Vauxhall Velox
Encyclopedia
The classic four-door saloon boasted a newly developed straight-six-cylinder engine of 2275 cc, with overhead valves. The 54 bhp power output provided for a claimed top speed of 74 mi/h. Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual gear box with synchromesh on the top two ratios.
Optional extras included a heater from which warm air was evenly distributed between the front and back areas of the passenger cabin and which could be set to de-ice the windscreen in winter or to provide cool air ventilation in summer. Also available at extra charge was an AM radio integrated into the facia.
The body was shared with the four-cylinder Vauxhall Wyvern
, a pattern that continued with subsequent versions of the Velox until 1957. The interior of the Velox was not greatly differentiated from that of the Wyvern, but it could boast superior seating materials and, for the rear seat, a central arm rest.
Early Velox and Wyvern models were assembled at Vauxhall's Luton
plant in England, at the General Motors
plant at Biel in Switzerland and in Australia (by Holden in Melbourne) and New Zealand at the GM plant in Petone near Wellington.
A car tested by The Motor
magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 74.1 mph (119.3 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 22.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.3 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £550 including taxes.
and integral construction
. The body was again shared with the 4-cylinder
-engined Wyvern. The car was launched with the previous model's engine but with power output increased to 58 bhp.
A car with the original 2275 cc engine tested by The Motor
magazine in 1951 had a top speed of 77.4 mph (124.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 23.7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £802 including taxes. In the same year, the magazine tested the similarly sized Ford Zephyr Six. Ford's test car was fitted with options including a radio, a heater and leather seating: thus equipped the Zephyr came with a recommended retail price of £842.
models, the Velox received a new over-square 2262 cc engine which had been in the development pipeline for several years. This provided either 64 bhp or, with a compression ratio improved to 7.6:1, 68 bhp of power.
1954 saw a significant facelift. Most obvious of the many cosmetic changes was a new front grill. More important was the introduction at this time of a sister model, branded as the Vauxhall Cresta
. In addition to superior equipment levels, the Cresta was distinguished by a two tone paint finish.
Detroit was by now favouring annual facelifts, and Vauxhall reflected that trend, announcing a facelifted Velox for the 1955 London Motor Show and again in 1956. Technically, however, there were no further changes until the arrival of a completely new Velox in October 1957.
A further test by The Motor magazine in 1952, now with the short stroke 2262 cc engine, found the top speed had increased to 80.4 mph (129.4 km/h) and accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) to 21.4 seconds. A similar fuel consumption of 23.6 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost had risen to £833 including taxes.
, a Detroit inspired trend already taken up by the car's Ford rival
, and which would in the next two years be followed also by such European competitors as Fiat, BMC
and Peugeot
. On the inside the new Velox also followed US practice, combining a front bench seat with a column-mounted gear change / shift, continuing a trend back to the first Velox of 1948.
Minor modifications to the car's six-cylinder engine raised power output to 83 bhp (61 kW). As before, the Cresta was distinguished from the Velox model by superior levels of equipment and a two tone paint finish.
The Velox PA received its first facelift in October 1959 when the front grill was enlarged and the three piece rear window was replaced by a single wrap-around window. Technical improvements had to await the 1960 facelift, however.
had recently embarked on its first programme of motorway
building, and the Velox now boasted a straight line maximum speed of 94 mi/h.
At the same time, the saloon models were joined by a five-door estate.
In their 1960 form, the Velox and its Cresta sibling continued without further significant changes until replaced in Autumn 1962.
with which it competed in the UK. The new car was considered stylistically more restrained than its flamboyant predecessor, the removal of vertical fins emphasizing the car's width. Power output was increased to 115 bhp. Two years after launch, the Velox PB became available with a more powerful 3294 cc engine for its third and final year: this made it one of the fastest European saloons of its day.
October 1965 saw the introduction of the Vauxhall Cresta PC, equipped with that same 3294 cc engine. This time no Velox version was offered. Rather, the Cresta itself became the base model, with two headlights, complemented by the more luxurious Cresta Deluxe, with four headlights, and the vinyl roof Vauxhall Viscount with more luxurious trim and power windows.
Optional extras included a heater from which warm air was evenly distributed between the front and back areas of the passenger cabin and which could be set to de-ice the windscreen in winter or to provide cool air ventilation in summer. Also available at extra charge was an AM radio integrated into the facia.
The body was shared with the four-cylinder Vauxhall Wyvern
Vauxhall Wyvern
The Vauxhall Wyvern is a medium sized family car introduced by Vauxhall in 1948 as a successor to the Vauxhall 12. The name comes from the mythical beast the Wyvern and may be due to a mis-identity of the heraldic Griffin on the Vauxhall badge....
, a pattern that continued with subsequent versions of the Velox until 1957. The interior of the Velox was not greatly differentiated from that of the Wyvern, but it could boast superior seating materials and, for the rear seat, a central arm rest.
Early Velox and Wyvern models were assembled at Vauxhall's 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....
plant in England, at the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
plant at Biel in Switzerland and in Australia (by Holden in Melbourne) and New Zealand at the GM plant in Petone near Wellington.
A car tested by The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 74.1 mph (119.3 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 22.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 22.3 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £550 including taxes.
Velox EIP (1951 - 1952)
Late in 1951 a completely new, much larger Velox was launched, featuring a modern 'three box' shapePonton (automobile)
Ponton or Pontoon styling refers to a 1930s-1960s design genre — ultimately the precursor of modern automotive styling. The trend emerged as distinct running boards and fully articulated fenders became less common and bodywork began to enclose the full width and uninterrupted length of a car...
and integral construction
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
. The body was again shared with the 4-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
-engined Wyvern. The car was launched with the previous model's engine but with power output increased to 58 bhp.
A car with the original 2275 cc engine tested by The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1951 had a top speed of 77.4 mph (124.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 23.7 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £802 including taxes. In the same year, the magazine tested the similarly sized Ford Zephyr Six. Ford's test car was fitted with options including a radio, a heater and leather seating: thus equipped the Zephyr came with a recommended retail price of £842.
Velox EIP/EIPV (1952 - 1957)
Less than one year after the appearance of the first pontonPonton (automobile)
Ponton or Pontoon styling refers to a 1930s-1960s design genre — ultimately the precursor of modern automotive styling. The trend emerged as distinct running boards and fully articulated fenders became less common and bodywork began to enclose the full width and uninterrupted length of a car...
models, the Velox received a new over-square 2262 cc engine which had been in the development pipeline for several years. This provided either 64 bhp or, with a compression ratio improved to 7.6:1, 68 bhp of power.
1954 saw a significant facelift. Most obvious of the many cosmetic changes was a new front grill. More important was the introduction at this time of a sister model, branded as the Vauxhall Cresta
Vauxhall Cresta
The Vauxhall Cresta is a British car first introduced in 1954 by Vauxhall Motors as an upmarket version of the Vauxhall Velox . When the Wyvern was replaced in 1957 the new larger car took the Cresta name...
. In addition to superior equipment levels, the Cresta was distinguished by a two tone paint finish.
Detroit was by now favouring annual facelifts, and Vauxhall reflected that trend, announcing a facelifted Velox for the 1955 London Motor Show and again in 1956. Technically, however, there were no further changes until the arrival of a completely new Velox in October 1957.
A further test by The Motor magazine in 1952, now with the short stroke 2262 cc engine, found the top speed had increased to 80.4 mph (129.4 km/h) and accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) to 21.4 seconds. A similar fuel consumption of 23.6 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost had risen to £833 including taxes.
Velox PA S/PA SY (1957 - 1960)
At the 1957 London Motor Show Vauxhall presented radically new Velox and Cresta models: these would come to be known as the PA versions, being the first of the P series. Particularly eye catching was the new wrap-around windscreen, which combined with a huge three part rear window to create an exceptionally airy passenger cabin, providing exceptional all round visibility. The back of the Velox was graced by tail finsTailfin
The tailfin era of automobile styling encompassed the 1950s and 1960s, peaking between 1957 and 1960. It was a style that spread worldwide, as car designers picked up styling trends from the US automobile industry where it was the golden epoch of American autodesign.General Motors design chief...
, a Detroit inspired trend already taken up by the car's Ford rival
Ford Zephyr
The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...
, and which would in the next two years be followed also by such European competitors as Fiat, BMC
Austin Cambridge
The Austin Cambridge is a motor car range sold by the Austin Motor Company in several generations from September 1954 through to 1969 as cars and 1971 as light commercials. It replaced the A40 Somerset but was entirely new with modern unibody construction...
and Peugeot
Peugeot 404
The Peugeot 404 is a large family car produced by French automobile manufacturer Peugeot from 1960 to 1975, with the exception of the truck which was sold until 1988. It was also made under licence in various African countries until 1991 . It was also built in Argentina by Sevel.Designed by...
. On the inside the new Velox also followed US practice, combining a front bench seat with a column-mounted gear change / shift, continuing a trend back to the first Velox of 1948.
Minor modifications to the car's six-cylinder engine raised power output to 83 bhp (61 kW). As before, the Cresta was distinguished from the Velox model by superior levels of equipment and a two tone paint finish.
The Velox PA received its first facelift in October 1959 when the front grill was enlarged and the three piece rear window was replaced by a single wrap-around window. Technical improvements had to await the 1960 facelift, however.
Velox PA SX (1960 - 1962)
The October 1960 facelift was marked by further modifications to the trim and to the rear lights. There was also a new engine, still of six cylinders, but now increased in capacity to 2651 cc, and delivering 95 bhp. The UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
had recently embarked on its first programme of motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
building, and the Velox now boasted a straight line maximum speed of 94 mi/h.
At the same time, the saloon models were joined by a five-door estate.
In their 1960 form, the Velox and its Cresta sibling continued without further significant changes until replaced in Autumn 1962.
Velox PB (1962 - 1965)
The final version of the Velox, launched along with the Cresta PB at the London Motor Show in October 1962, was well over four and a half meters long: it was the largest Velox ever built, longer and wider than the benchmark Ford ZephyrFord Zephyr
The Ford Zephyr was a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United Kingdom. Between 1950 and 1972, it was sold as a more powerful six-cylinder saloon to complement the four-cylinder Ford Consul: from 1962 the Zephyr itself was offered in both four- and six-cylinder versions.The Zephyr...
with which it competed in the UK. The new car was considered stylistically more restrained than its flamboyant predecessor, the removal of vertical fins emphasizing the car's width. Power output was increased to 115 bhp. Two years after launch, the Velox PB became available with a more powerful 3294 cc engine for its third and final year: this made it one of the fastest European saloons of its day.
October 1965 saw the introduction of the Vauxhall Cresta PC, equipped with that same 3294 cc engine. This time no Velox version was offered. Rather, the Cresta itself became the base model, with two headlights, complemented by the more luxurious Cresta Deluxe, with four headlights, and the vinyl roof Vauxhall Viscount with more luxurious trim and power windows.