AROnline
  • Home
    • Go to random page
  • Cars
    • Austin/Morris
      • Morris Minor
      • Austin A30/A35/A40
      • Austin FX4/FL2 Black cab
      • BMC 1100/1300
      • BMC 1800/2200
      • Austin 3 Litre
      • Austin Maxi
      • Austin Kimberley/Tasman (X6)
      • Austin Apache
      • Morris Marina
      • Leyland Sherpa
      • Leyland P76/P82
      • Austin Allegro
      • Austin-Morris Princess
      • Morris Ital
      • Austin Metro
      • Austin Ambassador
      • Austin Maestro
      • Austin Montego
    • Rover
      • Rover P5
      • Rover P6
      • Rover SD1
      • Rover 200 (SD3)
      • Rover 800 (XX/R17)
      • Rover 200/400 (R8)
      • Rover Metro/100 (R6)
      • Rover 600 (SK1)
      • Rover 200/25 (R3)
      • Rover 400/45 (HHR)
      • Rover 75 (R40)
      • Rover Streetwise
      • CityRover (RD10)
    • Jaguar
      • Mk2/S-type/420
      • MkX/420G
      • E-type
      • XJ6/XJ12 (XJ4)
      • XJ-S
      • XJ (XJ40)
      • XJ (X300/X308)
      • S-TYPE (X200)
      • X-TYPE (X400)
      • XJ (X350)
      • XK (X150)
      • XF (X250)
      • XJ (X351)
      • XF (X260)
      • F-Type (X152)
      • XE (X760)
      • F-Pace (X761)
      • i-Pace
    • Land Rover
      • Defender
      • Range Rover (Classic)
      • Discovery
      • Range Rover (P38A)
      • Land Rover Freelander
      • Range Rover (L322)
      • Evoque
      • Range Rover (L405)
      • Range Rover Sport
      • Discovery Sport (L550)
      • Discovery 5
      • Range Rover Velar (L560)
    • MG
      • Midget
      • MGB/MGC
      • Austin/MG Metro (LC8)
      • Austin/MG Maestro (LC10)
      • MGF/TF
      • ZR
      • ZS
      • ZT
      • XPower SV
      • MG6
      • MG3
      • MG GS
    • Mini
      • Mini (ADO15)
      • Mini Cooper
      • Mini Clubman
      • MINI (R50/R56)
      • MINI (F56)
      • Countryman/Paceman
    • Triumph
      • Triumph Herald/Vitesse
      • Triumph Spitfire
      • 2000/2500
      • Triumph 1300/Toledo/Dolomite
      • TR6
      • Triumph Stag
      • Triumph TR7/TR8
      • Triumph Acclaim
    • Ford
      • Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac
      • Cortina
      • Escort
      • Capri
      • Ford Granada (1972-1985)
      • Fiesta
      • Sierra
      • Mondeo
    • Vauxhall
      • Viva
      • Victor
      • Chevette
      • Cavalier
      • Astra
    • Rootes/Chrysler/Talbot
      • Hillman Imp
      • Hillman Hunter
      • Hillman Avenger
      • Simca 1000
      • Simca 1100
      • Chrysler 160/180/2-Litre (C Car)
      • Chrysler Alpine/Talbot Solara
      • Chrysler Sunbeam
      • Chrysler Horizon
      • Matra Bagheera/Murena
      • Talbot Tagora
      • Talbot Samba
    • TVR
      • M-Series
      • TVR Tasmin
      • Griffith
    • ‘Other cars’
      • AC 3000ME
      • Alfa Romeo Alfasud
      • Argyll Turbo GT
      • Bond Equipe
      • DeLorean DMC-12
      • Enfield 8000 Electric
      • Lotus Esprit M70/X180
      • Matra-Simca Rancho
      • Midas
      • Nissan Qashqai
      • Reliant Scimitar
      • Sinclair C5
      • Trident Clipper
  • Reviews & Drives
    • Car Reviews
    • Drive Stories
    • Our Cars
      • Mike’s Rover 400
      • Mike’s Rover 416GSi
      • Mike’s Montego
      • Mike’s Rover 75
      • Mike’s Rover 214SLi
      • Mike’s 214GSi
      • Alexander’s Citroën XM
      • Alexander’s Rover 800
      • Keith’s Range Rover P38
      • Keith’s Freelander
      • Keith’s Rover 75
      • Keith’s Citroen Xantia Activa
      • Keith’s Citroen C6
      • Keith’s Polish Rover SD1
      • Keith’s Rover SD1 Vitesse
      • Keith’s Renault Avantime
    • Staples2Naples 2004
    • Staples2Naples 2005
    • Czech Wrecks 2008
    • RatRod 2011
  • News
    • All News
      • Jaguar Land Rover
      • MG Motor UK
      • MINI
    • All Events
    • MGR@10 Month
    • Rover SD1@ 40 Special
    • Geneva Motor Show
    • Archive
  • Opinion
    • Opinion
    • Your Cars
    • Best of AROnline
    • Videos
  • Facts & Figures
    • Mechanical marvels
      • Commercials
      • Buses
      • The bus section
      • Rail Projects
    • History Files
      • British Leyland – The Grand Illusion
      • British Motor Holdings – the joining of BMC and Jaguar
      • Evolution of the AR logo
      • The Road to Perdition
      • The Whole Story
      • Road vs Rail
      • Urban myths and old wives’ tales
      • Interviews and personalities
      • Production figures
      • Development codes
      • Project Drive
    • The converters
      • Avon Coachworks
      • Chris Humberstone
      • Crayford
      • Lynx Engineering
      • Mumford
      • Panther
      • Paul Banham Conversions
      • Rapport International
      • Startins/MacNeille
      • Tickford
      • William Towns
      • Wood & Pickett
      • Woodall Nicholson
    • Concepts & Prototypes
      • BMC, BL and ARG Concepts
      • Ford concepts
      • Jaguar concepts
      • Land Rover concepts
      • MG concepts
      • MINI concepts
      • Rover concepts
      • Sports car concepts
      • Supermini concepts
      • Vauxhall concepts
    • AROnline Overseas
      • Around the World
      • Also known as
      • Carrozzeria designs
      • Connections
    • People
      • Alec Issigonis
      • Spen King
      • George Turnbull
    • Galleries
      • In production
      • Museums
    • Resources
      • Buying Guides
      • BMC, Leyland and Rover engines
      • Press photos
    • The Ryder Report
  • Marques
    • Austin
    • Authi
    • Hillman
    • Hindustan Motors
    • Innocenti
    • Jaguar
    • Land Rover
    • MG
    • Morris
    • Riley
    • Rover
    • Standard
    • Standard Motor Products
    • Sterling
    • Triumph
    • Vanden Plas
    • Wolseley
  • Timeline

Victor

The Vauxhall Victor F-Type replaced the four-cylinder E-series Wyvern in 1957, and immediately set its maker on the path towards a more Transatlantic style. It had a sculpted rear door top, similar front end details, heavily curved front and rear screens, and lashings of chrome, just like a 1955 Chevrolet.

A better-proportioned estate derivative joined the range in 1958, but from 1959 Series II versions of both models toned down the original styling. The sculpted door tops, exhaust emerging through the overrider, and teardrop flutes all disappeared.

The more British FB

The Victor FB was a return to a more genteel style for Vauxhall following a decade of flashy American styling. The FB was actually a huge step forward aesthetically, and that was down to the design talents of ex-Jowett and Riley designer, Gerald Palmer, one of Britain’s best car engineers.

The new look was not only neat neat, but also handsome and inoffensive – and helped make this mid-sized family car one of Vauxhall’s big successes of the 1960s, leading the way for more than a decade of Victor success. Four-door saloons and five-door estates were available, with the first cars (1961-63) sporting the same underpowered 1507cc engine as the F-type.

From September 1963 until the end of production, the Victor then received a 1595cc engine with 58.5bhp – and much-needed front disc brakes.

The crisp new FC 101

Continuing Vauxhall’s policy of regular skin changes for its family cars, the Victor FC (also known as the Victor 101) appeared on the scene just three years after its predecessor. Although it looked significantly different from the FB, under the skin, little that changed. Still powered by the familiar 1594cc unit seen before it was still suspended by wishbones and coil springs at the front along with a live axle and semi-elliptic springs at the rear.

The new styling was much sleeker though, with thinner pillars, more curvaceous panels and a slightly concave rear window – a trend which didn’t catch on. The choice of transmission was either a three- or four-speed manual, along with a two-speed Powerglide automatic gearbox, available from 1966.

The bold new styling also offered another significant upside – the Victor 101 offered one of the largest boots in its class, more interior space and class-leading ride quality. There was a choice of six cars across saloon and estate bodyshells, including the range-topping VX4/90, which had a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox as standard. The sporting Victor boasted a power output of 85bhp, compared to the standard car’s 76bhp.

Back to Americana with the FD

The Victor continued its styling and design evolution into the 1970s, adopting the ‘Coke bottle’ look first used with great success on the Viva HB. It reflected contemporary American trends, and translated well on to this medium-sized challenger, even if the large body promised more power than the entry-level models were able to deliver.

Two new hemispherical-head overhead-cam engines were introduced – 1599cc and 1975cc – and they were complemented by servo-assisted front brakes for the latter. The VX4/90 continued in FD form, continuing with twin carburettors and overdrive and gaining Rostyle wheels.

Replacing the individually-bodied Cresta and Viscount was the Ventora – essentially a six-cylinder powered FD Victor – launched alongside its mass-market counterpart. It was powered by the smooth 3294cc six-cylinder 123bhp engine found in the Cresta and Viscount, and featured an upscaled equipment package. Appealing for all the wrong reasons.

The end: the valiant FE-series

The FE Victor was the last in the line of UK-designed mid-sized Vauxhalls – a line that goes back to the original Victor F-type of 1957, and the Wyvern before that in 1948. The Victor would end up being a victim of the design integration of Vauxhall and Opel, and even with the arrival of this car, had the process already begun.

The Victor FE also shared some of its underpinnings with the Opel Rekord, albeit with different suspension and engines. The latter were 1759cc and 2279cc four-cylinder overhead-cam units, giving these mid-sized models effective performance.

The ‘Transcontinental’ range as Vauxhall dubbed it, was appealing to look at and to drive, but it was larger than its most natural rival, the Ford Cortina, and that cost Vauxhall sales. The writing was on the wall, when the Cavalier appeared in 1975, and by the time Carlton was launched in 1978, the game was over.

The final VX4/90 was launched alongside the Victor – and with its Rostyle wheels and bold paint colours, it looked even better. It was powered by a twin-carb version of the 2279cc slant-four, developed 116bhp, and was a genuine sporting saloon. Later cars even featured a five-speed Getrag dog-leg gearbox – which was shared with the Droopsnoot Firenza.

From 1976, the Victor name was quietly dropped, with the range becoming known as the VX1800 and VX2300.


Reviews, blogs and news stories

Vauxhall Victor FE 01
Victor

The cars : Vauxhall Victor FE (94000) development story

15 January 2023 Keith Adams 69

The good-looking Vauxhall Victor FE Series went on sale in 1972 and was met by indifference from the motoring press. But a programme of constant improvements saw it become increasingly […]

Austin Maxi (ADO14)

Tested : Maxi, Marina and rivals

7 May 2022 Keith Adams 19

Taken from the first-ever issue of What Car? magazine in November 1973, this test makes for a fascinating read and is a great insight into how road tests used to […]

Vauxhall

The cars : Sporting Vauxhalls – Part 1

9 January 2017 Ken Strachan 92

Ken Strachan recounts the rarely told story of the sporting saloons that emerged from Luton. a fine line of VX4/90s entertained generations of drivers. Now it’s your turn. […]

BMC 1100/1300 (ADO16)

Blog : 1967 and all that…

1 January 2017 Ian Nicholls 42

Fab and groovy man! 1967 will forever be remembered for the summer of love, for hippies and love-ins, the Torrey Canyon Disaster, Jimi Hendrix, Sergeant Pepper, pirate radio, Radio 1 […]

  • Login
  • Register
  • Forgot

Have an account?

Register for this site!

Sign up now for the good stuff.

Lost Your Password?

Enter your username or email to reset your password.

Latest story

MG Rover dealer
Opinion

Essays : Selling the brand

18 November 2023 67

Was it really so bad selling Rovers? Ever since I was old enough to remember, I have always been passionate about anything that moves in the air or on road […]

AROnline on Facebook

Most recent comments

  • Glenn Aylett on Drive Story : Vanden Plas Princess
  • nlpnt on Concepts and prototypes : Triumph Lynx (1972-1978)
  • Richardpd on Drive Story : Vanden Plas Princess
  • Donald Simpkin on The cars : Talbot Sunbeam Lotus development story
  • Glenn Aylett on Drive Story : Vanden Plas Princess
  • Ken Strachan on Drive Story : Vanden Plas Princess
  • Glenn Aylett on The cars : Hillman Imp development story
  • NeilB on Announcement : The time has come…
  • NeilB on Drive Story : Vanden Plas Princess
  • Allan on The cars : MG Zed cars (2001-2005)

The AROnline writers

  • Keith Adams

    published 5440 articles

  • Clive Goldthorp

    published 644 articles

  • Mike Humble

    published 445 articles

  • Ian Nicholls

    published 155 articles

Archive (1959-2019)

Featured stories

Car of the Month : October 2007

1 October 2007 0
Winkleigh 1997

Memories : Winkleigh, Devon, 1997

27 March 2020 17

Archive : Bathgate men go back on Monday

9 March 1972 0
The 3,250 production workers at the British Leyland truck and tractor plant at Bathgate, West [...]

Archive : New MG Rover built in India

20 November 2002 0
The new MG Rover model will be built at a factory in India, the Birmingham-based [...]

Concepts and prototypes : Jaguar XJ41/XJ42 (1982-1990)

29 March 2021 25
The idea of producing a new Jaguar F-Type was on the back-burner for a long [...]
  • About AROnline
  • Terms of use
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Commenting policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • Contact us

AROnline © Keith Adams 2001-2023 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages.