The J-car was sold in America under Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Pontiac brands, in Japan as Isuzu and Toyota, Holden in Australia, Daewoo in South Korea. The MkII Vauxhall Cavalier (and Opel Ascona C) was launched in August 1981 and now had front wheel drive. Standard bodywork was a 4-door saloon or a 5-door hatchback, but for a short time there was a 2-door saloon in Britain. In Australia Holden produced the Holden Camira 5-door estate and these bodies were imported as kits and assembled as Cavalier estates from 1983. Hammond and Thiede made open top versions of the 2-door Cavalier and Ascona to a design by British IAD. Launched with 1.3 and 1.6 litre engines from the Vauxhall Astra, a 1.8-litre engine was added in 1983 and a 2-litre in 1987. A modest restyle of grille and rear lights was given in 1985, and in 1987 these items got changed again. Sold until 1988, 807,000 Cavaliers made it onto the roads, out of 10 million J-cars sold worldwide.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 1600 GLS 4-door - badge on bootlid
Vauxhall Cavalier 1985 1600 GL Estate - badge on rear door. The estate model had vertical rear lamps.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1988 Callibre i - badge on bootlid
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 hatchback. The Series II Cavalier was front wheel drive, unlike the outgoing U-car model which was rear drive.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1985 1600 GL Estate. This view shows the revised grille given for 1985.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1987 LX. The LX (and LXi) models were introduced in 1987, and carry the new 1987 grille.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 hatchback. The launch Cavalier was offered with either 1,297cc or 1,598cc engines, both of which were also found on the Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 hatchback. The J-car Cavalier was offered initially as both a 5-door hatchback, and as a 4-door saloon in the UK
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 SRi. Offered from 1982, the SRI had a 1,796cc 115bhp fuel-injected engine . Later a 2-litre 130bhp SRi130 was offered
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 SRi. Tail lamps were changed from this design to a larger design for 1985
Vauxhall Cavalier 1985 1600 GL Estate. Vauxhall didn't intend there to be a Cavalier Estate car, and to plug the gap in the market Vauxhall imported panels from Holden's Camira to sell as the Cavalier estate
Vauxhall Cavalier 1985 GLS 4-door. In 1985 the Cavalier was revamped, gaining a 'chip-cutter' grille.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1985 GLS 4-door. In 1985 the Cavalier was revamped, gaining revised rear lamps that wrapped around the corner.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1987 LX. The LX (and LXi) models were introduced in 1987 to give a sporting flavour to the Cavalier.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1987 LX. Tail lamps were revised in 1985 and again in 1987.
Vauxhall Cavalier Callibre i 1988. Body kit by Tickford, and it was built on the Cavalier SRi130 with 2-litre 130bhp injected engine.
Vauxhall Cavalier 1984 hatchback. The J-car Cavalier beat Ford's Sierra to the market in this category, and offered a hatchback for the first time in this size of car and one year ahead of Ford.
Vauxhall Cavalier MkII Convertible
Opel Ascona 1982 4-door. The Opel Ascona C was introduced in 1981 with front wheel drive, and was badged 'Vauxhall Cavalier' for the British market until Vauxhall's own plant at Ellesmere Port came online. Opels were offered as 4-door saloons and hatchbacks but also common was a 2-door saloon not popular in Britain. An Opel Ascona estate was not offered.
