Photographs of the new Vauxhall/Opel Insignia have leaked all over the internet – days before the official embargo. These pictures of the Vectra replacement reveal a sleek family car clearly inspired by the GTC concept car (pictured bottom row, middle and right).
It’s telling that GM has scrapped the Vectra badge. The new Insignia name is supposed to herald a new era in the brands’ family car aspirations; where you’d never lust after a Vectra, Vauxhall and Opel are hoping that the sleeker new Insignia will appeal on looks alone as well as price. How much will the Insignia cost? That’s still a secret, but don’t expect much change from today’s £16k starting point.
Vauxhall Insignia: at a glance
Other headline news expected on the Insignia includes:
• Three bodystyles (saloon pictured, plus hatch and estate)
• Based on Epsilon 2 architecture (front- and four-wheel drive)
• Bigger all round than today’s Vectra
• World debut at the London motor show in July 2008
• New design language (eg blade running along car’s flanks)
• Radical cabin overhaul (neater switchgear, exterior blade reflected in door grab handles)
We’ll have the full details on Friday 18 April 2008, but for now we’ll have to admire these official hand-out shots, leaked originally by a Dutch magazine website. It’s yet another example of how difficult it is for manufacturers to hold worldwide embargos on their new product unveilings.
Have embargos had their day? Should manufacturers try and manage the news agenda by insisting that websites and magazines publish first official pictures on particular days? Have your say by clicking ‘Add comment’ below