Vauxhall in gear change with interim profit haul

Opel-vauxhall, maker of the best-selling Corsa and Astra car models, has swung to its first profit in nearly 20 years.

The motor manufacturer, which is a major employer in the UK under the ownership of French firm and Peugeot-maker PSA Group, booked €502 million (£447m) in operating profit in the six months to the end of June.

That compares with the €257m loss reported for full year 2016, the last full year that the company was still owned by General Motors. It also marks the first profit logged by the business since 1999.

The financial rebound came in part from an “SUV offensive” that saw several models launched by Opel and Vauxhall.