Vauxhall Magnum

Vauxhall Magnum
Vauxhall Magnum 2-door saloon
Overview
Manufacturer	Vauxhall (General Motors)
Production	1973–1978
Assembly	Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Body and chassis
Class	Small family car
Body style	2-door saloon 2-door coupé 4-door saloon 3-door estate
Related	Vauxhall Viva HC Vauxhall Firenza Chevrolet Firenza
Powertrain
Engine	1759 cc ohc straight-4 2279 cc ohc straight-4
Transmission	4 speed manual GM 3 speed Automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	97 in (2,464 mm)
Length	163 in (4,140 mm)
Width	64.75 in (1,645 mm)
Height	53.125 in (1,349 mm)
Curb weight	2,150 lb (975 kg)
Chronology
Successor	Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Magnum is a car which was manufactured by Vauxhall from 1973 to 1978. First seen at the London Motor Show in October 1973, the Magnum was an HC Viva with a larger engine, more luxurious interior, higher trim level and four rather than two headlights. It shared its suspension and drive train with the larger-engined variants of the Vauxhall Viva and Firenza.

The smaller engined version used the 1800 cc Slant Four engine, and a twin-dial instrument panel, while the more powerful version used the 2279 cc Slant Four and had a 7-dial instrument panel. Both were available in 2 and 4-door versions, a fastback-shaped 3-door estate and a coupe. All had "Rostyle" wheels. Confusingly, it was also possible to buy Viva models with the larger engines, but with vinyl interior trim. The continuing lack of coherency of the model range during that period was one of Vauxhall's main marketing problems. Late in the model's life there was a mild "upgrade" which saw the 2300 switch from twin to single carb with a drop of 2 hp to 108 hp, although the 1800 jumped from 77 hp to 88 hp which cut the 0-60 mph time by 3s to 12.5s, and raised the top speed to 100 mph from 93 mph previously.

The Magnum badge also superseded the Firenza badge used on the 2-door coupé model, which name was then used exclusively for the HPF "droopsnoot" model from 1974 (see Firenza). The Magnum model range continued until 1978: by then it was increasingly being overshadowed in the domestic market place by the Ascona based Vauxhall Cavalier.

The various trim and body options that were originally exclusive to the Magnum made their way over to the Viva, producing the top of the line Viva GLS, in a bid to shore up the increasingly poor sales of the model. The main difference aside from badging were that the Viva GLS only had the 1256cc and 1759cc engines, the latter only with an automatic box. The Viva range was finally discontinued in 1979. The Magnum name was adopted for the Viva 1300 in New Zealand from 1975, where it had the four headlight frontal treatment of the British Magnum, but standard Viva interior trim.