The Vauxhall Viceroy was a six-cylinder version of the Carlton, sold in Britain from 1978 to 1982. It was the British version of the Opel Commodore C, distinguished from the Carlton by its chrome grille and larger engine, and it sat near the top of the Vauxhall range.
Vauxhall Viceroy at a glance
| Maker | Vauxhall (Opel Commodore on the continent) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1978–1982 |
| Based on | Vauxhall Carlton / Opel Rekord E |
| Engine | 2.5 or 3.0-litre six-cylinder Opel cam-in-head |
| Distinguishing features | chrome grille with white cross motif, six-cylinder engine |
| Body | four-door saloon |
| Position | above the Carlton, below the Royale |
| Replaced by | no direct successor; the Senator took the six-cylinder role |
| Discontinued | after the E2 facelift of 1982 |
Written from the English articles on the Opel Commodore and Vauxhall Carlton, with the German Commodore article for background.
History of the Vauxhall Viceroy
The Opel Commodore was built from 1967 to 1986 over three generations, and was always the six-cylinder version of the Rekord with styling differences. The Commodore A of 1967–1971 came with 2.2 and 2.5-litre sixes, a 130 PS GS from September 1967 and, from March 1970, the GS/E with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection and 150 PS, which gave a top speed of 197 km/h and became known affectionately as the “German Charger”. The Commodore B followed in 1972 on the Rekord D, and the Commodore C in 1978 on the Rekord E.
The last generation was sold in the United Kingdom primarily as the Vauxhall Viceroy, although Opel-badged models were also sold there. It was, in effect, a Carlton with the larger 2.5 or 3.0-litre six-cylinder Opel cam-in-head engine, and it differed from the Carlton in having a chrome grille with the “white cross” motif, taken from the VX4/90, in place of the Carlton’s painted droop snoot nose.
The Viceroy and its Opel Commodore sister sold poorly and were discontinued after the “E2” facelift in 1982, and a six-cylinder engine did not appear in the Carlton again until the Mk2 GSi 3000. Buyers who wanted a large six-cylinder Vauxhall were instead directed towards the Senator and Royale, which were longer, more expensive cars based on the same platform.
Design and features
- Six-cylinder Carlton: the same body as the Carlton with a larger engine.
- Chrome grille: the white cross motif from the VX4/90.
- Opel Commodore C: the continental version of the same car.
- Short life: dropped after the 1982 facelift.
Vauxhall Viceroy versions
- Viceroy 2.5: the smaller six-cylinder engine.
- Viceroy 3.0: the larger six-cylinder engine.
- Opel Commodore C: the same car with Opel badges.
The Viceroy was based on the Carlton and sat below the Senator, which replaced it at the top of the range. More cars are in the Vauxhall collection.
Sources
- Opel Commodore, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, Viceroy in the UK
- Vauxhall Carlton, English Wikipedia: Viceroy as a six-cylinder Carlton
- Opel Commodore, German Wikipedia: model history
