IN THE early 70s there was some uncomfortable shuffling about in the halls of the Vauxhall bosses.

That old family workhorse the Viva was gearing down for the end of it shelf life and its run-out years needed a bit of pzazz.

So the manufacturer loaded the Magnum, not the shoot the opposition I hasten to add but to get the absolute most from the old Viva shape and squeeze out every drop until the rising of the Chevette and later Astra.

The Magnum was launched in 1973 and had its first public airing at the London Motor show of that year.

It was actually an HC model Viva with a larger engine, more luxurious interior, a then popular vinyl roof covering, higher trim level and four headlights. It shared its suspension and drive-train with the larger-engined variants of the Vauxhall Viva and Firenza coupe.

It played right into the hands of those who were cooking on gas in the never-ending quest to upstage their friends in the battle to get the best specified car. Believe me it was a mad time.

If you had hairier floor mats than your neighbour you were streets ahead in terms of cred.

Needless to say there was no small engined Magnum because it was full calibre all the way.

The smallest engine available was the 1,800cc slant four and this option came with a twin-dial instrument panel, while the more powerful version which was the one Viva fans aspired to was the 2,300 four-cylinder which came with a wow-provoking seven-dial instrument panel.

Both were available in two and four-door versions, a fastback-shaped three-door estate and a coupe. An attractive feature applicable to all models was the fitting of Rostyle wheels.

But Vauxhall muddied the waters somewhat by offering Viva models with the larger engines, but with vinyl interior trim. This rather took the sting out of the Magnum's hitting power and I never could see the sense in the move.

But Vauxhall had to shift Vivas at all costs as the competition was getting so competitive.

The Magnum was indeed a super-Viva and I had hours of fun driving it.

The 2300 was not a red-hot performer as it could only manage about 104mph, but it was a highly-equipped small car that could could cut the mustard with an increasingly discerning clientele.

It lasted until 1978 when its sales were gradually bled off into the new and slightly larger Opel Ascona-based Vauxhall Cavalier.

One of the stars of the range was a Sportshatch with a droop-snoot nosecone of which only 197 were built.

This was design by the great Wayne Cherry, the quiet American who was Vauxhall's Chief Design Engineer and who went on to create the fabulous Calibra coupe.

Sadly Magnums are a rare sight on our roads these days as far too many of them went to the crusher when they grew into old bangers.

The Magnum may not be the best remembered Vauxhall but it was certainly a car for its day being the ultimate expression of the Viva platform.