VAUXHALL’S two UK car and van factories smashed their previous production records during 2005.

The Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, which builds both Vauxhall and Opel-badged five-door Astras, built 188,763 cars last year – more than 20,000 up on the previous record set in 2000. In 2005 the plant also built its four millionth vehicle.

Also, Vauxhall’s Luton plant, formerly known as IBC Vehicles, topped its previous record output figure. During 2005 it built 90,338 Vivaros – the highest since production began in 2001.

Bill Parfitt, managing director of Vauxhall parent company GM UK and Ireland, said: ‘This is a major achievement for us and we are proud to be continuing our tradition of manufacturing in the UK so successfully.

‘This year we will keep building, hoping to break more productions records.’