During the mid-1980's, a group of friends living in and around Oxford, all owning and sharing enthusiasm for Vauxhall's FD and FE Series VX4/90 saloons, dubbed themselves "The Vauxhall VX4/90 Drivers Club". 

in 1986, one of the group decided to take the "Club" a step further; he had a letter published in Practical Classics magazine, asking if FD and FE enthusiasts elsewhere in the country would be interested in joining a club catering for the cars.

Over the course of the following few weeks, the number of letters and phone calls in response to the letter ran into three figures; so was bom the "official" Vauxhall VX4/90 Drivers Club.

Although not apparent from the name, the club welcomes owners and enthusiasts of all FD and FE Series saloons and estate cars, not only the sporting VX4/90 variant.

Membership of the club now hovers around the 200 mark.

The club issues a magazine entitled "Cross Purposes", as well as supplementary informative newsletters. Technical and product information is available from various committee members upon request, and the club can assist member with locating spare parts.

For the uninitiated, a brief description of the models catered for by The Vauxhall VX4/90 Drivers Club follows.

The new FD saloon and estate car range was introduced at the 1967 Motor Show for the 1968 model year, where it was dubbed "Car of The Show", and also received the Don Safety Award. The FD shared virtually no components with it's predecessor, the "101", having sleek, modern "coke-bottle" body styling of American influence, and in Victor and VX4/90 versions, a new belt-driven, overhead-cam engine (known as the "slant-four" due to it's canted design), features of particular note.

Victor 3300SL Estate (using the 6 cylinder engine from the larger Cresta), and Ventora saloon, equipped with the six-cylinder 3.3 litre engine, vinyl roof and specific trim treatment.

The sporting VX4/90 saloon, with additional instrumentation, twin-carb 2-litre engine and Rostyle wheels, was introduced for the 1970 model year.  At the same time the Ventora II appeared, with revised gearing, and offering improved interior treatment and additional equipment in comparison with it's predecessor.

FD production ended in December 1971.

The FE, initially christened the "Transcontinental" in early publicity material, was launched in February 1972.   Mechanically the FE was a development of the FD, with larger capacity slant-four power units, and beefier, more refined suspension. The body, however, was completely new, bigger with a far larger glass area and offering more interior space and a more airy feel.

The FE range ran to Victor 1800 and 2300 saloons and estates, Victor 3300SL Estate (replaced by the Ventora Estate for 1974), a VX4/90 saloon (with twin-carb equipped 2300 engine, Rostyles and more comprehensive instrumentation) and Ventora saloon, again with the 3.3-litre engine, specific interior trim, vinyl roof and extra brightwork.

1975 FE 2300S - a non-standard example owned by Ian Bragg

A 1976 revamp of the range, saw the VX1800 and 2300 replacing the Victor and offering improved interior treatment. The six-cylinder cars were gone, and a higher specification VX2300 GLS saloon became the flagship of the range, with a better equipped interior, front air dam, foglamps, twin headlights and additional brightwork.

Rostyle wheel fans had to wait until 1977 for a new VX 490 (no "/" ), externally sharing the GLS's front air dam, but with less brightwork (black side window frames and rear panel). Interior treatment was adventurous, with "Bold Plaid" (tartan to most people!) panels set into the seats and door trim panels.

The surprise use of a five-speed Getrag gearbox was due to the car having been developed as a high-performance, fuel-injected machine, vetoed by GM management after the gearboxes had been ordered! The engine remained a twin-carb 2300 unit.

Production of the FE VX Series ceased in 1978.