Nova Sport Sales Brochures
Not many people are aware that there are two versions of the original sales brochure for the Nova Sport in circulation. This was due to changes made to the specification after the original brochure was printed. The first brochure was published in October 1984, some 4 months before the first public viewing and launch in late January 1985. Both brochures carry the same reference (v6106), and at a casual glance, most people probably wouldn’t notice any difference between the two.
There were two changes made in the second edition of the brochure. The changes relate to the front brakes and performance camshaft. The original edition specifies the car as coming with “powerful ventilated disc brakes from its bigger brother – The New Astra GTE”, these were listed as the 9.3″ (236mm) brakes that would have been fitted with the AC Delco style caliper. The second edition, and the 256mm Astra GTE brakes that we all know of on a Sport these days, did not come about until a few years later (the same brakes that were also fitted to the Nova GTE). We assume the vented discs were not fitted, as the wider caliper for the vented disc would not have been able to clear the 13″x 5″ Steel wheels and would have resulted in the car needing to be fitted with 14″ wheels. This would’ve had a knock on effect with the costs of the car, and in turn an increase in price, something Vauxhall wouldn’t have wanted for the Sport.
The wording in the original brochure also suggests that what we know today as the optional Performance camshaft was in fact going to be supplied as standard, and it would actually have been an option to have the camshaft deleted. With the car needing to be for road use, the camshaft coming as standard would likely have limited the number of perspective buyers, due to the change in drive-ability. Making the camshaft optional, made better sense both financially in terms of cost of production per unit, and overall, by making the car appeal to a larger market.
The original brochure is worded as follows:
Performance camshaft*. *The G.M. Dealer Sport pack can be supplied less camshaft for normal road use.
The later brochure had it worded slightly differently and was more accurate in listing it as optional….
Optional performance camshaft*. * The G.M. Dealer Sport pack is supplied less camshaft, for normal road usage.
Below are the two brochures. The double page spread carries the details on the left page in paragraphs three and four about camshaft and the disc brakes.
Original Brochure
Final Brochure
