Robert Ackers
Summary
- Steve Catlin aims to restore Vauxhall to the UK's top three best-selling car brands.
- The strategy includes dealer activation, a UK-focused marketing campaign, and new models like the Frontera.
Vauxhall’s new managing director, Steve Catlin, has set a multi-year goal to restore the brand to the UK’s podium of best-selling marques. Catlin plans a dealer-led retail push, the first UK-focused marketing campaign in years and a wave of new models — led by the Frontera and a relaunched GSE performance sub-brand — to drive volume and emotional appeal.
What Catlin said and the challenge ahead
Steve Catlin, who returned to lead Vauxhall in June, told Autocar: “My intention is to put Vauxhall back on the podium. That’s not an immediate aspiration that we’re going to deliver next year, but over the next few years, I want to get Vauxhall back onto the podium.”
That’s a big task. According to Autocar’s reporting of SMMT figures, the top three brands in the UK year-to-date to the end of September are Volkswagen, BMW and Kia. Kia has sold around 93,000 cars so far this year versus 66,000 for Vauxhall — leaving a sizable gap for Catlin to close.
Strategy: retail first, dealer activation and a UK ad campaign
Catlin says the growth strategy will prioritise retail buyers and dealers rather than relying on fleet volumes as historically happened:
- Dealer activation: energise Vauxhall’s ~200 retail partners to convert more private buyers.
- UK-led marketing: the brand is planning its first UK-focused marketing campaign in “a decade at least”, aimed at building emotional connections rather than relying on generic Opel/Group advertising.
- Retail channels & sub-channels: Catlin wants a broader channel approach to capture customers across private, small-business and retail sub-channels where Vauxhall has underperformed.
Product plan: Frontera, GSE and model momentum
New and updated models are central to the plan:
- Frontera: Catlin predicts the incoming Frontera — larger than the Mokka but priced below it — will become Vauxhall’s second-best seller next year behind the Corsa, helping close the gap to rivals. If Frontera can split the difference between current Corsa and Mokka volumes it could materially boost Vauxhall’s ranking.
- GSE performance sub-brand: the relaunch of GSE, including a 276 bhp Mokka derivative, is intended as a halo to rekindle brand aspiration and funnel styling cues and desirability down the range.
Why this could work — and the risks
Why it could succeed:
- Corsa strength: Vauxhall already has a strong volume model in the Corsa (nearly 30,000 registrations last year), which gives a platform from which to grow. Well-executed retail activation and a compelling mid-range crossover like Frontera could attract private buyers.
- Emotional marketing & halo cars: a UK campaign plus GSE halo models can drive desirability and trickle down to mainstream trims.
Key risks:
- Market competition: Kia, Volkswagen and BMW are strong, well-funded competitors with growing EV and hybrid line-ups.
- Channel rebalancing is hard: shifting sales away from fleet to retail requires sustained dealer investment, competitive offers and demonstrable retail demand.
Quick takeaways
- Steve Catlin’s stated objective: get Vauxhall back on the podium of UK best-selling brands over the coming years.
- The plan centres on retail activation, a UK-first marketing campaign, and a wave of new models (notably the Frontera and GSE revamp).
- The task is measurable: Kia (≈93k) vs Vauxhall (≈66k) year-to-date highlights the scale of growth required.
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