▁at ▁the ▁Ell es m ere ▁Port ▁Plant ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁V aux hall ▁car ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁European ▁Car ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁From ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁V aux hall ▁Nova ▁was ▁also ▁available ▁as ▁a ▁four - door ▁sal oon ▁and ▁five - door ▁h atch back . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁V aux hall ▁launched ▁the ▁Bel mont , ▁a ▁sal oon ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁A stra , ▁which ▁offered ▁more ▁interior ▁space ▁and ▁was ▁almost ▁as ▁big ▁as ▁a ▁Caval ier . ▁However , ▁this ▁car ▁failed ▁to ▁reach ▁V aux hall ' s ▁expect ations ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁sales , ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁was ▁re bad ged ▁the ▁A stra ▁Bel mont . ▁ ▁V aux hall ▁won ▁another ▁" Europe an ▁Car ▁of ▁the ▁Year " ▁award ▁with ▁its ▁all - new ▁V aux hall ▁Carl ton , ▁a ▁re bad ged ▁Op el - built ▁vehicle ▁and ▁bad ged ▁Op el ▁Om ega ▁in ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Europe , ▁se aling ▁the ▁award ▁for ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁A ▁year ▁after ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁the ▁M K 2 ▁Carl ton , ▁V aux hall ▁rev ital ised ▁its ▁flags hip ▁Senator ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁new - gener ation ▁lux ury ▁sal oon . ▁ ▁The ▁L ut on - built ▁Caval ier ▁( M k 3 ) ▁( s old ▁as ▁the ▁Op el ▁V ect ra ▁in