General Motors Europe (GME) has not yet confirmed the Ampera for sale here in the UK but it would be branded a Vauxhall if launched, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
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GME yesterday said the Ampera – badged as an Opel – would be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March. “For now it’s only an Opel,” Vauxhall had said on Tuesday, adding that, while the Ampera uses the Volt’s technology, it will look different to the Chevrolet-branded car.
“There’s a very simple reason why we can’t confirm the Ampera as a Vauxhall just yet and it’s simply that if we do, then by default we confirm it for the UK market,” the spokesman told just-auto by email. “For launch, GME is yet to confirm which markets the car will go on sale in initially, much of which depends on external incentives.
“Should the UK be one of the launch countries, then of course the Ampera would be [badged as] a Vauxhall.”
Commenting on recent UK media speculation about the future of Vauxhall, the spokesman said suggestions the brand (which dates back to 1903) would be axed had “absolutely no foundation”.
“Almost a quarter of vehicles sold by GME are Vauxhalls and we even sell more Vauxhall commercial vehicles than Opel.
“The brand is Britain’s second biggest in terms of sales and in 2008 we introduced a new logo and brand image – not something we would do if ever we were to consider burying the brand.
“Vauxhall also continues to increase market share in a declining UK market – it is a brand that is very popular with the British public, is well-loved and it would, frankly, be utterly stupid (and expensive) to remove it from the market. Such speculation is, therefore, utter nonsense.”
