GMM Luton
Encyclopedia
GM Manufacturing Luton ltd is a British vehicle manufacturer and a subsidiary of General Motors UK Limited
. It currently produces light commercial vehicles under the Vauxhall
, Renault
, Nissan and Opel
marques.
, the van manufacturing subsidiary of Vauxhall
.
In 1986 the Bedford Vehicles van factory in Luton
was reorganised as a joint venture with Isuzu
. The resulting company was named IBC Vehicles (Isuzu Bedford Company Ltd), and produced a Europe
an version of the Isuzu MU Wizard
called the Frontera and a range of Renault
-designed vans sold under the Vauxhall
and Opel
brand names. The Bedford name was dropped completely as were all of its preceding range apart from the Midi.
In 1998 GM bought Isuzu out of the IBC partnership and renamed the plant to GMM Luton.
, Renault Trafic
and Nissan Primastar
.
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
. It currently produces light commercial vehicles under the Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
, Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
, Nissan and Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
marques.
History
GMM Luton has its roots in Bedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles
Bedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
, the van manufacturing subsidiary of Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
.
In 1986 the Bedford Vehicles van factory in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
was reorganised as a joint venture with Isuzu
Isuzu
, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...
. The resulting company was named IBC Vehicles (Isuzu Bedford Company Ltd), and produced a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an version of the Isuzu MU Wizard
Isuzu MU Wizard
The Isuzu Wizard is a mid-size SUV that was produced by the Japan-based manufacturer Isuzu. The five-door Wizard was introduced in 1990 after the three-door Isuzu MU from 1989, both of which ceased production in 2004...
called the Frontera and a range of Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
-designed vans sold under the Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
and Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
brand names. The Bedford name was dropped completely as were all of its preceding range apart from the Midi.
In 1998 GM bought Isuzu out of the IBC partnership and renamed the plant to GMM Luton.
Products
GMM Luton produces the Vauxhall/Opel VivaroOpel Vivaro
The Opel Vivaro is a medium-sized light commercial vehicle produced by the German automaker Opel, and sold under the Opel brand in most of Europe, but under the Vauxhall brand in the United Kingdom. It was originally launched in 2001, and is available in panel van, minibus, combined bus/van and...
, Renault Trafic
Renault Trafic
The current Trafic resulted from a joint venture between German Opel, Japanese Nissan and French Renault. It is also sold as an Opel Vivaro, Vauxhall Vivaro and by Nissan as the Primastar....
and Nissan Primastar
Nissan Primastar
The Nissan PrimaStar is a medium commercial vehicle originally launched in 2001, and is available in panel van, combi, bus and chassis cab configurations. Two wheelbases and two roof heights are available, as well as three diesel engines and a petrol. The vehicle resulted from a joint venture...
.