Vauxhall Vectra

By Paul Bailey

August 2004

The firm hopes to change that with the launch of its 2005 model. On sale from October, the newcomer looks no different from the current car, but under the skin are a few significant changes.

Most notable of these is an option called IDS Plus, which will be offered on sportier models. This uses adaptive damping to alter the angle of the chassis when cornering at high speeds, reducing understeer by keeping the body stable and cutting braking distances by stabilising the weight transfer.

And it works well, giving the car a much tauter and responsive feel than before. There's also a button - known as the Sportswitch - which alters the driving dynamics to provide a firmer ride if you wish to press on. Along with IDS Plus, this is a ΂£500 option on 3.2 V6 and 3.0 CDTI models - or a ΂£1,250 extra on other cars, as it necessitates the fitting of ESP. Further changes across the range include the introduction of adaptive brake lights, with a beam that intensifies the harder you press on the pedal, plus a fresh stereo and communications system, similar to the Astra's.

But apart from these alterations, the Vauxhall Vectra will remain fundamentally unchanged - and will no doubt continue to rack up strong sales.

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