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[RWD4ever]

It sold 800,000 which is hardly a failure.  I presume GM was not willing to invest in an upgrade.
Yet Holden continued with the V-platform for a few years longer, and in a smaller market.
 

[Nick W]

Holden had more of a captive market, due to local restrictions.
Plus, the Vectra/Insignia had grown size, and used many of the same bits as the other GM ranges. The Mondeo did much the same for the Granada/Scorpio, although Ford's weird decision to only make  a previously poor selling saloon the only choice can't have helped there.

[Kevin Wood]

I think the market for large rear wheel drive cars without a snobby badge on the front simply disappeared in the UK.

As said, not just Vauxhall. Ford also killed off that line and Volvo went all wrong-wheel-drive on us.

[flyer 0712]

I think they call it progress....but in this case I think they were wrong,

[The Sheriff]

Big engined, RWD cars are loved by people who get pleasure from driving a car the way it should be driven. But where, nowadays? Every road is congested for most of the day. You just sit in traffic while your big engine drinks fuel. If you happen to come across apiece of open road, a hidden camera will catch you 'driving for pleasure'.
I think cars/engines will become even smaller in the future, even if it's just to satisfy the legislation that is bound to become more draconian.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Because fleet buyers no longer wanted such big, expensive, cars for their middle/senior managers, who were becoming only too away of how much tax they were having to pay for the privilege of having a company car. So it was a combination of the two, and the fact that those senior managers who still wanted "firms wheels" went increasingly towards BMW's and Merc's. These gave them, as they perceived it, better status in the company car park/ in company circles, and better value for the tax paid.

The humble Ford and Vauxhall "prestige" car, with all the "I'm doing better than you" badges of GLS, CDI, Ghia, Elite, etc., were suddenly out of date and too expensive for their prestige car position in life. A BMW or Merc on the drive said so much more!;)

[Shackeng]

Quite true Lizzie, I bought my 3.2 from a Company Director who was told by his MD that he didn't want his directors driving around in 9 yr-old cars, so he - reluctantly - reverted to driving his company Jag, can't remember the model, but he much preferred driving the Omega.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Quite true Lizzie, I bought my 3.2 from a Company Director who was told by his MD that he didn't want his directors driving around in 9 yr-old cars, so he - reluctantly - reverted to driving his company Jag, can't remember the model, but he much preferred driving the Omega.

Yes.  I knew a company director that really wanted a Jag, but our company policy was that they HAD to have Mercedes.  The reason being that they held their value so well over the two years they had them that they virtually got back what they paid originally (allowing for fleet discounts). 

That is another reason why large Ford's and Vauxhall's became "unwanted" by fleet buyers; they lost far too much in depreciation as the market shrunk for that type of car.

[Kevin Wood]

Quite true Lizzie, I bought my 3.2 from a Company Director who was told by his MD that he didn't want his directors driving around in 9 yr-old cars, so he - reluctantly - reverted to driving his company Jag, can't remember the model, but he much preferred driving the Omega.

There's another one! Lyons must be turning in his grave at the shocking front wheel drive diesel 4 pots bearing his, now Indian owned, companies name. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

It sold 800,000 which is hardly a failure.  I presume GM was not willing to invest in an upgrade.
Yet Holden continued with the V-platform for a few years longer, and in a smaller market.
 

I had no idea the Omega was such a big seller.

My guess would have been closer to 200,000.

[chrisgixer]

Purely cost of manufacture I would say.

Wrong wheel drive does away with prop and dif, saves weight and materials, simplifies the floor pan ,making room for petrol tanks and exhaust runs, allows cheaper rear suspension such as torsion bars (spit) as all it has to do is keep the rear wheels off the floor.
 The omega is a big car by modern standards, with a relatively big engine on the non gay models. Add in a diminishing market in a small country for large cars and the majority market will win every time, while those that appreciate a big comfy rear wheel drive get left in the cold.

 Bean counters looking at profit margin per unit, in short. ...and that's before we even got into fuel at over £1 a litre.

[Shackeng]

Purely cost of manufacture I would say.

Wrong wheel drive does away with prop and dif, saves weight and materials, simplifies the floor pan ,making room for petrol tanks and exhaust runs, allows cheaper rear suspension such as torsion bars (spit) as all it has to do is keep the rear wheels off the floor.
 The omega is a big car by modern standards, with a relatively big engine on the non gay models. Add in a diminishing market in a small country for large cars and the majority market will win every time, while those that appreciate a big comfy rear wheel drive get left in the cold.

 Bean counters looking at profit margin per unit, in short. ...and that's before we even got into fuel at over £1 a litre.

Worked well on my '59 Beetle that I ran for 13 years.

[chrisgixer]

Purely cost of manufacture I would say.

Wrong wheel drive does away with prop and dif, saves weight and materials, simplifies the floor pan ,making room for petrol tanks and exhaust runs, allows cheaper rear suspension such as torsion bars (spit) as all it has to do is keep the rear wheels off the floor.
 The omega is a big car by modern standards, with a relatively big engine on the non gay models. Add in a diminishing market in a small country for large cars and the majority market will win every time, while those that appreciate a big comfy rear wheel drive get left in the cold.

 Bean counters looking at profit margin per unit, in short. ...and that's before we even got into fuel at over £1 a litre.

Worked well on my '59 Beetle that I ran for 13 years.

...and it didn't rust through? Mind you it's hardly stressed in a Beatle. Don't they skid off into the weeds before the body rolls? (answer, yes they do )

[aaronjb]

all it has to do is keep the rear wheels off the floor.

I think I'm starting to see why you have so much trouble with handling…

[chrisgixer]

all it has to do is keep the rear wheels off the floor.

I think I'm starting to see why you have so much trouble with handling…

Damn. ....rear of car off the floor.