VAUXHALL MOTORS LIMITED, LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, EAST ENGLAND, BRITAIN

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Number of Photos: 1 Click here or on the image for this location's profile page Location Category ID: 3390 Address: Kimpton Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0TY Telephone: Email: Opening Times: Official Website: Vauxhall Motors UK Other Links: Vauxhall History – Luton Today Vauxhall History – BBC.co.uk Vauxhall to the Rescue – BBC.co.uk UKCar.com Latitude, Longitude: 51.87699436 , -0.39121628 Location Accuracy: 7 Tanks Previously Here: Models of tank built here: 1: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark I (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 2: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark II (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 3: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark II CS (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 4: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark III (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 5: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark IV (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 6: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark V (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 7: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark VI (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 8: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark VII (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 9: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark VIII (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 10: A22 Churchill Tank - Mark IX (Design parent and primary manufacturer) 11: A22 Churchill Tank - NA75 (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 12: A22 Churchill Crocodile Flame-Throwing Tank - Churchill Crocodile (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 13: A22 Churchill AVRE Tank - Churchill AVRE (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 14: FV3903 Churchill Mark VII AVRE Tank (Primary manufacturer of base vehicle) 15: - Churchill ARV (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 16: Churchill Bridgelayer - Churchill Bridgelayer (Primary manufacturer of base vehicle) 17: Churchill ARK Armoured Ramp Carrier (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 18: Churchill Great Eastern Ramp Armoured Ramp Carrier (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 19: FV3902 Churchill Toad Mine Flail - Churchill Toad Mine Flail (Churchill design parent and primary manufacturer) 20: 3in Gun Carrier - 3in Gun Carrier (Design parent) 21: A43 Black Prince Tank (Design parent and sole manufacturer) Alexander Wilson founded the company in the Dusian Road, Vauxhall, London in 1857. Originally named Alex Wilson and Company, then Vauxhall Iron Works, the company built pumps and marine engines. In 1903, the company built its first car, a five-horsepower model steered using a tiller, with two forward gears and no reverse gear. This led to a better design which was made available for sale. To expand, the company moved the majority of its production to Luton in 1905. The company continued to trade under the name Vauxhall Iron Works until 1907, when the modern name of Vauxhall Motors was adopted. The company was characterised by its sporting models, but after World War I the company's designs were more austere. During World War I, Vauxhall made large numbers of their D-type car for use as staff cars for the British forces. After the 1918 armistice, the D-type remained in production, along with the sporting E-type. In spite of making good cars, expensive pedigree cars of the kind that had served the company well in the prosperous pre-war years were no longer in demand; the company struggled to make a consistent profit and Vauxhall looked for a major strategic partner. In 1925, Vauxhall was bought by General Motors (GM) for US$2.5 million. The company's pre-war image and target market were abruptly changed - with the introduction in 1931 of the first Bedford truck, which was Chevrolet based, along with the low-cost two litre Vauxhall Cadet. During World War II, car production at Luton was suspended to allow Vauxhall to work on the new Churchill tank, taking it from specification to production in less than a year, and assembled there (as well as at other sites). Over 5,600 Churchill tanks were built. Luton also produced lorries for the war effort (250,000), the Bedford designs being common in British use. (Source: Wikipedia).