This series was known in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Frontera and in Europe as the Opel Frontera. It was launched in November 1991 and built at the former Bedford van factory in Luton, England; it would become known as the IBC factory ("I"suzu "B"edford "C"ompany). In the 1980s the plant had come under joint control between Isuzu and General Motors, with the Frontera being built alongside a number of other commercial vehicle models. The Australian and New Zealand version of the model range was known as the Holden Frontera and these were also produced at the Luton facility. The Frontera was Vauxhall's answer to the growing demand for 4X4 vehicles in Europe - particularly the right-hand drive British market - during the 1980s, where Japanese imported products from Daihatsu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki and Toyota had proven hugely successful, not to mention the success of the long-running British Land Rover and Range Rover. Despite the vast and growing competition in the 4X4 market, the Frontera sold well throughout Europe.