Vauxhall is one of the UK's oldest car manufacturers and is currently a brand under the Stellantis Group, headquartered in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The brand's history dates back to 1857. It formally entered the automobile manufacturing field in 1903, was acquired by US-based General Motors in 1925, transferred to the French PSA Group in 2017, and later became a member of the Stellantis Group following the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler. Vauxhall focuses on the UK market, committed to providing cost-effective mobility solutions for ordinary families, and has long existed as an iconic national brand in the UK market.
Vauxhall's origins date back to 1857, when Scottish engineer Alexander Wilson established a steam engine manufacturing plant in the Vauxhall area of South London, engaged in marine engine and casting production. In 1903, company owner Hodges, after carefully studying his own Daimler car, decided to produce a better car. He launched the first model, equipped with a 5 horsepower single-cylinder engine, selling 43 units that year. Thus, Vauxhall formally entered the automobile manufacturing field.
In 1925, General Motors acquired Vauxhall for $2.5 million, and four years later acquired German Opel. Under General Motors' global strategy, Vauxhall gradually evolved into Opel's manufacturing plant in the UK, with Opel models sold in the UK bearing the Vauxhall brand. In March 2017, General Motors sold Vauxhall, Opel, and GM Financial Europe to the French PSA Group. In September of the same year, the operating company was renamed Vauxhall Limited. In 2021, PSA merged with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis, making Vauxhall a brand under this global fourth-largest automotive group.
Vauxhall's product lineup focuses on economy and practicality, covering sedans, SUVs, and commercial vehicles.
Corsa is the absolute mainstay of the brand's sales, with 35,967 units sold in 2025, making it the UK's best-selling supermini.
Astra is a classic family sedan available in two-door and wagon versions, benchmarking the Ford Focus. A mid-life update is coming in 2026, adopting new Intelli-Lux Matrix LED headlight technology and an upgraded infotainment system.
SUV lineup includes: the Mokka compact SUV, with a 276 horsepower electric high-performance version, the Mokka GSE, added in 2025; the Grandland mid-size SUV, built on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform and offering pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and mild hybrid powertrains; and the newly launched Frontera in 2025, positioned as a practical family SUV between the Mokka and Grandland, with 60% of orders being for the pure electric version.
In commercial vehicles, the Combo Electric is the UK's best-selling electric compact van and one of the few EV models produced locally in the UK.
In 2025, Vauxhall sold 81,921 new cars in the UK market, a year-on-year increase of about 3,000 units. Retail sales growth exceeded 5,500 units, reaching 29,887 units. Performance in the used car market was even more outstanding, with 198,567 units sold in the first eight months of 2025, a market share of 7.02%, ranking fourth in the UK and making Vauxhall the only brand to enter the top ten in that category. The Corsa secured the top spot in the UK supermini sales rankings with a 13.9% market share.
The brand's current dilemma is that its 81,821 annual sales only ranked 13th in the UK, far behind Volkswagen and Ford, and even fell short of its sister brand Peugeot within the same group. Before September 2025, Vauxhall had sold only 66,415 units, while third-ranked Kia reached 93,000 units during the same period.
The technical foundation of all Vauxhall models comes from the Stellantis Group's shared platform. In terms of electrification, the brand has achieved full coverage of pure electric versions (including commercial vehicles) across its entire vehicle lineup since the end of 2024, making it one of the few manufacturers in the UK with a local EV factory.
Corsa Electric offers two battery options: 50 kWh (136 horsepower, 221 miles range) and 51 kWh (156 horsepower, 266 miles range).
Grandland Electric is equipped with a 73 kWh battery, offering a range of approximately 325 miles and supporting 100 kW DC fast charging.
In the performance field, Vauxhall relaunched the GSE (Grand Sport Electric) sub-brand in 2025, positioning it as an all-electric high-performance sequence. The Mokka GSE is equipped with a 276 horsepower motor, tuned with an exclusive suspension, limited-slip differential, and brake system. The Corsa GSE is planned for release in the second half of 2026, adopting the same platform performance architecture. In terms of internal combustion engines, the Astra offers a 1.2-liter three-cylinder mild hybrid version, with power output ranging from 145 to 180 horsepower.
Vauxhall is the flagship brand of the Stellantis Group in the UK commercial vehicle sector, achieving a 29.85% market share in the electric van segment in 2025. In December 2025, the company made a management adjustment, with Steve Catlin succeeding as Managing Director. Catlin began his career at Vauxhall more than 20 years ago.
At the group level, through the joint venture between Stellantis and Leapmotor, Vauxhall is leveraging Leapmotor's electrification platform to develop a new C-segment pure electric SUV, planned for launch in 2028 and to be produced at the Zaragoza factory in Spain. The vehicle will be equipped with three-electric core components supplied by Leapmotor, with overall vehicle development led by the German Rüsselsheim design team. The new car will use lithium iron phosphate batteries to control costs, with the positioning aimed at providing European consumers with cost-effective electric mobility options.
Vauxhall's revival strategy focuses on three pillars. First is a return to the forefront of sales. New GM Steve Catlin has proposed bringing the brand back into the top three in UK new car sales within a few years. Core strategies include launching exclusive advertising marketing specifically targeting the UK market for the first time in nearly ten years, as well as strengthening the retail network covering approximately 200 dealers across the UK. Second is electrification and performance transformation. The GSE sub-brand will be fully electrified, sequentially releasing the Corsa GSE and other high-performance EV models starting in 2026. Third is deepening the cost-effectiveness route. The Frontera achieved the industry first by having its fuel version and electric version sold at the same price, becoming the UK's first new EV to achieve this goal.
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