New Vauxhall Insignia photos leaked
New Vauxhall Insignia offers a modern musk to the stale Vectra
Author: Chris Barker
Published: 17 April 2008
Vauxhall has had its Insignia thunder stolen by the subversive powers of the internet, with images of the Vectra-upstaging model having come to light ahead of its official Friday billing.
So, on first glance, will it blow the D-segment competition away or not?
Well, the all-new Insignia certainly looks more voluminous and clearly more aesthetically pleasurable than its predecessor, even leading to suggestions the new Vauxhall bears the hallmarks of something altogether more Germanic. Rather like the Citroen C5.
Reinforcing the adage that if you can't better something automotive, then take a few suspectedly similar styling cues, the Insignia seems to have elements of not just BMW about its form, but a rear depicting slightly bewildering signs of Korean indulgence, whilst the front aspect seems to owe something to the Toyota Avensis.
Looks aside, and the improved engineering is so that it's said to offer a completely foreign feel to Vauxhall drivers used to something a little less auspicious. Which is no bad thing. Especially as, like the new Honda Accord,Ford Mondeo and Citroen C5, the Vauxhall Insignia is looking to move upmarket.
In the Insignia, Vauxhall hopes to grab its fair share of the premium mid-size saloon action – undercutting the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 – whilst at the same time locking horns with its arch-rival the Ford Mondeo once again.
Fighting on all these fronts, the Insignia is underpinned with Vauxhall's new Epsilon 2 platform, which outgrows the outgoing Vectra's in more ways than one, with the chassis being 7” longer for a kick off.
The soon-to-follow Insignia hatchback and estate variants will be based on the same chassis.
Whatever initial thoughts are cast on the exterior dynamics, the Insignia's interior is a revelation. An incredibly spacious layout, complimented by a sweeping fascia and acres of tactile materials take the Insignia light years away from the Vectra, and the only construed example of manufacturer-pilfering appears to be the Alfa Romeo-esque instrumentation dials.
Technical spec and all the other fun facts and figures will materialize shortly, with the first Insignias scheduled to be with UK car buyers by October this year, after making its first public bow at July's British Motor Show in London.
Further details have emerged for the new Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer estate model, available from £17,185.
GM UK Leasing, part of the Masterlease Group of companies, has today announced its contract hire rates for the new Vauxhall Insignia – the first leasing company in the UK to do so.
Vauxhall’s new Insignia will achieve significantly higher residual values than the Vectra model it replaces, according to valuing specialists EurotaxGlass’s.
GM UK Leasing, part of the Masterlease Group of companies, has today announced its contract hire rates for the new Vauxhall Insignia – the first leasing company in the UK to do so.
An independent panel of ergonomics experts and doctors in Germany - yes, apparently there is such a thing - has awarded the Vauxhall Insignia Sport's seats its seal of approval.
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