All the action from the VXR Power Festival

PARIS JE
T’AIME
page 07
GET A LIFE PAGE 19
BANG
FOR THE
BUCKLEY
PAGE 23
Power play
All the action from the
VXR Power Festival
The magazine forVauxhall
staff and retailers
October 2010
THE MAGAZINE FOR VAUXHALL STAFF AND RETAILERS
EDITOR
Debbie Pentelow
01582 427190
07952 669647
MANAGING EDITOR
Jos Sharp
01582 427173
SITE EDITORS
Ellesmere Port
Julie Todd 0151 350 2233
Warehouse
Jackie Jones 01582 426 6809
GMM Luton
Charlotte Maclaren 01582 409 219
Torque is written, designed and produced
by beetroot, 68 Leonard Street, London
EC2A 4QX (telephone 020 7749 0180), on
behalf of General Motors UK Limited, Luton.
If you’d like to contact the magazine email
debbie.pentelow@vauxhall.co.uk
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM AROUND VAUXHALL AND GM GLOBAL
If you have an idea for a story to put
forward, please tell the correspondent
in your area. Any events, personal or
work-related achievements, people
doing unusual or interesting hobbies
or sports – tell your correspondents.
IN THIS ISSUE
VIEW FROM THE TOP
DUNCAN ALDRED
MANAGING DIRECTOR
VAUXHALL MOTORS
02 TORQUE magazine
This month sees the start of the latest
in our customer experience initiatives
when 170 Vauxhall executives will be
visiting a Retailer before the end of the
month. Read our interview with Andy
Gilson, our Customer Experience and
Corporate Strategy Director, on page
18 to find out how these visits will help
us identify key areas of focus in order to
improve the customer experience.
One of the highlights of the summer
was the VXR Power Festival at
Silverstone. You can read about it and
relive the thrills and spills on pages 1617. The festival was a personal highlight
for me as I got to hand over a cheque
for £75,000 to Help for Heroes. That
money was raised by our employees
and Retailers in the first six months
of our two-year partnership. We will
be in touch soon with details of more
ways we are going to help this very
worthwhile charity in the coming year.
August also saw the launch of the
Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty – a first in
the automotive industry. If you’re a fan
of the TV ad, turn to page 19 to find out
how it was made.
We’ve also had some good sales
results in August. Vauxhall Total sales
were up 3.8 per cent compared with
August last year, while Astra and New
Meriva continue to sell well.
There’s great news from Astravan and
Vivaro too. Total sales were up by 58 per
cent and 105 per cent respectively, with
Vivaro also recording a 1.40 percentage
point increase in Total market share
over August 2009. In addition, Aftersales
continued to outperform their parts and
accessory sales forecast, exceeding
target for the eighth month in a row.
September’s results are not available
as we go to print, but we are making
significant progress in many of our key
business objectives and the year-end
forecast is looking positive.
SPEEDY REPAIRS FOR NEW MOVANO 04
BRAND NEW VAUXHALL WEBSITE HAS ALL THE TRICKS 05
GTC PARIS CONCEPT IS A KNOCKOUT 07
NEWS
POWER
16 VXR
FESTIVAL
PARIS
07 GTC
CONCEPT
20 HELPING
HANDS
FEATURES
REGULARS
14 ZOOM WITH A VIEW
It’s not easy getting the
perfect car photo!
15 IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY
Fun, fun, fun, across the
land!
16 POWER TRIP
Reliving the action from the
VXR Power Festival
18 THE CUSTOMER’S
RIGHT
Andy Gilson wants to
transform the customer
experience
19 IT AD TO BE YOU
The inside scoop on the
Lifetime Warranty TV ad
20 HELP FOR HEROES
All your great efforts
towards a great cause
04
A LOAD OF
OLD BOWLS?
Bowls is for old people, right? Not
any more if Vauxhall has anything
to do with it. On 1 August, London’s
uber-trendy Brick Lane underwent
a major transformation to become a
professional standard bowling green.
In the summer sunshine, 400
would-be bowlers tried their hand
at the sport, eager for their wood
to get closest to the jack. Like all
sports, it’s not as easy as it seems
so there were some old hands
around to show how it’s done.
In true Vauxhall style, the event
was launched in association with
the latest up-and-coming talents.
Top UK illustrator Jamie Cullen
designed the ultimate retroinspired logo, while Gavin and
Stacey star Mathew Horne was the
celebrity DJ and T4 presenter Rick
Edwards was MC.
8 RETAILER NEWS
The buzz from around the
retail network
12 GM NEWS
What’s on at GM around the
world
23 A DAY IN THE LIFE
Sean Buckley, Launch
Manager, Astra Sports
Tourer
26 PEOPLE POWER
All the good stuff you’ve
been up to
29 PHOTO COMPETITION
Picture perfect! Winners,
take a bow…
30 LEISURE TIME
Win £25 in our Crossword
and Sudoku competitions
Rick Edwards and
Mathew Horne
BY ROYAL
COMMAND
OCTOBER 2010 03
NEWS
4.5
TONNES – A FULLY
LADEN NEW MOVANO
WEIGHS AS MUCH AS
AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT
VAN-ATICAL ABOUT SERVICE
Now the new Movano is on the road,
Vauxhall has extended its nationwide
network of MasterFit Premier Service
Centres (PSC) to help commercial vehicle
operators minimise the time the vans are
off the road for maintenance or repair.
The 100 PSCs are located across
the country, offering a service within 72
hours of the request being made. Fault
diagnosis and repairs that will take less
than 90 minutes will be started within an
hour of arriving at the PSC – even without
an appointment. Once diagnosed, all
repairs will be carried out within 24 hours,
subject to parts availability.
Richard Collier, National Commercial
Vehicle Sales Manager, said: “With a
maximum gross weight of 4.5 tonnes,
new Movano takes Vauxhall into different
market territory and the new service
PSCs will repair
support standards reflect that. The
the new Movano
standards set by Vauxhall for a PSC
in 24 hours
are designed to meet the demanding
requirements of customers operating
vans at these higher weights. Many will
be professional transport operators
for whom maintaining good vehicle
availability and keeping service or repair
downtime to a minimum are critical to the
viability of their business.”
BY ROYAL COMMAND
The Prince of Wales held a 12-day eco garden party in September
– and Ampera was one of the star attractions. The car took pride of
place in the grounds of Clarence House, Marlborough House and
Lancaster House. The event was an opportunity for the public to see
future automotive green technology in action as a select group of
eco machines took to the Mall driven by celebrity drivers such as
Sir Stirling Moss, Dame Ellen Macarthur and Dragons’ Den’s
Duncan Bannantyne.
04 TORQUE magazine
650,000
PEOPLE VISIT
VAUXHALL.CO.UK
EACH MONTH!
OPEN HOUSE AT OPEL HOUSE
Five Vauxhall employees got a unique insight
into Russelsheim operations in September.
Nigel Bird, Tony Mole, Andy Palombella, Paul
Gatland and Dave Woodcock were invited to an
open day at the Opel plant.
The five were recommended for the trip by their
managers as a thank-you for their exceptional
performance in the past months. They joined
employees from other GM operations across
Europe for a behind-the-scenes tour of the plant,
engineering centre and Opel’s head office.
The Russelsheim team put on a magnificent
display for the visitors. Chief Executive Nick
Reilly gave them a sneak preview of future
products, including Ampera and HydroGen4.
The visit also included a tour of Press Shop
and Final and a presentation on New Meriva.
Nigel and Tony, both from the Luton plant,
said it was a fantastic trip. “We were given a
really warm welcome. It was definitely a visit
to remember,” they said.
Andy, from retail sales, enjoyed the chance to
talk to colleagues from Europe. He said: “It gave
me the opportunity to share experiences with
a variety of people including a sales manager
from Serbia, a Norwegian customer care
manager and a Finnish aftersales manager.
“I came away with an appreciation of the
renewed energy within Opel and its focus on
innovation and design.”
PUMP IT UP
The Vivaro is the top choice of field service
engineers at pump maker SPP Pumps, leading
the company to convert its entire 17-strong van
fleet to the Vauxhall marque.
Four years ago the company’s engineers
voted unanimously for the Vivaro because of its
comfort and car-like driving characteristics.
Operations Manager John Warren, said: “We’ve
been pleased with the good economy we get
from the Vivaro, which is particularly important
in these days of high fuel prices and with vehicles
that average around 26,000 miles a year.”
“We also carried out in-depth research into
the reliability of all the models in this weight
range. Vivaro came out on top overall
and that result has been confirmed by
our experience, which has been
very good with low levels of
downtime. The availability of
good service support from
the Vauxhall Commercial
Vehicles dealer network
was also a factor.”
NET GAIN
Vauxhall.co.uk has had a makeover.
It’s sleek and funky – and it’s still the
place to go for everything Vauxhall.
If you want the latest
information on cars and vans, or
your nearest Retailer, or about
the very first Vauxhall (built in
1903 with a single cylinder engine,
since you ask), it’s all easy to find
on the new-look website.
This is a website with brains
and beauty. Richard Hennis,
Relationship Marketing Manager,
explained: “We’re really pleased
with its look and functionality,
but the best thing is that it’s
generating more enquiries for
Retailers. It’s very easy for people
to request information or a test
drive and that’s bringing in more
leads for our dealers to follow up.
We get 650,000 visitors to the
website every month and early
customer research shows that
they prefer the new site and can
find information on it more easily.”
The new look is part of a global
refresh for all General Motors
websites and it’s backed up by the
best web technology. “There is a
vast amount of data hidden behind
the scenes,” said Richard. “This is
Vauxhall’s main showroom so you
can view 360-degree images of all
our products and link to YouTube
to see our ads – past and present
– as well as follow us on Facebook
and Twitter. The new website
really does have everything for
the 21st century.”
OCTOBER 2010 05
NEWS
31%
1974
of men surveyed
would choose
fashion design
as a career
PETER (TRUMAN
SHOW) WEIR’S FIRST
film was the cars
that ate paris
MATERIAL BOY
Playing football for England is no longer
the ultimate ambition for British men.
In fact, many gents would now prefer to
be fashion designers, creating couture
collections instead of kicking footballs.
That’s according to research by
Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London Fashion
Week’s largest off-schedule event.
Vauxhall Fashion Scout surveyed men
across the UK and discovered that given
the choice, more prefer the idea of being
a fashion designer (31 per cent) than
playing football for England (25 per cent).
Commenting on the findings, Robert
Johnston, Style Editor for GQ, said:
“This survey shows a real
break with tradition.
Where once we
might have seen
laddish football
types idolised and
sport top a list of
men’s favourite
interests, fashion
and fashion
designers are now favoured above them.
“With celebrities like Liam Gallagher
venturing into fashion design, British
men are finding the idea of owning
their own label both acceptable and
aspirational. Throw in changing attitudes
amongst men and it’s no surprise that
we’ve seen the rise of the boutique
bloke.”
According to Martyn Roberts, Creative
Director at Vauxhall Fashion Scout:
‘While the stereotypical British man
hates shopping and dreams of the
football lifestyle, what we’re seeing now
is a tendency for more and more men
to follow fashion, with it playing a central
role in their lives, from socialising to
relationships and entertainment.’
Wendy Towler, Consumer
Communications Manager, said:
‘Whether it’s the car they drive or
the clothes they wear, style is now
key to many British men. Vauxhall
Motors became involved with UK
fashion because of its heritage as
a British company and its forwardthinking approach, which recognises
the importance of style and
design to its customers in all
aspects of their lives.’
Running on empty
Wayne Bussell has done the New Movano and fuel
misers everywhere proud, by placing third in the latest
edition of the Fleet World MPG Marathon.
Wayne, who is employed by Leicester-based Rida
Despatch, achieved an economy figure that was 40 per
cent better than the factory fuel consumption figures of
34.9 miles per gallon.
The 100,000-mile-a-year van courier’s driving skills
– participating in the annual economy event for the first
time – squeezed 48.81 mpg out of the Movano 2.3 CDTi L3
H2, over the two-day 380-mile route.
“With fuel prices at today’s levels, there can’t be
many businesses out there that would turn down the
opportunity to cut their fuel bills by 40 per cent,” said
Nigel Thirkill, Director, Rida Despatch.
“Based on Wayne’s annual mileage and the
improvement he’s achieved in the Movano, that would
mean savings of just under £4,500, based on a typical
diesel price of £1.19 per litre.”
All together now…
The most stylish
men according to
survey results:
1. David Beckham
2. Daniel Craig
3. Jude Law
4. Danny Dyer
5. George Clooney
6. Dizzee Rascal
7. Liam Gallagher
8. Tom Ford
9. John Hamm
10. Wayne Rooney
06 TORQUE magazine
Vauxhall/Opel is to extend its co-operation partnership with French
automaker Renault in the Light Commercial Segment.
This includes collaboration on the next generation Vivaro van
(Renault’s version is called the Trafic).
The sister models are being
jointly developed, but will be
independently marketed and
sold through each brand’s
distribution channels.
Vauxhall/Opel and Renault
began collaborating in 1996
with the first generation of
the Renault Master (Vauxhall
Movano) van.
A NICE FRENCH RED
These are the first official pictures of Vauxhall’s GTC Paris
Concept which caused a stir when it received its debut on
30 September at the Paris Motor Show.
Mark Adams, Vauxhall/Opel’s Vice President of Design, has
described the GTC Paris as “bold, pure and iconic” in appearance.
At 4.46 metres, the GTC Paris offers ample space for five people
yet still maintains a svelte and sporting appearance. Mark’s team
has maximised ‘tension’ in the design. The signature blade mimics
the blade on the Insignia and creates a tense crease along the
rocker panel. This combines with a second line running from
the door handle to the rear of the car, emphasising both a fine
undercut and broad shoulder. A third line following the silhouette
of the roof is finished in brushed aluminium, accentuating the
window graphic and leads to a sharply accented integrated spoiler.
Slim, eagle-eye shaped headlamps flanked by LED
running lights with chrome surrounds dominate the front of
the car. A sharp centreline crease runs down the bonnet (a
trademark Vauxhall styling cue) and leads to a dramatically low
trapezoidal grille incorporating a chrome emblem bar.
At the rear, the imposing features of the concept are
enhanced with LED tail lights, showcasing a long, stretched
‘wing’ night time graphic.
Underpinning the GTC Paris is a specially designed chassis
with an extra-wide stance. Hinting at the car’s power potential
is an electronic limited slip differential and an updated version
of Vauxhall’s FlexRide adaptive damping system.
OCTOBER 2010 07
NEWS
FIRST FITTED CAR
DID YOU THE
AUDIO SYSTEM WAS A
KNOW? MOTOROLA, THE FT71
25
OF 1930
NOW That’s
Infotainment
Sat navs, hands-free mobile technology and iPod
connectivity – they’re now all available in one place:
Vauxhall Retailers.
Vauxhall has launched a comprehensive range
of in-car infotainment products that have everything
a car could want. There are Bury Bluetooth phone
kits with voice dialling technology and one with
direct iPod control, Garmin portable sat navs with
docking stations for the Agila and Corsa and top-ofthe-range Beat and Clarion multimedia radios that
combine all of the above features.
“It’s a comprehensive range,” said Accessories
Product Development Manager Simon Gibbs.
“Customers want to do so much more in their vehicles
nowadays, and we believe that we have catered for
every in-car infotainment need and budget.”
“Most customers want iPod connectivity at the very
least, but we can also offer affordable sat navs and
voice-activated Bluetooth phone kits that allow drivers
to make and receive phone calls safely without lifting a
finger. For those customers who want it all, we have a
range of high-end multimedia radios.”
All the products come with either a two- or threeyear warranty and they will be fitted by trained
Vauxhall technicians, making them great value
for money, whatever a car’s infotainment needs.
Left: Clarion NX700E
Above right: THB Bury
Music Bluetooth Kit
Right: Garmin 3760T
winter warmer
If last year’s big freeze took you
or your customers by surprise,
then now is the time to make sure
you are prepared for the worst
the weather has in store with a
Winter Safety Check and Top Up
for just £35.
The winter months can be tough
on any vehicle: cold temperatures,
icy and damp starts, as well as
salt and grit from the road can put
additional strains on your car. The
Vauxhall Winter Safety Check and
08 TORQUE magazine
Top Up includes a 25-point visual safety
inspection of the vehicle in addition to
checking and topping up all vital fluids
and tyre pressures. This will be carried
out by one of our Vauxhall MasterFit
technicians, the people who know
Vauxhall best.
Customers who book the Winter
Safety Check will get a free Autoglym
Winter Car Care Pack worth over £20;
it includes de-icer, clear screenwash,
hi-tech microfibre cloth and ice scraper
for extra peace of mind!
ONLINE SERVICE
BOOKINGS WERE
RECEIVED IN 4 WEEKS
AT BURNHAM GARAGE
Of Corsa they’re winners
Marie Banyard celebrates her win with Simon Dayes, Group
Sales Operations Director from Tony Levoi and Thurrock Mayor,
Anne Cheale
Thurrock couple Marie and
Dick Banyard are now the
proud owners of a Vauxhall
Corsa C after buying the
winning ticket in the annual
prize draw of the Thurrock
Community Chest.
The car, donated by
Tony Levoi, is the tenth
car giveaway from the
dealership – one for every
year since the Thurrock
Community Chest was
founded in 2000.
The couple picked up their
brand new car on their 53rd
wedding anniversary. Marie
said: “This is great, we’ve
never won anything like it.
I always buy a Community
Chest ticket every year but we
haven’t won anything before.”
Easy PC
Online service bookings are on their
way – and they’re making life easier for
Retailers and customers. Not only that,
but they’re bringing in new business, too.
Burnham Garage is one of the
Retailers to take part in the trial this
summer. Marketing Manager Lynne
Verschueren is delighted with the
the date, time for the
service and when
they would like to
have the vehicle
returned. The great
thing from our point
of view is that it
outcome. She said: “The 10-week trial
helps us to plan our
was very successful for us. It brought in
workshop loading
£5,000 of business, nearly half of which
came from completely new customers – in advance.
“In the first four
that’s great news.”
And Lynne says the booking process is weeks, we got 25 bookings on the
seamless for both Retailer and customer. system and about 70 per cent of those
“It’s a very good, straightforward system were new customers. Not only that, but
that leads the customer by the hand. We because they booked online, we have
their email and contact details to help
found most customers used the online
with our marketing. It’s an excellent
booking system in the evenings and at
system and we’ve been very pleased
weekends. In effect, it has extended
with the trial.”
our opening hours. All we have to
Now that the trial is over, both Lynne
do is accept the booking and
and Andrew have ambitious plans to
an email goes straight to
bring in more online business. “The key
the customer to confirm. It
is to direct people to your website,” said
really is that easy.”
Lynne. “You can’t rely on people coming
Andrew Ganney,
to the site direct so you have to promote
Service Manager at
the service through other web pages and
Tony Levoi Lakeside,
also on your point of sale material.”
agrees. He said: “It
“This is definitely the future,” said
works seamlessly and
Andrew. “Five years ago, people
integrates very well
with our website. We’ve were reluctant to book train or airline
tickets online. Now it’s commonplace.
had no problems at
This system is easy and convenient –
all. The system allows
it’s great.”
the customer to choose
Above: Andrew
Ganney says
online service
bookings integrate
seamlessly with the
back-office systems
at Tony Levoi
OCTOBER 2010 09
RETAILER NEWS
75
BRISTOL STREET
GAVIN OF
MOTORS IS THE
GRAY MOTABILITY SALES
SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR
CHILDREN ENTERED
EDEN VAUXHALL’S
DRAWING COMPETITION
Heart Angels are Devon sent
Access all areas
Vauxhall came up trumps at the Supplier Awards of Motability
Operations, winning four of the 13 categories. And that’s not all
– the company’s strong support of the Motability scheme was
highly commended.
Retailers who won awards on the night were Monorep
Vauxhall of Southall who won Dealer Fleet Size up to 250,
Evans Halshaw of Middlesbrough scooped the Dealer Fleet Size
251-600 and Dealer Fleet Size over 600 went to Grimshaws.
And the most coveted award – voted by customers – also went
to Vauxhall. Gavin Gray from Bristol Street Motors, Newcastle,
scooped Motability Sales Specialist of the Year.
The judges said that Gavin was a true head and shoulders
winner, scoring maximum points in categories such as attitude,
dedication and going out of the way to make customers feel
looked after. Customer comments raved about his friendly
and willing attitude, the fact that he is never too busy to help
and his courteous and professional nature.
A very proud Gavin said: “It’s a real honour to win this
award. I’ve got a good rapport with my customers and it’s
heart-warming to learn that they appreciate my work. Here at
Bristol Street we retain 77 per cent of our Motability customers
and that’s down to listening to our customers and keeping an
open mind before assessing their individual needs. Not only that,
but I want my customers to feel that if they have an issue – even if
they think it’s trivial – all they have to do is pick up the phone.”
It’s that sort of dedication that brought Vauxhall the highly
commended honour at the awards. Fleet Marketing and Motability
Manager, Steve Catlin, received the award. He said: “Vauxhall is a
strong supporter of Motability. We offer a wide range of models to
scheme customers and extensive support, including nominated
Motability specialists at our retailers. I’m delighted that this longstanding commitment has been recognised.”
Gavin Gray, Huw Edwards and Michael Breen, General
Manager, from Bristol Street Motors in Newcastle
Unbelieva-ball!
10 TORQUE magazine
Above (l-r)
Mike Betts,
CEO Motability
Operations
presents the
awards to:
Ken Swindles and
Mark Flynn from
Evans Halshaw
Reg Hollinworth
from Grimshaws
David Mckay
and Samantha
Cumbers of
Monorep
How many balls do you need to fill a New
Meriva? Steve Hammill, Sales Manager at
Skurrays in Swindon, knows the answer.
To promote the New Meriva, Skurrays
filled the car with balls and invited people at
the Kidz About indoor play centre to guess
the number, with the lucky winner winning a
weekend trip to Butlins.
And the answer? “We filled the car with
8,932 balls and we counted every single
one,” said Steve.
Five-year-old Thomas Blacker
has won his family the use of a
New Meriva for the weekend, and
his nursery has won £800 of soft
play equipment – all thanks to
Thomas’s artistic skills.
Thomas was one of 75 children
to join in the drawing competition
organised jointly by Eden
Vauxhall in Exeter and Heart FM
to celebrate the launch of the
New Meriva.
Eden Vauxhall teamed up with
Heart FM to bring the Summer
Nursery Tour to nurseries in
Devon. Five lucky nurseries got a
visit from the Heart Angels who
brought games, colouring kits,
face painting and lots of fun.
And Thomas’s colourful drawing
showed why the Parent Safety
Zone in the New Meriva is set to
become a big hit with families.
Little Thomas Blacker’s prize-winning
drawing was much more colourful than
his surname...
Women get car confidence
A car confidence evening organised
by Stevens of Crawley has made local
women more aware of how to protect
themselves against the dangers they
could face on the road.
The event was a self-help course
to help teach local women drivers the
basics of mechanics and personal
self-protection. It included roadside
get-you-home tips, defensive driving
and how to ward off a possible road
rage attacker.
More than 50 women (and quite a few
men) attended the Women in the Driving
Seat workshop evening.
Kaye Haite was one of the delegates.
She said: “Although I drive quite a lot I
didn’t know what I should do if my car
broke down by the roadside until tonight,
but I now feel I could cope with most
situations. The evening was
well organised and great fun, too. I feel
I have learned something useful about
my car today.”
OCTOBER 2010
11
NEWS from around GM
“dan akerson brings broad
business experience, decisive
leadership and continuity to
the role”
Very important guest
When US President Barack Obama visited the DetroitHamtramck assembly plant, he couldn’t resist the chance to
test drive the Chevrolet Volt – even if it was only for 40 feet.
The impromptu drive happened after consultations among
the Secret Service and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who
said he hoped the Volt had an air bag. In fact, it has eight!
The President is normally chauffeured pretty much
everywhere so it’s unusual to see him take a spin,
however short. He last drove a private vehicle three to
four months previously at a Secret Service training facility.
His verdict on the Volt? “Pretty smooth”.
The Chevy Camaro (above) has scooped the first annual Launch Breakthrough
Award from Edmunds.com, the online resource for automotive information.
The award is presented to a vehicle that has had the most successful introduction
of the past year. New vehicles are scored on 18 factors associated with the launch,
including pricing, sales, market share, dealer profit margins, incentives, consumer
consideration, consumer ratings, inventory levels and residual values. The Camaro
beat 53 other eligible vehicles to win the award.
The Camaro wasn’t the only GM car to feature in the list. The Chevrolet Equinox
had the No 3 launch breakthrough, the Cadillac SRX was No 5, the Buick LaCrosse
No 7 and the GMC Terrain No 10.
Dan’s the man
GM now has a new CEO. Ed Whitacre
has stepped down as Chief Executive
Officer after successfully leading GM’s
return to profitability after the most
turbulent period in its history. He is
replaced by Dan Akerson (above), who
has served on the GM board of directors
since July 2009. Dan became CEO on
1 September and will be Chairman by
the end of the year, ensuring a smooth
transition and continued positive
momentum for the company.
“My goal in coming to General Motors
was to help restore profitability, build a
strong market position, and position this
iconic company for success,” said Ed. “We
are clearly on that path. A strong foundation
is in place and I am comfortable with the
timing of my decision.”
“Ed Whitacre was exactly what this
company needed, at exactly the right time,”
said Pat Russo, Lead Director on the GM
board. “He simplified the organisation,
reshaped the company’s vision, put the
right people in place, and brought renewed
energy and optimism to GM.
“Dan Akerson has been actively
engaged in and supportive of the key
decisions and changes made at the
new GM. He brings broad business
experience, decisive leadership, and
continuity to this role. The board is
pleased with the serious commitment
Dan is making to the company. We look
forward to his leadership.”
Dan Akerson has had a
distinguished career in finance and in
telecommunications. He was Chairman
and CEO of XO Communications and
at Nextel Communications. He was
also Chairman and CEO of General
Instrument Corp.
First step towards flotation
General Motors has taken its first step towards a stock
market flotation. The company has filed a registration
statement on Form S-1 with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public
offering. The number of shares to be offered and the price
range for the offering have not yet been determined.
12
TORQUE magazine
Chevy Camaro wins Launch
Breakthrough Award
GM buys Strasbourg
Transmission Plant
General Motors and Motors Liquidation Company
(MLC) have signed an agreement under which GM will
purchase the GM Strasbourg operations, a transmission
development and manufacturing business in Strasbourg,
France, from MLC.
With a production plant and a development centre
near the port of Strasbourg, the Strasbourg facility
is a leading manufacturer of six-speed automatic
transmissions. Customers of the Strasbourg plant include
GM operations around the world as well as third-party car
manufacturers.
The plant was founded in 1967. It is a major
industrial employer in the Strasbourg region providing
approximately 1,100 jobs currently. GM’s acquisition brings
the manufacturing facility into GM’s global manufacturing
network, and adds development capability to GM’s
global engineering network. The proven expertise of GM
Strasbourg is an important asset for GM in a core area of
the business.
TODD-ALLY AWESOME
US talk show host Todd Schnitt (above) joined
the production line at the Performance Build
Center (PBC) in Wixom, Michigan, to help
build the 638-horsepower supercharged
small block engine for his ZR1 supercar.
When Todd heard he could build his
own engine, he said: “To build my own
engine is over the top. It will be the
ultimate personalisation for my car. It’s
one of the coolest things I’ve done in my
life. It definitely makes my bucket-list.”
Skilled technicians at the PBC
individually hand-build the engines they
produce. Todd was closely guided and
coached by these technicians. After the
build was completed, the engine was sent
to the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling
Green, Kentucky, where Todd’s ZR1 was
soon assembled with his engine.
Todd has been a car fan all his life.
One of his earliest memories is having a
Corvette Matchbox as a child.
His current order is for a 2011 ZR1 in
cyber grey, the same as his last two ZR1s.
INDUSTRY WATCH
PAT RUSSO
Mercury dips
Another marque bites the dust – Mercury
has got the axe so owner Ford can focus
on the Lincoln brand instead.
With sales falling under 7,500 units a
month and a negligible US market share
of 0.8 per cent, Ford announced that the
71-year-old brand will be phased out by
the end of this year.
We are the clamp-ions
An end to the scourge of so-called
‘cowboy clampers’ – who demand
drivers pay hundreds, even thousands,
of pounds to unclamp cars wrongly
parked in places such as supermarkets
– is in sight.
The Home Office has announced
plans to ban clamping on private land in
England and Wales (such a law is already
in force in Scotland). The plans will be
laid out in November’s Freedom Bill.
Cleaning up their act
Motorists across the country could be in
for an easier ride, as Government budget
cuts may force councils to decommission
a large number of speed cameras. In
August, Oxfordshire switched off its 72
fixed cameras, and three other councils
have similar plans.
Meanwhile, the Department for
Transport has urged councils to remove
unnecessary street signs and ‘confusing
street clutter’ to make urban roads safer
for motorists and pedestrians.
Bubble of bliss
So much for the car-pool. A survey
from Continental Tyres says that nearly
4 million motorists in the UK are so
frustrated with irritating passengers
that they always prefer to drive alone.
Perhaps predictably, the Back-Seat
Driver was picked as the most annoying
kind of passenger to have in your car.
Easy with that tyre iron, now…
X MARKS THE SPOT
The $10 million Automotive X-Prize for
building 100+ mpg vehicles has been
announced. Two US firms and a Swiss
company will share the prize pot.
OCTOBER 2010
13
ASTRA SPORTS TOURER
FAMILY FUN DAYS
THE ASTRA SPORTS TOURER’S
100% OF
UPPERBODY STRUCTURE HAS
BEEN ENGINEERED AT THE
VAUXHALL ENGINEERING CENTRE
Pic n mix
taking to the right hand side of the road,
with a photographer strapped into and
As an undergraduate working in PR, I hanging out of the open boot, snapping
hadn’t quite anticipated that the words pictures of the following vehicle.
I had assumed that taking pictures of
from my predecessor, “every day will
cars would be relatively straightforward,
be different” would ring quite so true
about my job. The realisation dawned but there were two factors that I had not
at 5:30am on a wet morning in Luton, taken into account. Firstly, the painstaking
efforts made to keep the cars clean for
as I set off for Wales on a two-day
the duration of the shoot – no mean feat
photoshoot with the new Astra
Sports Tourer. Working alongside my when driving along wet and grimy roads.
And secondly, the unpredictability of the
manager, Simon Hucknall, and two
elements, as this largely affected the
photographers, I learnt how Vauxhall
tone and colour of the photos and video
creates the kind of press images that
footage taken. This often forced us to wait
mags and newspapers demand.
On a quiet and picturesque stretch of for breaks in the weather, but the results
road in the heart of the Welsh hills, I was made it worthwhile.
My two days in Wales could never
soon surprised by the methods used to
get the best shots. This was particularly be described as typical days in the
true when producing images of the car office and were something that I’ll
in motion, otherwise known as tracking definitely take away from my placement
year at Vauxhall.
shots. These involved the lead car
David Adams (standing) with
photographer Nick Dimbleby
TORQUE magazine
in SEPTEMBER
Family fortunes
Vauxhall sites across the country threw open their doors to employees’
family and friends in September. Adults and children of all ages
enjoyed a huge variety of free fun activities from human table football to
trampolines, gladiator jousting, vehicle displays and much, much more.
BY DAVID ADAMS
14
ATTENDED
14,000 PEOPLE
THE FAMILY FUN DAYs
The Astra Sports Tourer will be launched on 26
October. It is being built at Ellesmere Port, and its
new upper-body structure has been engineered at
Vauxhall Engineering Centre in Bedfordshire.
Packed with clever features, the Astra Sports
Tourer maintains the hatch’s wheelbase (2685mm),
yet its superior packaging has allowed the
maximum load length to be increased by 28mm to
1835mm, and its load volume by 30 litres to 500
litres with the rear seats up.
The tapered profile, falling roofline and
prominent ‘blades’ set into the sides of the car are
complemented by a muscular shoulder line, which
leads gracefully into sculpted rear light units.
Fun for the kids and the
young-at-heart alike,
at Ellesmere Port (left),
Millbrook (right) and
Luton (top)
OCTOBER 2010
15
VXR POWER FESTIVAL
“WITH ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER
THE WEEKEND, WHAT WAS MOST
MOVING WAS THAT, ALL THE TIME WE
WERE THERE, NOBODY FORGOT WHY”
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Right on track: The VXR Track Day
Experiences in July (at the Thruxton,
Snetterton, Croft, Knockhill and Anglesey
circuits) had primed up petrolheads
across the country. Now, at the Festival,
Vauxhall owners, modders and racers
had the chance to unleash the power
of their machines at a series of thrilling
track events, from quarter-mile sprints to
performance-logged laps of Silverstone
circuit. Meanwhile, karting enthusiasts
took to the purpose-built 700-metre track
to pit their skills against friend and foe
alike. Screech, bang, zoom!
Race of spades: The heavy metal was
lined up for the highlight of the festival
– the Pro-Am pursuit races. Past and
present BTCC drivers including Tom
Onslow-Cole, Fabrizio Giovanardi, James
Thompson, Tom Chilton and Jason Plato
16
TORQUE magazine
battled for circuit glory with celebrities
including top chef James Martin,
Hollyoaks’ Ricky Whittle, EastEnders’ Kara
Tointon, TV presenter Natalie Pinkham
and members of the Armed Forces too!
Stun gun: Stunt ace Paul Swift laid
on a typically stunning display of
precision driving at the VXR Stunt Show,
demonstrating incredible manoeuvres in
a performance Vauxhall. The champion
trickster then roped in lucky volunteers for
some devilishly cool feats. Others got a
piece of the action in the form of a
Swift-designed autotesting circuit
challenge, racing head-to-head against
competitors and the clock.
Blast from the past: Immaculate show
cars and venerable old-timers – from
Prince Henry’s vintage car to stars of the
Vauxhall Heritage Centre Collection –
dusted off their Sunday best and doffed
their top hats to a delighted public. And
turning up in torn jeans were a range
of rally and race cars, including touring
championship-winning Vauxhalls.
Funday lunch: From family activities and
VXR-engined Westfield passenger rides
to VXR and Vauxhall Owner’s Club gettogethers and techie displays from the
likes of Regal, TMS, Courtenay Sport and
Milltek, the Festival was one big headrush
of noise, adrenalin and laughter.
All for a cause: The entire proceeds
of the VXR Power Events, including the
Festival, went towards Help for Heroes.
Employees, retailers and customers
have been involved in the fundraising
drive, and successfully raised over
£75,000 for the charity. We applaud your
efforts, and we salute our heroes.
l
Precious meta
In the hot
seat
“Finding volunteers to lend a hand at the big VXR
weekend at Silverstone was never going to be difficult!
“The lucky undergrads had a range of tasks; there were
auto test drivers; event promoters encouraging drivers to
get involved and VIP staff – most of whom would agree the
BTCC drivers were harder to handle than their cars!
“There was lots of off-track action as well, with a host
of celebrities including Miss England Katrina Hodge,
who has been very active in promoting the Help for
Heroes cause – and lots of faces from Vauxhall too.
“But the final mention should go to Derek Derenalagi,
one of the soldiers supported by Help for Heroes. An
intense driver and a hilarious man, he spoke about his
time in the armed forces and his experiences after he
lost his legs. It was great to see what Help for Heroes
has been doing and getting to see first-hand what a
difference Vauxhall’s involvement has made.
“With all the excitement over the weekend, what
was most moving was that, all the time we were there,
nobody forgot why.”
Matt East, undergraduate, Communications
Kart attack!
To keep
up-to-date
with 2011 VXR
events, register
at www.vxr.co.uk
Win-win situa
tion
OCTOBER 2010
17
interview
LIFETIME WARRANTY
“I WANT US TO DELIVER THE BEST
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OF
ANY VOLUME BRAND IN THE UK
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY”
“BILL NIGHY WAS THE PERFECT CHOICE
FOR THE VOICEOVER – reassuring
and typically british. Just like
vauxhall, in fact”
ANDY GILSON
Andy Gilson is Vauxhall’s new
Customer Experience and
Corporate Strategy Director
Everything
to play for
If Vauxhall was a football team, it would
have ended last season below halfway
based on customer experience. But
there’s a new manager in the wings
who’s determined to take the squad into
the Champions League. Step forward
Andy Gilson, Customer Experience and
Corporate Strategy Director.
Andy is excited by the challenge. He
told Torque: “For a long time I’ve said
that we don’t put enough focus on the
customer and now Duncan has told
me to fix it.
“And it’s not just my opinion. Customer
surveys consistently tell us that we could
do much better on customer service so
we must get better at it because happy
customers are fundamental to our
long-term business success. Satisfied
customers come back for service
work and eventually come back to buy
another car.”
News of good – and bad – customer
18
TORQUE magazine
service spreads fast by word of mouth.
And in these days of Twitter, Facebook
and internet forums, a story can ‘go viral’
very quickly, so it’s important to get it
right first time, every time.
Customer experience may begin and
end with the Retailer, but that doesn’t
mean this is an issue confined to
Retailers. Andy believes that everyone
in Vauxhall has a part to play. “The
lifetime warranty is a great start because
the customer experience starts with
confidence in the quality of the product,
but we also need to look at our internal
processes. Do we make things as
easy as we should for customers
and Retailers? I’ll be looking at all our
processes such as whether we deliver
our vehicles on time, undamaged and
with good parts availability and the
quality of our technical training. Plus, I
want to improve how Vauxhall handles
customer problems.”
Andy Gilson:
putting the focus
on the customer
He’s keeping an open mind, especially
in his first 90 days in the job. “In these
early days, it all about listening rather
than jumping to conclusions,” he said.
I want to hear what Retailers have got
to say. However I do know the answer
is not Vauxhall imposing a standardised
process for customer handling
throughout the network. Individual
Retail Operators must own the customer
experience in their facilities, they need
to ensure their staff have the right
attitude and lead by example, they need
to ensure their internal processes and
systems make life easy and hassle-free
for the customer. We will get our act
in order, we will support the Retailers
and provide best practices to help them
resolve issues but the customer must
be owned by the individual Retailers or it
simply won’t work.”
Vauxhall executives will also be
playing their part, spending a day visiting
Retailers to see the issues first-hand.
“I hope that Retailers and executives
will both find this a useful process,”
said Andy. “The dealerships will get a
fresh pair of eyes on their business,
while the executives will be looking to
see how they can help Vauxhall make a
difference.”
Early feedback from Retailers is
indicating some consistent messages.
“They would like us to move faster, and
they would like more empowerment,”
said Andy. So a couple of improvements
are already in place. “We’ll be improving
the two surveys we send to customers –
the Purchasing Satisfaction Survey and
the Service Satisfaction Survey so that
we get more robust feedback and return
the results to Retailers faster. We’re also
investigating how we can speed up the
resolution of cases that come into the
Customer Assistance Centre.”
With customer experience high on
the corporate agenda, Andy’s goal is
ambitious. “I want us to deliver the best
customer experience of any volume
brand in the UK automotive industry.
As a Spurs fan, I’ve enjoyed the taste
of Champions League football, I want
Vauxhall to be in the Champions League
for customer experience.”
It ad to be you
We asked Marketing Director Peter Hope to tell us the story behind the
new Vauxhall lifetime guarantee TV ad
Check out the new TV ad promoting
Vauxhall’s lifetime warranty. It goes from
the old Vauxhall Viva to the New Meriva via
flying Astras and the C’mons celebrating
Vauxhall’s 107-year history.
The lifetime warranty is a first for the car
industry so it’s fitting that the ad is a first for
Vauxhall. It’s the first time the company has
focused on the brand as a whole rather than
a specific carline.
Peter Hope, Vauxhall’s Marketing Director,
was the man in charge of bringing the ad to
our TV screens. Right from the beginning,
he decided to do things a bit differently –
and that willingness to look beyond the
obvious has paid dividends.
The ad uses footage from old Vauxhall
TV ads, taking an irreverent look back at
the company’s past as the UK’s oldest
surviving car brand. “I decided not to go to a
conventional ad agency,” said Peter. “Instead,
we went with a video production agency I
had worked with before. TV ads can be up to
six months in the making but we wanted to
get the message out as quickly as possible
so we didn’t have that luxury.”
One of the first tasks was to book the TV
airtime slots – even before they knew what
the ad would look like. “Most ads last for
just 30 seconds,” said Peter. “But we opted
for 60-second slots. Although we didn’t
know what the narrative would look like,
we knew we had a strong, compelling and
innovative message to get across and I felt
that 30 seconds simply wasn’t long enough
to tell that story.”
With the airtime booked it was time to
get on with putting the ad together. “By
using our own archive material, we could
show the depth of our history and reinforce
the message that we’ve been innovating
for more than 100 years and the lifetime
warranty is just the latest in a long line of
Vauxhall industry ‘firsts’.”
Just like the Vauxhall brand, the ad is
quintessentially British – self-deprecating
with a good sense of humour. “Like the ad
says, we haven’t always taken ourselves too
seriously but we’re always serious about
good ideas – and the lifetime warranty is a
fantastic idea,” said Peter.
And so, just four weeks after the idea was
first suggested, the footage was coming
together nicely and the lifetime warranty ad
was almost ready for TV screens.
“Advertising is only successful if people
can recall the brand being advertised,” said
Peter. “If you look closely, you’ll see we’ve
featured several shots of Vauxhall grilles to
subtly reinforce our branding and increase
subconscious recall. And towards the end,
we linger twice on the logo for the lifetime
warranty – just to get the message across.
“All we needed now was a voiceover
artist and a suitable music track. Bill Nighy
was the perfect choice for the voiceover –
reassuring and typically British. Just like
Vauxhall, in fact.”
Now the final decision was the choice of
backing track. “We needed stirring music
but with quiet moments for the voiceover.
We rejected lots of tracks but when we
heard Pushing The Senses from Feeder, we
knew we’d got the right match.
“It was an intense four weeks, but now
the ad is on our TV screens I’m really proud
of what the team achieved.”
•If you can’t wait until you next see the
ad on your TV, you can watch it online at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
xRn4WhOG3Y
OCTOBER 2010 19
HELP FOR HEROES
– THE DISTANCE
900 MILES
FROM SWINDON TO
LUXEMBOURG AND BACK
WE HAD CYCLED 950 MILES IN
TOTAL AND THERE WAS A HUGE
SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT WHEN
WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION
Mark Williams
THEY’RE ALL
Above: Ellesmere Port employees
raised more than £3,000
Above: Mark Williams
Right: Mark and his
cycling buddies at
John O’Groats
Left: Griffin House employees join Derek
Derenalagi and Duncan Aldred for the Vivaro
Vault’s tour of duty
Above: David Allison and his trusty Astra
ON THE ROAD
Vauxhall’s Help for Heroes campaign took to
the roads in August for a two-week tour of
the UK collecting funds raised by retailers.
Complete with Help for Heroes livery and
graphics to summon up Fort Knox, the van
was transformed into the Vivaro Vault.
To mark the event, Vauxhall employees
gathered outside Griffin House to give the
Vivaro Vault a rousing send-off. Managing
Director Duncan Aldred joined guests of
honour Derek Derenalagi, a serviceman
who lost both legs in Afghanistan, and
Sarah Walker from Help for Heroes.
FUEL’S PARADISE
If you’ve ever wanted to know how far you
can go in an Astra 1.3 ecoFlex on one tank
of fuel, just ask David Allison – he’s been
there, done that and got the T shirt.
David, Fleet Business Sales Manager at
20 TORQUE magazine
Skurrays in Swindon, was keen to promote
the green credentials of the ecoFlex Astra to
customers. “The brochure claimed the car
would do 69 miles to a gallon. I thought that
was pretty impressive and wondered how far
you could go on one tank of petrol,” he said.
One quick calculation later, and David
worked out that one tank would take him
900 miles – the distance from Swindon
to Luxembourg and back. In a moment of
madness, he decided to put it to the test –
and raise money for Help for Heroes at the
same time. Soon the ferry was booked and
there was no going back.
“I was confident that this was a really
economical car,” said David. “But when I set
off I really didn’t know if I would make it there
and back on a full tank. Once I got to Dover – 171
miles later – the fuel gauge had barely moved.
The remainder of the journey to Luxembourg
was straightforward and by the time I arrived,
there was well over half a tank of petrol left. I
thought the return journey would be a breeze!”
That was before a wrong turn at Brussels
added more than 30 miles to the clock. “I
took the wrong exit on a roundabout and that
cost me dear,” he said.
To make up the extra time, David had to
put his foot down on the return journey –
not ideal if you’re trying to conserve fuel!
“Luckily, I was just in time for the ferry, which
meant I missed the worst of the Friday
afternoon traffic on the M25,” he said. “As I
returned to Swindon, the fuel warning light
came on, but I knew I had enough petrol to
get me home.”
And 913.1 miles after he set out, David
drove back onto Skurrays forecourt. “I think
I could have driven a further 20 miles before
completely running out of petrol,” he said.
“That means the car did an average of 73.4
miles per gallon, which is even better than
stated in the brochure.”
David raised £400 in sponsorship,
bringing Skurrays total for Help for Heroes
to an impressive £1,300.
HEROES>>>
TOP MARK
Fleet Finance Analyst Mark Williams has
raised £1,400 after cycling from Land’s
End to John O’Groats, adding to Vauxhall’s
fundraising total. Mark joined nine other
cyclists for the gruelling trip and the team’s
combined sponsorship has now passed a
massive £10,000 milestone – all of which will
go to Help for Heroes.
A keen cyclist, Mark had always wanted to
do the epic trip along the length of Britain. “A
couple of the other cyclists are Staff Sergeants
in the Forces and when I heard they were
doing the trip in aid of Help for Heroes, I
jumped at the chance to join them,” he said.
“Hearing them talk about their experiences
made me appreciate the charity even more.”
Mark put in some serious training before
the trip, taking on several 100-mile cycle
rides so he would be in peak fitness. And it’s
lucky he did, because his fellow fundraisers
were certainly up for the challenge. “On our
first day we cycled up a 29 per cent incline in
Cornwall that would have put many people
off the trip,” he said. And once the cyclists
reached the Lake District, they decided to
incorporate a three-mile hill into the route.
Aptly named The Struggle, the one-in-five
hill is so steep that it wasn’t suitable for the
support vehicle!
The trip had been planned with military
precision and 11 days after pedalling off
from Land’s End, the group cycled in to John
O’Groats. “We had cycled 950 miles in total
and there was a huge sense of achievement
when we reached our destination,” he said.
“But the greatest achievement was the
amount we raised for charity. Lots of people
stopped us along the way to donate money
– one couple even gave us £110 in cash and
we also had donations of free food, drink and
bike repairs to help us on our way. A massive
thank you to everyone who supported us.”
If you’d like to add to Mark’s fundraising
total, go to bmycharity.com/markslongride
ANDOVER THE CASH
They may only have two outlets, but
Hampshire dealers Approach have very
generous customers – they have raised
£1,500. And that’s just for starters.
Mark Foakes, Sales Manager, said: “Most
of the money has come from customers at
the forecourt station at our Andover site.
They’ve been absolutely amazing. Now we’re
planning a 10km Commando Challenge later
in the year when staff at the dealership will be
put through their paces. Watch this space…”
CHEQUE THIS OUT
The Vauxhall Vivaro Vault rolled into Ellesmere
Port on 19 August to collect a cheque for £3,190
raised by employees for Help for Heroes.
Employees at the plant raised the
impressive total in just four months through
charity walks, collections, cake sales and
selling Help for heroes wristbands.
OCTOBER 2010
21
HELP FOR HEROES
AMOUNT RAISED BY
£75,000 THE
VAUXHALL STAFF AND
RETAILERS THIS YEAR
FOUR PEAKS CHALLENGE FUNDRAISING SUCCESS 24
EXCITE WIN FOR THOR 5 TEAM 26
PHOTO COMPETITION WINNERS 29
PEOPLE
>>>
DAY IN THE LIFE SEAN BUCKLEY
PREPARE TO
LAUNCH
Above: The Lookers
fundraising team
Above right: (l-r)
Mike Chapple
Help for Heroes,
Tessa Parker Sales
Receptionist Frosts,
William Frost MD
and owner of Frosts
Above: Andrew Boddy (centre) with
Trevor and Bryan Edwards
BODDY GOOD SHOW
When Andrew Boddy and his friends Trevor
and Bryan Edwards signed up for the Coast to
Coast bike ride in July, they envisaged cycling
for three days across beautiful scenery in
glorious sunshine. The reality was a bit
different. They had to battle wind and rain
which obscured those beautiful views.
“We’ve always wanted to do the Coast to
Coast ride and we decided to take the plunge
this year so we could raise money for Help
for Heroes,” said Andrew, who works at the
Heritage Centre.
“It was strenuous and very hard work
at times. But we’re experienced cyclists
and we kept going. And at least we weren’t
distracted by those marvellous views!”
The friends raised £1,090 – which made it
all worthwhile. “I think it’s a great cause. Like
everyone else, I’ve watched news footage of
soldiers coming home from war and having
to come to terms with their injuries. I’m pleased
to be able to help – even in a small way like this.”
22 TORQUE magazine
Above: Help the Vauxhall Male Voice Choir raise
money at a concert on 6 November
THE POWER OF THREE
Lookers just can’t stop themselves raising
money for Help for Heroes. August saw
a Merivathon, dreamed up – literally – by
Showroom Manager Andrew Langley. “When
the Meriva arrived, I decided to promote it
by spending 24 hours in the car (though I did
allow myself a couple of comfort breaks),”
he said. It turned out to be one of the longest
days of Andrew’s life! “It was a laugh to begin
with, but the novelty soon wore off,” he said.
And as darkness fell, the long hours in the
deserted showroom began to drag. “The
Meriva is a great car for kids, but I wouldn’t
recommend trying to sleep in one if you’re a
grown man,” said Andrew. “The next morning
couldn’t come soon enough for me. It’s one of
the toughest challenges I’ve ever done.”
And if that wasn’t enough, Andrew and
his team took their collecting boxes to the
Petrolheadz show at the Ellesmere Port
plant on 25 July, boosting the fundraising
total to £650.
GOING FOR A SONG
cars, as we ramp up
It’s an early start with our to the Start of Regular
first conference call of the Production on Monday
27 September. It’s a
day. This is the Product
Quality Escalation Process crucial time for the plant
and we’re all doing
Review with Engineers
and Senior Management everything we can to
ensure a flawless launch.
across Europe.
I report on our
progress and things are 9.15am
going well for the launch This is our regular plant
of the Astra Sports
wide production meeting.
Tourer. That’s because
We look at any support
we have such stringent
needed and if there
standards – we check
are any improvements
and double-check every necessary, we make
aspect of the build until
sure that everyone
we are confident that
knows who’s responsible
quality is top-notch.
for dealing with them –
and follow up on progress.
7.30am
The Vauxhall Male Voice Choir have
promised to be on song for Help for Heroes
as they limber up their vocal chords for a
Grand Charity Concert on 6 November at St
Mary’s Church Luton. To book tickets for the
concert contact Brian Matthews on 01525
841077 or Dave Sage on 01582 576826.
I go to General Assembly
to review the previous
day’s build with the
Ellesmere Port production
team. This highlights that
we need to investigate
how we can improve
tailgate trim fits. I hold a
conference call with our
suppliers and engineering
to discuss the options and
a workshop is organised
for later that day.
HOT RESULT FROM FROSTS
Help for Heroes wristbands have been selling
like hot cakes at Sussex dealership Frosts Cars
Ltd, raising more than £1,600 for the charity.
Tessa Parker, Sales Receptionist, said:
“The support from our customers has been
amazing. We have five showrooms in West
Sussex and most of the money has been
raised at our forecourt shop in Haywards
Heath. I replace the collecting box every
week and there’s regularly £80-£100 in it.
“We’re proud to have such generous
customers.”
7am
It’s a busy time for Ellesmere
Port as it gets ready for the Astra
Sports Tourer launch. We spoke
to Launch Manager Sean Buckley
as the plant was preparing for the
Start of Regular Production
Review Area. I take
them through the main
features of the car and
they are impressed!
12:30am
The Launch Team,
representing each of
the units, get together
to discuss schedule
achievement and
improvement plans for
their areas.
2pm
We hold the workshop to
improve the tailgate trim
fit process, and establish
two major actions to be
implemented within the
next two weeks.
10.30am
Visit the production line
in General Assembly so
that I can see for myself
how things are going on
the shop floor. Today we
are carrying out a 27 jobs
per hour trial, in order to
test our readiness for the
launch, so it’s important
that I see how build is
progressing.
3.30pm
I report progress for
today to Assistant
Plant Manager Carsten
Roettchen and Plant
Director Tony Francavilla,
providing feedback
from the workshop and
production trial. I am
pleased to report that
the 27 jobs per hour trial
has gone really well.
11:00am
8.45am
Time for the vehicle
tracking meeting. Next
week is the end of the
saleable build phase
and we will have built
around 370 vehicles.
Next week, we’re building
approximately 120
As we are the only plant
building Astra Sports
Tourer in Europe, many
visitors are keen to have
an exclusive preview of
the car. We have some
in today so I arrange
for a vehicle to be
displayed in the Quality
5.30pm
Just one more report
to be issued to Europe,
before I head home.
We’re all really proud
of our progress on the
Astra Sports Tourer
and are looking forward
to the launch.
PEOPLE
AMOUNT RAISED
£80,000 THE
FOR CHARITY BY TOM
BEDFORD RIVER
DID YOU THE
FESTIVAL IS THE UK’S
KNOW? SECOND LARGEST
BOZSA’S CLIMBING
TEAM IN 9 YEARS
AFTER THE NOTTING
HILL CARNIVAL
On top of the world:
Dave Hardwick, Tom
Bozsa and Andy Aston
The Commons
touch
Rob Parry and Chris
Vernon at the Houses
of Parliament
Peak
practice
Three employees from the Luton plant are
resting their aching muscles after successfully
completing The Four Peaks Challenge, one of
the most exhausting, exhilarating and rewarding
charity challenges.
In less than 48 hours, Tom Bozsa, Dave
Hardwick and undergraduate Andy Aston,
climbed more than 4,200 metres to the summit
and back of the four highest peaks in Scotland,
England, Wales and Ireland: Ben Nevis,
Helvellyn, Snowdon and Carantouhill. Their
running time over the four mountains was nine
hours 48 minutes.
This was Tom Bozsa’s ninth year of competing
in the challenge which each year raises money
for Wooden Spoon, the charity which aims to
change the lives of disadvantaged children.
He said: “The challenge has definitely got
under my skin and I really look forward to it
each year. But more than that, I really believe
in the charity. I’ve been to their projects to see
the difference they make and I’m proud that over
the last nine years my teams have raised more
than £80,000.”
This year’s team raised an impressive £4,500 and
won the trophy for the third fastest team in the event.
“We’re all competitive, but there’s also a great sense
of camaraderie among the teams,” said Tom.
If you’d like to join Tom in the Four Peaks
Challenge next year, contact him on 01582 409033.
Ellesmere Port apprentices Rob Parry
and Chris Vernon got a taste of the
high life when they visited the House of
Commons in July.
They attended an Open Day organised
by the Society of Motor Manufacturers
and Traders. The event was attended
by several MPs, so Rob and Chris got
the chance to rub shoulders with some
of the UK’s top politicians, as well as
apprentices from other companies that
manufacture vehicles in the UK.
The Open Day was designed to
showcase engineering in the UK,
especially the importance of continuing
to attract young talent to the industry.
The Vauxhall contingent made the
most of the opportunity, chatting to
representatives from other motor
manufacturers. Rob said: “It was a good
insight into how engineering operates
at other car manufacturers.”
That’s the way to NVQ it
A shift and B shift employees at the Luton plant are the
proud holders of NVQ level 2 qualifications in Business
Improvement Techniques, thanks to a lot of hard work
and commitment. Training and Development Advisor
Trevor Abrahams, who is responsible for facilitating the
programme, helped put the groups through their paces.
He said: “The programme is a win-win for both our
employees and the company. Not only do our employees
gain a qualification, but the course is also closely linked
with GM’s Global Manufacturing System, so it supports the
plant’s day-to-day business objectives.”
24 TORQUE magazine
The race card
Finance and Planning Manager Joel
Wymer has been getting racy all
summer. After successfully training
at the Caterham Academy last year
and building his own car from scratch,
Joel has been burning rubber at race
tracks around the country.
Despite the agony of a mechanical
failure while in fifth place on the
last lap at Brands Hatch, his other
results – eighth at Rockingham and
third at Snetterton – were impressive
enough to earn him coverage in
regional papers and on Motor TV, who
even asked him to carry their in-car
camera once. As Torque went to
press, Joel was gearing up for his final
race of the season in Mallory Park.
“It’s been incredible so far,” says
Joel, “though the highlight has been
getting a chance to do six laps around
the Nurburgring track in Germany!”
Joel now intends to offer his car as
a marketing tool for companies to
display at trade or charity events,
and is looking for support for next
season’s racing.
If you’d like to help, get in touch
with him at joel@racing13.co.uk
or call 07814 830766.
River of life: Astras donated by Vauxhall
helped charities keep up their good work at
the 2010 Bedford River Festival parade. The
cars were used by East Anglian Air Ambulance
and the Bedford Hospitals Charity for their
fundraising displays at the July event, which
also featured boat races, stalls and live music,
on the banks of the river Ouse.
New Zafira for hospice
There were smiles all round when staff from Ellesmere Port
visited Claire House Children’s Hospice to hand over the keys
to a brand new Zafira.
Claire House is a 10-bed hospice for children with lifelimiting, life-threatening conditions from across Merseyside,
Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man. For the past couple
of years, Vauxhall has recognised the important work that
Claire House Children’s Hospice does for the local community.
The car, one of many donated over the years, is essential to
the Claire House appeals team. Pat Faragher, Fundraising
Director, said: “This car is fabulous. The seats go down allowing
us space to transport the marquees, tables and chairs that we
need to get to the many events we attend. It is a beautiful car
and a pleasure to drive. We are thrilled that we have had this
support from Vauxhall once again.”
OCTOBER 2010 25
PEOPLE
JUST A VAUXHALL
THOR ISN’T
FINANCIAL PROCESSS – IT’S
RALLIES
5 RAMSHACKLE
WILL BE HELD IN 2011:
ALSO A CANADIAN BAND, AN
AMERICAN MISSILE – AND A
CAVE IN THE PEAK DISTRICT
They came, they Thor,
they conquered
Helen Chadwick and
Christine Claggett
Helen Chadwick, Christine Claggett
and Olena Rodina from Barcelona won
August’s EXCITE award for their work
on the Thor 5 implementation.
Thor 5 was a six-month project to
automate the funding of Vauxhall’s
finished vehicle stocks.
It replaces a manual routine that
was unsatisfactory for a process
handling £4 billion of cash transactions
every year.
Thor 5 was due to be implemented
in July, but because of an incorrect file
provided by a supplier, the team were not
able to make the system changes on time.
But they were not to be beaten.
Despite the implementation falling in
the middle of the busy quarterly
financial reporting process, the team
made time to focus on the project,
working into the night to create
32,000 records from scratch.
And it worked! The data file was
successfully uploaded and the system
changes were brought in with
minimal delay with no impact on
either Vauxhall’s financial reporting
or on dealers’ cashflow.
The youth of today
Vauxhall welcomed
its newest set of
undergraduate
recruits in August.
At Luton, 76 students
(below) have now
started their handson work experience,
while their 11
counterparts in
Ellesmere Port
(right) are getting
stuck in to their
work at the plant.
26 TORQUE magazine
IN KRAKOW, VALENCIA,
SPLIT, MUNICH AND
PAMPLONA
A rail good show!
When Matt Goodman asked Vauxhall for a hand with his
entry to the 2010 Ramshackle Rally, the company got his
train of thought right away.
The 28-year-old salon owner wanted to run a 1994
Omega – bought off eBay for £150 – in the annual banger
rally in a quest to raise £1,000 for Keech Children’s Hospice.
To get the car fighting fit for the 1,500-mile journey from
Calais to Valencia, Vauxhall gave it a professional once-over,
fitting it with a new clutch and other parts, free of charge.
Matt and his mates Neil Gwinnutt and Pete Bardell then
converted the Omega into a rather cracking replica of
Thomas the Tank Engine, complete with coal scuttle, buffers
and that familiar smiley face. Good enough, in fact, to win the
coveted Best Car gong. Toot, toot!
“Three hundred like-minded people, good friends, a bit
of adversity and loads of fun – it was an epic experience,”
says Matt.
“A big thank-you (should that be tank-you? – Ed) to
Vauxhall for helping us make it possible!”
You can make a donation at http://www.justgiving.com/
tankengine
Matt, Neil and Pete
– high on track!
Just gene-ius
Obituary – IAN HEARD
Ian Heard (above) passed away on Monday 2 August following
a serious accident in the Paint Shop at Ellesmere Port.
Ian, aged 59, worked in Paint Shop Maintenance for 43 years.
He leaves behind a twin sister and brother.
Describing him as a “true gent”, Ian’s colleagues said: “Ian
loved his work and was dedicated to Vauxhall. It was a pleasure
to work with and be part of the team with Ian. He will be hugely
missed and never forgotten.”
Paint Shop Supervisor, Ian Birss also paid tribute to Ian,
saying: “He was one of the most conscientious and loyal people
we employed. He was always willing to help out his colleagues
and his many years of experience were a real asset.
“Ian was always civil and respectful and he would never
burden anyone with a problem unless he had no other option.
He was well known and liked throughout the plant and paint
unit and his passing is a shock and deeply felt by his work
colleagues and friends.”
Vauxhalls are in Luton fork lift driver John
Allard’s blood, and the apple doesn’t fall
far from the tree.
His son Daniel, 23, has done such
a sterling job of slicking up his 2007
Corsa that Fast Car mag splashed the
red beauty across the cover and five
pages of their latest issue, calling it
“one of the finest Euro-styled cars
(they’d) ever seen.”
Dan’s Corsa began life as a stock Sxi
1.3 Diesel, pleasing its owner with good
fuel economy and cheap insurance.
But Dan, his brother Joe and his
petrolhead mates gradually turned it into
a masterpiece, with a raft of changes
from restyled panels and customstitched seats to mean new
wheels and hidden exhaust.
The highlight is a switch-
operated Accuair air ride system.
“At car shows, I can park next to a car
with £50,000 worth of modifications,
and still get just as much attention,”
says a proud Dan, who’s next taking
his ride to Belgium for a prestigious
European show.
“I was a bit sceptical at first, but
the quality of work is A1 – absolutely
top-notch,” adds John. “He’s taken
a standard Corsa and improved it
100 per cent. Vauxhall should be
proud of this effort.”
Red riding
good
OCTOBER 2010 27
PEOPLE
‘OUR FATHER’ IN
PATERNOSTER MEANS
LATIN. ITS CONTINUOUS
WERE
76 ENTRIES
RECEIVED FOR
DESIGN IS SIMILAR TO
ROSARY BEADS
THE PHOTO
COMPETITION
THEN AND now
Congratulations to Richard Gwilliam
GM UK Campaign Specialist, winner
of last issue’s Then and now
competition, who correctly identified
our photo as the Paternoster lift in
AJ Block, now Griffin House.
Andrew Duerden from the Heritage
Centre, said: “The Paternoster is a thing
of legend for those who remember it.
It was a continuous, non-stop lift.
Due to the ever-moving nature of
the beast, entering and alighting was
an acquired art.
“The two big questions that were
always at the forefront of discussion
about the Paternoster were:
a)what happens if I don’t quite make
it when trying to get off or on the
device? To which the answer was
to get off at the next floor. But that
leads in to the other question
b)what happens when we get to
the top or bottom and we’re still
in the lift? That, as many found,
was not as bad as it could have
been as, while the thing rocked,
graunched and squealed as it got
to the extreme of its cycle, the
compartment would remain in the
upright position.
PHOTO FINISH
“Probably outlawed by health and
safety nowadays, there is very little
evidence of its presence. A blank wall
fronts the lift openings on the middle
stairway of Griffin House.”
The legendary
Paternoster lift
and (inset) how it
looks now
VAUXHALL MERCHANDISE
The C’MONs are back!
If you’ve seen the Corsa TV advertising you may have spotted a few familiar characters!
The advert showcases Corsa’s ‘fun to drive personality’ through imagery
reminiscent of the Pop Art era. Through a mix of static and moving
shots, primary colours and using the psychedelic Run Gnarls Barkley
soundtrack, the C’MON characters feature in key elements of
the advertising.
The C’MONs are incredibly popular and to respond to high customer
and Retailer demand, we have restocked our collection which
includes items such as in-car air fresheners, a cap, phone socks, plush
characters and a lap top/weekend bag. But hurry, stocks are limited and
some characters will no doubt sell-out fast! To place an order, please visit
the webshop at www.vauxhallmerchandise.co.uk where you’ll be able to
view the whole collection.
Don’t forget all GMUK employees, contractors and pensioners can benefit from a further discount off the published recommended
retail prices, just telephone the Helpline on 01420 525414 for assistance in setting up your online account or log on to the web shop.
Click on ‘Account’ and ‘New Customer’ and follow the instructions.
Vauxhall Retailers should place their orders as usual via the ‘Wholesale’ section of the www.vauxhallmerchandise.co.uk website to
benefit from WDN discount.
Please note that postage and packing is at extra cost and minimum order value is £10.00.
We don’t just make great vehicles – we create everything for a lifestyle that is Vauxhall!
28 TORQUE magazine
York Minster by
Jason Arnold
Thanks to everyone who entered our photo competition. There
was a huge selection of stunning photos to choose from and the
standard was so high that the judges had a hard time selecting the
winners. In fact, the choice was so difficult that we couldn’t choose
one single runner up – so we’ve got two.
Congratulations to Jason Arnold, from the A shift marriage line at
Ellesmere Port, whose moody photo of York Minster wins our first
prize of £50 of vouchers. Our two runners up are Dave Moorhouse
from WJ King, Gravesend and Graham Custance from Toddington
Road Warehouse. Both win vouchers worth £25. We loved the
fresh colours of Dave’s photo of Scone Palace in spring while
Graham’s sunset at Tring Reservoir was very atmospheric.
Above:
Scone Palace
by Dave
Moorhouse
Right: Tring
Reservoir
by Graham
Custance
BEST OF THE REST...
From dogs to
frogs and rivers
to beaches, the
entries covered
a wide range of
subjects
OCTOBER 2010 29
PEOPLE
STAFF OFFERS
CONGRATULATIONS to THOMAS
NOCUN FROM GMM LUTON AND
PENSIONER COLIN JONES –
winnerS IN OUR LAST ISSUE
CROSSWORD
OCTOBER CLUES
Across
1. Eye-covering (5)
4. Sauce (7)
8.Ages (7)
9. Emperor (5)
10. Suspend (4)
11. Punish a sailor (8)
13. Stopper (4)
14. Deceased (4)
16. Snakes, for example (8)
17.Nothing (4)
20.Garment worn around the neck (5)
21. Beast (7)
22. Undergarment (7)
23. Sacred song (5)
Down
1. Shrinks (13)
2. Claw (5)
3. See 13 Down
4. Touched with the lips (6)
5.Michael Jackson album (8)
6. The Netherlands (7)
7. Quadrilateral (13)
12. Productive (8)
13.And 3 Down. Peter Pan’s
enemy (7,4)
15. Protective headgear (6)
18.Additional (5)
19. Break (4)
Congratulations to Thomas Nocun from GMM Luton, who wins the crossword
competition in the August issue. Your £25 cheque will be in the post shortly.
Solution to AUGUST crossword:
Across: 7. Canoe 8. Emotion 9. Absolve 10. Shrew 12. Arithmetic
15. Teddy Bears 18. Leech 19. Swallow 21. Passion 22. Enter
Down: 1. Scrap Metal 2. Gnash 3. Tell 4. Defeat
5. Gossamer 6. Migrate 11. Wickerwork 13. Rhythmic
14. Adverse 16. Easing 17. Flute 20. Apex
Send completed entries to Torque crossword, UK1-103-340, Vauxhall Motors,
Griffin House, Osborne Road, Luton LU1 3YT by Wednesday 10 November
NAME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
SUDOKU
Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, each column and each 3x3 square contains all the digits from one to nine.
Fill in your details below and send the completed grid
to Torque Sudoku, UK1-103-340, Vauxhall Motors,
Griffin House, Osborne Road, Luton LU1 3YT by
Wednesday 10 November. The first correct answer out
of the hat will win £25.
Colin C Jones, a pensioner
from Ellesmere Port,
wins last issue’s Sudoku
completion. Congratulations,
Colin, the cheque’s in the
post. Solutions to August’s
issue (right).
NAME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
30 TORQUE magazine
www.gm-uk-marketplace.co.uk
username: gm • password: offers
The latest offers from
GM Marketplace
Gourmet Society
2 for 1 at thousands of top UK restaurants.
The Gourmet Society has teamed up with over 4,000 restaurants
to offer our employees some fantastic savings. You can enjoy 2 for 1
or 25 per cent off your bill (including drinks!)
Annual membership usually costs £69.95, however you can
enjoy a 2 month FREE trial followed by a fantastic discounted
membership at £39.95!
Visit www.gourmetsociety.co.uk quoting REWARDSNEW.
Don’t forget
to log on to
www.gm-ukmarketplace.co.uk
using username: gm
and password: offers
for other fantastic
discounts
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Visit www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
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Remember, there’s having a nice day…then
there’s having a Virgin Experience Day.
OCTOBER 2010
31
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
autumn savings
on a brand new Vauxhall
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
ON A BRAND NEW VAUXHALL VEHICLE, WHEN YOU
CLAIM YOUR PARTNERS DISCOUNT.
Visit your local Retailer now to claim your discount – plus any other
exclusive offers available – or for more details call 0844 875 2448
or visit partnersprogramme.co.uk
Partners discount is on list price, delivery and factory-fitted options. Offer is available on new vehicles registered between 01.10.10 and 30.11.10 inclusive, subject to availability, and
are available to eligible Partners. All other sales categories are excluded. UK-supplied vehicles only. Contact Retailer for details. Partners includes all employees and pensioners
of nominated companies and their nominated eligible relatives. Partners prices include Partners discount savings, Customer Savings (inc. VAT) where applicable, number plates,
delivery, Vehicle Excise Duty and a first registration fee. Excludes fuel and insurance. Model illustrated is MY11 New Meriva Exclusiv with optional distance sensors, 17-inch alloy
wheels and two-coat metallic paint. We reserve the right to change or withdraw any aspect of the Partners Programme without prior notice. Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty covers
lifetime ownership of first car owner, 100,000 mile limit, annual check required. The warranty excludes wear & tear and serviceable items and the vehicle must be serviced in
accordance with the manufacturer’s servicing schedule to continue the lifetime warranty. Terms and conditions apply. Offer available to all Vauxhall passenger cars, (this offer
does not apply to car derived vans) from 1st August 2010. For more information contact your local Vauxhall Retailer or visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/warranty
Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg
(litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). New Vauxhall Meriva Exclusiv 1.4i
16v VVT (100PS): Urban – 35.8 (7.9), Extra-urban – 55.4 (5.1), Combined – 46.3
(6.1). CO2 emissions – 144g/km.