MEET THE OWNER – MICHAEL CARPENTER AND HIS VAUXHALL ASTRA 1200S TWO-DOOR

A few weeks ago, Michael Carpenter - a connoisseur of fine yet neglected 1970s and 1980s cars – contacted this writer with some exciting news. Not only was he contemplating buying a forty-year-old Astra Mk. I, it was the entry-level 1200S E in two-door form. Moreover, it had a fascinating history, as “it is still with its first owner. He is 81 and retired from driving, and he won the Astra competition whilst staying in a hotel in Scarborough in 1982”. For many people, the Mk. I version with round headlamps is an almost mythical machine, one glimpsed in Vauxhall brochures but more seldom encountered on the road than an SR or a GTE.

When General Motors initiated the T80 project in 1976, it was no secret its goal was to create a rival to the VW Golf. The Opel Kadett D debuted in 1979, while the Vauxhall derivative followed in November, with sales beginning in March of 1980. The Astra was the first Griffin-badged car with front-wheel-drive, but Luton had a limited design input. A 1977 company memorandum stated, “Since the introduction of the Chevette Hatchback in mid-1975 Vauxhall Design have pursued an agreed company objective to establish a positive Vauxhall identity on Opel design and engineered passenger cars and maintain a two brand image for Vauxhall and Opel products”.

Furthermore, “By 1979 model year, the Vauxhall passenger car line-up will consist almost entirely of vehicles derived from joint Vauxhall/Opel programmes”. This was indeed the case, for 1978 saw the demise of the VX1800/2300 and the following year saw the Viva HC make way for the Astra. “‘It’s What The Roads Have Been Waiting For”, claimed Luton’s sales team.

However, one version that few motorists eagerly anticipated was the two-door saloon. GM initially assigned Vauxhall the task of creating a three-box saloon version of the T80 but cancelled it on cost grounds. A standard Kadett bodyshell sans hatchback and the folding rear seat was their solution, but sales across Europe were limited. This did not deter Vauxhall from introducing their own two and four-door versions in late 1980, together with the E trim level and a 1,196cc OHV engine. For just £3,404, you too could enjoy an Astra with cloth upholstery and a boot mat, to name but a few of its ‘luxury’ features. Anyone who aspired to a car with halogen headlamps, rear ashtrays and front head restraints had to purchase the L.

Michael has only just acquired his magnificently Spartan Vauxhall, and we hope he displays it at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show this November. Compared with the Astra that offered “a sophisticated air-blend heater”, a Dino 246GT seems quite common…

With Thanks To: Michael Carpenter