irishcar.com - New Opel Vectra preview

There’s more than a hint of the old Opel Calibra in the high waistline and wedge lines of the upcoming new Vectra, making its world premiere in March at the Geneva Motor Show with sales beginning in Europe shortly after. Read June for Ireland. There’s also nodding acknowledgment to the curved rooflines of VW’s Passat and Ford’s Mondeo.

If these things work for other people, we shouldn’t ignore them, right?

Right. And throw in extra dimensions in all the important places, an extended wheelbase, and a complete new car from the floorpan up and the marque hopes it can bring to the mid-range segment the kind of respect it has earned with Corsa and Astra.

The new model will be launched initially as a four-door saloon and five door hatchback, but don’t discount an estate and possibly an MPV in the large segment, where it has been conspicuously absent since the ill-fated US-designed and produced Sintra. The contrary success Europe’s GM subsidiary had with the Zafira in the compact MPV set must have them thinking: we CAN do this again.

But first the new car has to succeed. And Opel is hoping that a well-engineered product with seriously enhanced levels of refinement will kick off the ‘dull but reliable repmobile’ cachet worn by the outgoing model for too long. Indeed, even the reps figured they were going downhill if they were offered a Vectra as a company car.

The car will come powered with four-cylinder ECOTEC petrol engines ranging in power from 123bhp to 145bhp and diesels producing 98bhp to 123bhp.

A five-speed automatic transmission with a manual-shift function will also be offered for the first time on the Vectra. A GSi version is also mooted, with a 214bhp powerplant.

All this is serious power, and to make the most of it Opel has designed a brand new suspension with what they call an Interactive Driving System, part of which will be a new design of multi-link rear axle. Electro-hydraulic power steering, and aluminium components for reduced unsprung weight will all help in getting the maximum amount of punch to the road.

The engineers have also come up with a new electronic stability programme, ESP Plus.

With a longer wheelbase (+60mm), wider track (+52mm front and +48mm rear) and a higher roof (+36mm), the new model offers significantly more interior space than its predecessor.

A new integrated electronics system, intelligent Electronic Climate Control with air quality sensor, a wide range of communication and entertainment systems, eight-way adjustable front seats, rain sensor and park-pilot are all featured.

Passive safety equipment includes - as standard - front, side and full-size curtain airbags, Opel's patented ‘pedal release’ system and further improved ‘active head restraints for protection from whiplash injuries.