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[Nick W]

That's right, it's all the fault of the French....my arse. It's the fault of this pathetic little island that would sell its granny for the right money. Aren't the French building our latest nuclear reactors too? Along with the Chinese, who with the arabs, own most of London.

Must have missed the episode where the British Government purchased GM Europe purely to sell out to the Frenchies

I was on about the demise of our car industry in general, Vauxhall was a bad example.

Our post-war car industry was a bad example of industry, full stop. That's without considering that they pissed away the advantage they had in the factories paid for by the war effort.

[aaronjb]

According to the BBC News, GM Europe hasn't turned a profit since 1999..

..pretty sure if I hadn't turned a profit since 1999, I'd be sleeping in a cardboard box under a bridge!

[Nick W]

That's right, it's all the fault of the French....my arse. It's the fault of this pathetic little island that would sell its granny for the right money. Aren't the French building our latest nuclear reactors too? Along with the Chinese, who with the arabs, own most of London.

Must have missed the episode where the British Government purchased GM Europe purely to sell out to the Frenchies

Let's not forget that GM bought Vauxhall in 1925! I'm amazed that they have continued to use the name for at least the last 35years; everything since the first Astra has been entirely Opel.

[tunnie]

Also Opel/Vauxhall has been loosing money hand over fist, so it needs major changes to make it work.

Must be huge job cuts on the cards, to stem flow of cash it's bleeding 

[Nick W]

Also Opel/Vauxhall has been loosing money hand over fist, so it needs major changes to make it work.

The problem with this sort of merger is that it drags the good part further down that it raises the bad part.


It will be interesting to see which company is which part, as they are all mediocre at best. GM Europe's image is "our cars are OK" and PSA's "who wants a flashy looking but dull French car?"

[citroenguy]

I think they'll keep making the Astra at Ellesmere for quite some time. And I can see them producing the either  replacements for the Nemo/Bipper or Jumper(Relay)/ Boxer vans at Luton. If they ditch Fiat, which they have already done with their midsize van.
You don't throw away recently updated factories. According to me brexit is the main issue for the future.

My theory of the brand strategy is:

Citroen still as comfy, family oriented cars with charm at good prices. Competing with Skoda, Renault , Seat, Kia etc..

Opel/Vauxhall kept in the middle to compete VW, Ford etc.

Pushing Peugeot towards Audi, Volvo and BMW territory, which they already started.

And I think they should pitch DS as an MINI competitor.

[Doctor Gollum]

Give it a couple of years and Chevrolet will be back in the market...

[Marks DTM Calib]

As long as the offerings don't sink to the piss poor levels of the likes of the C4 Grand Picasso
crap like we have at work.

[TheBoy]

As long as the offerings don't sink to the piss poor levels of the likes of the C4 Grand Picasso
crap like we have at work.

How many times has the dash been replaced?

Every single MPV style Citroen since the original Xsara Picasso has suffered bad instrumentation reliability....

[Kevin Wood]

As long as the offerings don't sink to the piss poor levels of the likes of the C4 Grand Picasso
crap like we have at work.

How many times has the dash been replaced?

Every single MPV style Citroen since the original Xsara Picasso has suffered bad instrumentation reliability....

.. and incendiary fuse boxes.

[tunnie]

The only decent MPV out there I can see is the Ford S-Max 

[TheBoy]

The only decent MPV out there I can see is the Ford S-Max 

Oh dear, that is grim.  Obviously nobody should have to tolerate MPVs, but those poor souls that do should be able to do far better than the S-Max....   ....urgh!

[tunnie]

The only decent MPV out there I can see is the Ford S-Max 

Oh dear, that is grim.  Obviously nobody should have to tolerate MPVs, but those poor souls that do should be able to do far better than the S-Max....   ....urgh!

Shitron C4 is another option, but unless buying brand spankers or on PCP I will forget that.

Zafira Tourer is flawed as MPV, might as well just run an Estate car instead.

VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra good options, maybe a little dull. Later examples are only diesel, although idea of sliding doors is a bit appeal.

So going to be two horse race been S-Max or Alhambra of 2012 is vintage I think

[Viral_Jim]

The only decent MPV out there I can see is the Ford S-Max 

Oh dear, that is grim.  Obviously nobody should have to tolerate MPVs, but those poor souls that do should be able to do far better than the S-Max....   ....urgh!

I drove one once from Munich to South Tyrol and back. Had no real issues with it as a car, comfortable, well specc'd and no slower than anything else of its ilk.

I've always had a soft spot for the 2.5T petrol. Remap, exhaust and an inter-cooler should be good for 300bhp and a few surprises at the traffic lights.

Thankfully its never come to that as SWMBO and I don't have kids.

[tunnie]

I always thought the later S-Max, with Sport kit's are decent looking. Always found Galaxy and S-Max a comfy place