxhall Motors is set to overtake take Ford Motor Company in the UK car retail business, according to a report in the Mail on Sunday.

Duncan Aldred, chairman and managing director of Vauxhall Motors, is reported as saying: We will be overtaking Ford by 2016. Just after the middle of the decade I expect us to be number one. So I have very high hopes for the Vauxhall brand in the UK. Our mission is to get Vauxhall right to the very top.”

Ford appears undaunted by the claims, noting “Vauxhall has always been feisty, but it’s been saying this kind of thing for 10 years.”

The UK is the fourth biggest selling market for General Motors globally – after China, North America and Brazil.

At present, Vauxhall enjoys an 11 per cent share of the UK car market while Ford has 14 per cent.

Aldred became sales director of Vauxhall in 2004 since when he has reversed a 12-year decline; he is also acting sales director of Vauxhall’s sister company in Germany, Adam Opel AG.

Several models have been responsible for the sales increase including the Mokka, Cascada and Insignia. Seemingly, Mokka has exceeded sales expectations to the point that Aldred has had to halt a marketing campaign with a ‘rejig’ of production to include Spain and South Korea.

Aldred sees the Mokka as Vauxhall’s star player, followed by Insignia and revamped Corsa.

Aldred claims that GM is “the only one of the top five in Europe to have increased market share; every other one has post, so out of Volkswagen, Ford, Renault or Peugeot, we’re the only one who stands out.”

Meanwhile, today Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK began production in Sunderland, UK of the Note. The company claims an investment of £125 million has created 2,000 new jobs in the industry including 2000 at its own plant. John Martin, senior vice president at Nissan claims the Sunderland plant is an international benchmark for productivity and quality.  ∎