After 120 Years, The Last Vauxhall Vehicle Rolls Off The Line As Automaker Closes Luton Plant

After over 120 Years, the last Vauxhall vehicle rolls off the assembly line as automaker closes Luton Plant. 

Stellantis said it will now transfer “machinery and process knowledge” to its plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Vauxhall, which started manufacturing cars in 1903, moved to the newly built industrial estate in Luton in 1905. 

As of 2024, the Luton plant, which produces commercial vehicles and IBC Vehicles, has a capacity to build 100,000 units a year.

Vehicle production at Vauxhall’s Luton plant in UK has come to an end after the last van, a Vauxhall Vivaro (also sold as Peugeot Expert), rolled off the production line at 12:18 GMT on Friday March 29th 2025.

Parent company, Stellantis, which earlier announced the van plant’s closure in November, said it will now transfer “machinery and process knowledge” to its plant in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Stellantis said it was investing £50m “to strengthen the Ellesmere Port plant as its UK commercial vehicle hub”, a move that put more than 1,000 jobs at risk, according to report.

In a statement, Stellantis said :

“Production of the current medium van range ceased today in Luton.

“There will now be a period of transforming and transferring machinery and process knowledge to Ellesmere Port.

“Production of the group’s medium all-electric LCV (light commercial vehicles) range (eK0) in Ellesmere Port will commence in Q4 2026.

“Our employees always remain our priority, and we continue to act responsibly towards our colleagues in Luton.

However, Unite’s General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Stellantis’s betrayal of its Luton workforce, who have delivered every target asked of them, is a total disgrace.”

A worker, who was too upset to be named, told BBC that it was the “end of an era”, while another said : “I’ve done 34 years, but life goes on, we’ll go on. The people and the company – we’ve had some good times and it’s been great.”

“It’s the best job I’ve had. Everyone was waiting for last van to come out, everyone stayed,” Josh Scrutton said, while Muhammad Basharat, who had worked at the factory for 24 years, said it was “very sad” and he was now looking for work in the building trade.

Vauxhall

Vauxhall, which started manufacturing cars in 1903, moved to the newly built industrial estate in Luton in 1905. As of 2024, the Luton plant, which produces commercial vehicles and IBC Vehicles (Isuzu Bedford Company Limited), has a capacity for building around 100,000 units a year.

The Company’s current car range includes the Astra, Corsa, Frontera, Mokka, and Grandland. Vauxhall also sells high-performance versions of some of its models under the GSe sub-brand.

• See Also : Tech-driven Production : Dangote Peugeot Plant Now Produces 44,000 Vehicles Per Year