RARER THAN RARE - THE VAUXHALL MAGNUM SPORTS HATCH

WB & Sons is soon to auction one of the rarest and most fascinating cars to wear the Griffin badge. In 1976, a Vauxhall Magnum Sports Hatch was the ideal transport for anyone who deemed themselves too groovy for a Ford Capri Mk. II. It is also one of the last non-Opel Vauxhalls.

The story began in  September of 1973, when Vauxhall rebranded the 1.8-litre and 2.3-litre engine Viva HC saloon and estate as the ‘Magnum’. In addition, all HC Coupes now wore Magnum badges apart from the newly launched HP ‘Droopsnoot’. which retained the Firenza name. Two years later, when Vauxhall launched the Cavalier, some observers thought it made the Magnum surplus to requirements.

As it transpired, while Vauxhall discontinued the Magnum Coupe, they rather surprisingly facelifted the Magnum saloons and the estates with improved equipment levels and more power, and 1976 saw the debut of the Sports Hatch. In essence, it was a much-improved Magnum 2300 Estate, with the 2,279cc OHC Big Four’ engine, finished in VX 2300GLS ‘Extra Dark Wine’ paint with Volcano Red-trimmed windows. 

Your friendly local Vauxhall dealer could also highlight the Sports Hatch’s HP’s nose and suspension, and Avon alloy wheels, while “exuberant” is the only word for the ‘Bold Plaid’ tartan upholstery. Except that Vauxhall issued neither a press launch, brochures, nor price lists. Their dealers promoted them as company cars that were not for sale directly to the public.

Senior management at Luton devised the Sports Hatch as a marketing scheme at a time of falling Magnum sales, using parts from the 1974 ‘HPF Sports Hatch’, which never entered production due to the Fuel Crisis. The always fascinating Vauxhall Heritage notes that as a result, the company was left with just under 200 GRP nose cones and sets of alloy wheels.  

So, the Sports Hatch was the ideal solution.  A 195-unit production appears to have run from February to May of 1976, while the final standard Magnum departed Ellesmere Port in December 1977. Vauxhall issued the Sports Hatch to only a small number of outlets, advising those dealers to register it themselves to attract showroom traffic. At £2,795, the Sports Hatch was more expensive than a Ford Capri 3000S at £2,677, but the proud Magnum owner could boast it was far more exclusive.

In the late 1970s, Vauxhall had a definite knack for creating new models from existing stock. 1975 saw the launch of the Viva E, which used the recently discontinued Magnum Coupe bodies with a stripped specification interior and the 1,256cc engine. The 1977 VX 490 employed Getrag five-speed gearboxes from an abandoned high-powered FE saloon project. And the Magnum Sports Hatch is possibly one of the most uber-1976 cars you are ever likely to encounter. Down to that remarkable Tartan upholstery.

With thanks to WB & Sons for their time.

With thanks to WB & Sons for the permission to use the images in this blog.