EBay Finds

[LynehamHerc]

I didn't realise they did a droop snoot estate.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/265705277603

I think that they had some spare HP Firenza fronts spare as it hadn't sold as well as expected so this was a pragmatic use for them, which they could also charge more for as well.

[mercrocker]

IIRC the Sportshatch (whilst it did use up those fronts from un-built Firenzas) was not really produced for sale as a catalogued model, more as a wow-ee for the showrooms - I think all were sold as used rather than new cars.

[LynehamHerc]

Weren't they all initially management cars?

I quite like the look of them in light colours but the colours in the picture do it no favours at all in my opinion.

[mercrocker]

No doubt some managers wangled (or were made to have) one....I remember them being a little bit infra dig at the time much like those BTCC Vectra decal packs. Again, this is only as far as I know, but all cars were that dark plum colour - there having been some pre-production sportshatches earlier on that mimicked the Firenza colour scheme which were never offered for sale at all. Presumably the SportsHatch may have been quite useful to Vauxhall in preparing the car-buying public for the forthcoming Cavalier and Chevette shapes which were less than 12 months away....

I've just remembered those Black Magic Chevettes as well thinking about these!

[LynehamHerc]

This is probably what I'm remembering:

1_355.jpg (282.18 KiB) Viewed 675 times

It's from here:

http://vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/ ... et-concept

[DodgeRover]

I remember drooling over a matt black Firenza on Weller wheels that sat for years unmoving on the verge opposite my school. I really wanted it and had ideas involving a Rover V8 that would probably have ended in tears

[paulplom]

Or death.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I remember being quite disappointed when I found out that the Sportshatch only had the cosmetics from the HP Firenza not the running gear. I once owned a 2300 Viva and that was seriously disappointing, I thought it was going to be a cut price RS2000- it wasn’t . I sold it to a neighbour who had it for a couple of years using it to tow his Sprite Musketeer.
Just looking at Vauxpedia, none were ever sold new to the public, all started life as Luton management cars or dealer demos.
Interestingly the production figures for Firenza and Sportshatch were both about 200, I always thought the Coupe was more popular and the hatch a rarity.

[mercrocker]

Wasn't the Viva E Coupe concocted to use up those Firenza shells?

[LynehamHerc]

I think so.
I seem to remember that Vauxhall also wanted a cheaper Viva to sell so it killed two birds with one stone.