MEET THE OWNER – ROGER LENTELL AND HIS VAUXHALL MAGNUM 2300 SALOON

As a child, during that long-distant time when repeats of Here Come the Double Deckers was a highlight of the week, I regarded the Vauxhall Magnum 2300 four-door saloon. Every detail, from the quad headlamps to the dashboard with its seven dials, denoted ‘class’. And Roger has “literally just picked my Magnum up today after it sat in someone’s garage for 15 years”.

The Magnum debuted in September 1973 as part of Vauxhall’s revisions to its overly complicated HC range. The Firenza badge was now reserved for the new HP ‘Droopshoot’, and the small engine models retained the Viva name. Meanwhile, that year’s Magnum saloon, coupe and estate combine 1.8-litre or 2.3-litre ‘Slant 4’ OHC power with more comfortable interiors.

Autocar saw the Magnum as creating “in effect a whole new range of models in the compact, yet sporting, family saloon sector of the market”. Vauxhall’s description was slightly more florid: “Magnum is a beautifully designed and coordinated machine that is everything a personal car should be; a unique blend of aesthetics, luxury and pure handling genius”. It would also hopefully appeal to “the senior representative and management classes of company car users”, not least as the 2300 had a top speed of 102 mph.

To demonstrate the latest HC’s durability to fleet managers Vauxhall staged the ‘Magnum Marathon’, with a 2,000 journey in Estate from Istanbul to London. Motor regarded the 2300 saloon as “a pleasant, almost viceless car”, and Autocar thought it “a handy–size car with good manners and a really impressive turn of speed”. At £1,675, it was also slightly cheaper than a Ford Cortina 2000GT Mk. III,

The Magnum received a facelift in 1975, but that year saw the launch of the Cavalier, which Motor predicted would impact the older model’s sales”, This proved to be the case, as the Cavalier Coupe replaced the Magnum Coupe, while production of the saloon and estate ceased in December 1977. Yet, the Magnum formula still had potential, and three months later Motor Sport, while describing it as “ageing”, thought:

The best part of this 2300 Magnum is its engine. Marked on the tachometer with a rev-limit commencing at 6,200 rpm. it will cruise the car all day at an indicated 100 mph, running at a mere 5,200 rpm.

We look forward to covering the restoration of Roger’s 2300 saloon – a Vauxhall from a world when a Magnum saloon in Gold Starfire metallic caused a minor sensation in the local Sainsbury car park.

With thanks to Roger Lentrell for his time and permission to use the images in this blog.