hall ▁had ▁boost ed ▁its ▁market ▁share ▁substantial ly , ▁and ▁was ▁fast ▁closing ▁in ▁on ▁Ford ▁and ▁British ▁Ley land . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁V aux hall ▁strength ened ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁executive ▁car ▁market ▁with ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁its ▁all - new ▁Carl ton ▁sal oon ▁and ▁estate , ▁which ▁were ▁fac el ift ed ▁versions ▁of ▁the ▁German - built ▁Op el ▁Re kord . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁a ▁more ▁up market ▁sal oon ▁model , ▁the ▁Senator , ▁was ▁launched ▁under ▁the ▁Op el ▁brand , ▁and ▁finally ▁became ▁available ▁as ▁a ▁V aux hall ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁V aux hall ▁had ▁increased ▁its ▁market ▁share ▁substantial ly ; ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁some ▁way ▁behind ▁Ford ▁and ▁British ▁Ley land , ▁but ▁had ▁over t aken ▁Tal bot ▁( the ▁Pe uge ot - owned ▁successor ▁to ▁Ro otes ▁and ▁Ch rys ler ▁UK ). ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁G M ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁withdraw ▁the ▁V aux hall ▁brand ▁from ▁most ▁other ▁European ▁mark ets ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁Op el , ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁virt ually ▁completed ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁This ▁saw ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁export ▁of ▁V aux hall ▁models , ▁as ▁exports ▁to ▁Cont inental ▁Europe ▁had ▁fallen ▁from ▁ 3 2 , 0 0 0 ▁units ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 2 , 9 0 0 ▁units