The Vauxhall Insignia, you say? I thought it was the new Vectra
They’re one and the same, we hear. Eager to spruce up its repmobile’s reputation, Vauxhall and sister firm Opel are planning to drop the Vectra tag in favour of the Insignia name, harking back to the executive-style concept from a few years back. We’ve already scooped the new Vectra, and it’s destined to follow the sleeker shape of the GTC concept car. It seems that the family car segment is finally throwing off its dull-as-ditchwater reputation, with the arrival of the classier Mondeo and the like. Read on to see what the new Vauxhall’s like inside…
Concept car looks you say? Seems neat enough…
Ignore all this development hack’s testing gear littering the cabin and you’re left with exactly how the new Insignia will look inside. And as well as the new design, Opel/Vauxhall hope to raise the quality of the Vectra to move it away from its workaday roots. It’s not alone in that pursuit, of course; every manufacturer from Ford to Renault makes similar claims, but those who’ve seen the car claim it is indeed a step in the right direction. Our shots were snapped during high-altitude testing in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado; this car will be sold in the US as well as Europe.
How similar to the show car is it inside?
The basic architecture is identical. The instrument binnacle ahead of the driver is the same, with two small fuel and coolant gauges flanked by the larger speedo and tacho. Even the switchgear is the same as in the GTC concept car (picture on left, above). The centre console is dominated by a digital display mounted high up, and Vauxhall is finally moving away from the fiddly little buttons that spoil many current Vauxhall interiors. Expect it to be roomy, too – the new model will grow to around 4.8m long, freeing up more space for luggage and limbs.