VAUXHALL CHEVETTE HS

3-door 4-seater hatchback.

Vauxhall's first pure 'homologation special', intended as an Escort-beater and often succeeding. Road cars had special 16-valve twin-cam cylinder heads - Vauxhall designed - and Getrag gearboxes, though early rally cars used Lotus heads and ZF 'boxes - confusing! Structure basically as bread-and-butter Chevette hatchbacks, but drive line all special, with wide-rim alloy wheels plus front and rear spoilers. 135bhp and 120mph flat-out for £5107 in 1978 was appealing, but the HS was not refined enough to attract larger sales.