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Vauxhall Velox
Although Vauxhall had used the Velox name before on the Wyvern cars, the PA line up of cars which included the Velox as you see here today and the Cresta, came into the consciousness of British car buyers in 1957.
The PA Velox as we test here today was launched in the October of that year at British International Motor Show and sported the 2.2 engine, as did the more heavily spec’d and chromed up Cresta.
This was an interesting time for motoring because some of the younger section of the car market were hankering over what was on offer in America, which meant that Vauxhall being part of GM, were well placed to tap into the right people in America.
If you’re an American automotive fanatic, you’re probably looking at this car and thinking wow, that car looks so similar to a 55 Chevvy Bel Air, although I also thought that when I looked at the Victor!
The new Velox and Cresta’s had the wrap windscreen, which was a marvellous new concept for many Brit automotive buyers who had become comfortably accustomed to small screens with trusty pillars.
To appreciate how revolutionary the rear screen must’ve appeared to the general public of the time, look to the 50s best seller in the UK, the Morris Minor and you’ll see this offers SO much more rear visibility. It’s actually astounding in comparison.
Actually whilst we talk about the rear screen, this one we’re in today is quite a rare beast being a 3 parter. Later cars got one piece rear screens.
However, the wrap screens aren’t the only American flair and the bench seating, rear fins, the choice of colours on the car paintwork for a Velox which including pink, two tone paint if you picked a Cresta and chrome just for sake of it, especially on the Cresta, meant this must’ve looked absolutely wild at the time when parked next to the more commonplace British cars of the 50s like the Austins, Morris’, Rovers and Wolseleys.
Engine wise, the car we’re testing today is a 2.2 litre, 1959 was the last year of this engine before they went up to a 2.6 in 1960. The output on the 2.26 six cylinder engine is 83 horsepower but interestingly if you bought this in the export market where fuel was lower grade, the compression ratio is slightly tweaked and you only get an output of 78 horsepower.
Overall it was an exciting car for exciting times in a world that was changing rapidly, the late 50s saw the dawn of the motorway and 1960 saw the first MOT and Vauxhall delivered a forward thinking, modern looking car for the new era.
From police forces to pop stars and even dear late Queen Elizabeth 2nd, the PA Velox Cresta range was loved by a lot of people, but who buys one in 2023? Well, let me introduce Steve, who is possibly the most Vauxhall centric chap I’ve ever met.
15 окт 2024
