Vintage Posh Brit

Loading...

Photo 1 of 20

If you were upper-middle management at a city accounting firm in 1971 the Vauxhall Viscount might’ve been the car you aspired to. The big boss would have a Jag and those under you, maybe something Aussie with a bench seat. Your equivalent at a law firm across town might’ve gone for a Holden Premier, but being an accountant, you thought the Vauxhall offered better bang for buck. And that might still be true today. Read on...

The Vauxhall Viscount was the posh Cresta. It had a 3.3L straight six, with later examples, like this one, having a 3 speed auto transmission. You got pretty much every luxury available in 1971 – reclining bucket seats, electric windows, power steering, inertia reel seatbelts and walnut, darling. And it looked vaguely American, but also British. It said to your neighbours you were doing well for yourself.

But did the Viscount represent better value over the Holden Premier at the time? It’s hard to say. The trim level of the Vauxhall is nicer and you got electric windows, which in 1971 was a proper novelty in NZ. But you could get a V8 in the Holden. However, for two car that are quite similar in their size and luxury, the Viscount today, in beautifully restored condition, as this car is, will be around half the price of a nice Prem.

This beautiful car is at Turners Dunedin. More details here.