Heritage fleet threatened
Vauxhall confirmed in July that it had begun a consultation on the future of its 70-strong heritage fleet, kept for open days and press launches, as part of a review of its Griffin House site in Luton.
Fortunately, the collection’s been kept together to promote the carmaker’s past. Despite Vauxhall’s administrative offices moving out of the historic Griffin House in Luton, its car collection – which spans nearly 100 years of output – wasn’t going anywhere. Assurances quickly poured in: L’Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS museum Director General, Xavier Crespin, told
CCW that there was ‘no possibility’ of Vauxhall’s collection being sold off.’
Eventually, the Heritage fleet will move to another location in Luton, but for the moment, it will continue to run public and press invitation events. Vauxhall’s head of communications, Simon Hucknall, said: ‘The heritage centre is there for the foreseeable.’
The mass roll-out of E10 fuel seemed to come a step closer in October, as the party conference season revealed overwhelming support for such a move within Britain’s major political parties. E10 fuel, which contains up to ten per cent ethanol content, was blamed for a number of catastrophic classic fuel system fires in 2018.
The lobby group Be10percentgood campaigned at four major political party conferences, where it received support from delegates. Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, Andy McDonald, said: ‘Labour supports the introduction of E10 petrol to tackle climate change.’
No such move from the government has appeared so far, but the European Union Fuel Quality Directive will force it to enact such a policy by 2020, after which both the FBHVC and RAC are calling for a protection-grade E5 fuel to remain on forecourts for older cars.
Sir Greg Knight MP, Chair of the AllParty Historic Vehicles Group, said: ‘I am delighted that the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP, who is a friend of the classic car movement, appreciates our concerns and has taken them on board. I am greatly reassured by his pledge that any roll-out of E10 will be carefully managed, and that E5 will remain available for those who need it. I expect a more detailed announcement in the weeks ahead’.
historicvehicles.org.uk