This was the last Vauxhall passenger car that was designed entirely by the team based at Luton before General Motors moved to share platforms with Opel.

As a successor to the Viva HB, the HC was launched in 1971, the same year that Vauxhall produced the millionth Viva. The HC was one of the fastest selling Vauxhall models with 100,000 selling in under eight months due to low purchase and running costs that were popular with families and fleet managers.

Although very similar to the “midi-American” styled HB that continued the design approach of a coke-bottle body shape, the HC was slightly bigger with sharper lines with squared-off front indicators and a more angular rear. This car, finished in Jamaica Yellow, has a vinyl roof that was available as an optional extra to the standard at a cost of £31.59. 

After production ended in 1979 after 640,800 HCs, the Viva was eventually replaced by the new Vauxhall Astra, a variant of the Opel Kadett. Vauxhall revived the Viva name in 2015 on a new model that was a rebadged Opel Karl.