1857 Alexander Wilson & Company was founded In Vauxhall, London.

1897 the company was renamed the Vauxhall Iron Works Company Limited.

1903 the first car was produced.

1905 the company relocates to Luton in Bedfordshire.

1907 the name of the company is changed to Vauxhall Motors Limited.

1925 the company is bought out by General Motors (GM) of the U.S.A.

1931 a new arm of the company is founded to build commercial vehicles and is named Bedford.

1983 Bedford ceases to be part of Vauxhall Motors and becomes a separate division of GM.

1987 sees the end of Bedford heavy commercials as GM sells the plant at Dunstable to AWD.  

WHERE WAS YOUR CAR REGISTERED?

Here is a guide to your cars registration.

Area codes contained in your registration number denote its origin, e.g.

MER 687H, (ER) denoting Cambridge.

The following list confirms area codes in designated dates where records exist, from the studies I’ve made they are still valid up to the recent changes to British registration arrangements.