Vauxhall’s MINI rival takes shape!

I really can't see this being a great competition for the Mini or the Citroen DS3. The DS3 is a fantastic little car and is beating the mini, it is so stylish and stands out from the crowd, and although it is small looking , there is plenty of room inside! Not like the Fiat 500, or like the new Vauxhall will be! I would defintely stick with my DS3 anyway...

By lyndseyeason on 18 March, 2011, 10:49am

A Competitor? Your having a laugh!

Vauxhalls CANNOT handle. Mini is made by BMW and are king of handling. Same with Citroen, french cars are fun to drive. Vauxhall is wooden. Too much power and not a fun chassis.
It will be the worst decision they have ever made!

By lucasworld on 18 March, 2011, 11:52am

Really?

Sorry but I'm really hoping AE has mocked this up. A miniture Astra is not going to cut it. I'm also not a fan of Vauxhall/Opel's new corporate face. Come on bring us something fresh and premium looking.

By xanderbrown on 18 March, 2011, 12:22pm

Missing a trick

Just looks like a Corsa with a new grille.

In this segment you either have to be stylish (DS3) or retro (Mini, 500).

They missed a trick and could have taken styling cues from the likes of the Chevette...

By sirwiggum on 18 March, 2011, 12:24pm

Can't see the 'fun' or 'fashion'

It looks like GM are trying to pinch little bits from currently successful cars, then failing to come up with a cohesive and original design.

Sure, there's a market for another car of the ilk of the brilliant DS3 - the secret will be to create a customisable design based on an original concept. This mockup hasn't inspired me, I'm afraid.

Vauxhall need to look at how bold new design (DS3, Citroen C1 and Fiat 500), which is separate in look from the brand 'family' can rejuvenate a brand. Think of words like 'funky' then get the designers to let their CAD hair down...!

By ajjm65 on 18 March, 2011, 3:16pm

"..we have the best pictures yet of how the newcomer could look."

You all seem to be missing the fact that this 'car' is styled by AutoExpress, not Opel/Vauxhall. They actually mentioned this in the opening lines of the article.

The car in the images looks derivative because it is. It was more than likely put together in Adobe Photoshop using bits and pieces of images of the new Astra GTC 'concept' and, probably, the Corsa.

So slating an as yet unrevealed and unofficial car on the basis of a car magazine's hotch potch rendering is hardly fair or worthwhile.

I for one don't care how much the magazines rave, I wouldn't buy a Citroen. I'd rather set fire to my money. I couldn't drive a MINI because it's not a proper car. It is the motoring equivalent of a pair of budgie smugglers. I wouldn't drive a 500 because it is a 'girls' accessory, in the same way that a purse or a makeup compact could be classified as a 'girls' stuff.

Wake me up when Opel/Vauxhall build a proper modern day Coupé equivalent of the 1968 Opel GT which they shamelessly used in the advertising of the latest Opel Astra.

When I say 1968 GT I mean the 1968 GT and not the 2006 Pontiac Solstice clone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_GT

By pdmccmdp on 18 March, 2011, 7:20pm

What!

pdmccmdp. - Fiat 500 a 'girls accesory' are you an idiot! The 500 is aimed at anyone who enjoys a fun drive in a well build car with cute styling. If that's a 'girls car' then give me more of it. You stick to Lamborgini's, Ferrari's and Porches. I'm safe enough with my own sexuality not to have to buy a penis substitute to prove anything.
Get a life!

By feedthesoul on 19 March, 2011, 6:06am

lol, looks like someone got their feathers ruffled @ "feedthesoul"
I have to admit I did kinda like the 500 when it came out just like the new Mini or Beetle, but now I would not buy them, they do have that kinda girls fashion accessory image, the kinda image with the guy with a pink shirt and spiky hair image.
I would rather go for a DS3, so far it does not have that cock image.

I am glad Vauxhall would ditch the Agila, it was s**t and like many other jelly mould jap vehicles that are skinny and high sided. I did not even realise that it was meant to compete against the Ford Ka, it seems in a league of its own along with its Suzuki counterpart.

By hotredman on 19 March, 2011, 12:04pm

not again!

hotredman - not another man who has to have a penis substitute to make up for his 'not ok' personalitity -very sad.

By feedthesoul on 19 March, 2011, 12:42pm

Looks nicee!!!

@feedthesoul haha i drive a fiat 500, yes its a good fun car but there is no denying that its aimed for girls, u dont get a pink edition for no reason, so dont get upset when people say tht, i just laugh it off cos i know its true.

By BizShey on 19 March, 2011, 5:38pm

indeed

BizShey - Ha Ha, your right I'll just laugh at all of you!

By feedthesoul on 20 March, 2011, 9:54am

@ feedthesoul

Hey there,

I'm as entitled to my opinion as you are and the fact that you are in disagreement with it does not automatically make me an 'idiot'.

FYI: I do not need a penis extension and do not drive a car that represents one either. I drive an Opel Astra GTC which some might see as a bit of a girl's car too, or maybe even a bit of a gay's car. I have no problem with that because, as a gay man who is perfectly comfortable with his own sexuality, I've heard it all and couldn't really give a toss what anyone thinks about what I drive. It serves it's purpose well as a commuter car.

I'm not afraid to say it as it is and say that the FIAT 500 is a girl's accessory. If someone tells me I drive a gay car, I will laugh it off. I don't resort to public hissy fits. Accusing others of only being interested in cars that are penis extensions smacks to me of someone who is 'projecting'. Unless you are female in which case I'd say catch yourself on. If it appealed to you, and you're a female, then I'd say job done for the design team and marketing folk. If you're male, I's say stop projecting and relax. My comments about the car were not levelled at you, or your appendages, personally - as proven by the fact that I commented on this post before you. You shouldn't let little things like that upset you. Life, like many things, is too short.

The ABARTH 500 on the other hand, with it's more butch image is a car a bloke could get away with driving without looking completely foolish.

I also happen to drive an Alfa 156 Sportwagon which some may see as a 'Daddy's car.' That's fine too. Again I don't care if people mistake me for a daddy. I have two dogs and that car serves a very practical purpose, as well as being great to drive and being the estate version of my favourite saloon car of recent years. I owned two 156 saloons prior to the Sportwagon. This is because I adore Italian cars.

So, to clarify, I never said I didn't like the 500, or that it was bad to drive or that it was badly built. I do like it and it is a scream to drive. I just said it has the image of being a girl's car. Which, in my opinion and the opinion of most people I've discussed this model with, it is.

Finally, I never mentioned Lamborghini, Ferrari or PORSCHE. That's spelled P-O-R-S-C-H-E by the way. At least try to spell properly before you start tagging others as idiots.

Idiot.

By pdmccmdp on 20 March, 2011, 12:06pm

Wannabe!

This looks suspiciously like a cheap Corsa with imitation Kahn alloys. Try harder!

By jonmolyneux on 22 March, 2011, 7:34am

Let's please stop this childishness !

I guess 'feedthesoul' is perfectly capable of replying to the rant by 'pdmccmdp', who absolutely didn't need to inform us that he was gay, but if I could just say that this comment section is in danger of being ignored by those of us who are just interested in cars !!
Some of the opinions expressed and puerile language used over the past few weeks by various contributors is very sad.
I would like to read objective opinions of like-minded car-nuts and in English please not this dreadful shorthand which some people seem to think is very clever.
As for the Vauxhall - it strikes me as a well-balanced design but I did not like the headlamp array. I look forward to seeing a more detailed report because even though this is not the sort of car I would buy I still like to know about the latest developments and what is in offer.

By Gregorius on 22 March, 2011, 8:06am

Missing the point

Whether MINIs and the rest are girls' cars or not, they are a bit different from the mainstream and by and large fun to drive. I don't think either of those qualities can be ascribed to a car with the Vauxhall badge on the nose, unless you consider the Holden-sourced Monaro and VXR8.

If GM want to divorce the new car from the rest of its range, it needs a different styling language and, preferably, a different name. I'm sure that GM could resurrect a name from the past to apply to this car.

If the plan is to produce a range of models, they could always consider Viva, Victor or Firenza for the various permutations. Just so long as the word Cavalier never crosses their lips.

By snappyuk on 22 March, 2011, 8:16am

Pity those in the blind spot...

Current Vauxhalls are death traps with blind spot due to screen pillar being lethal to motorcyclists. It's like driving with blinkers on and excuses about rollover integrity are just poor and lazy engineering. GM couldn't even manage to iron out awful screen reflections from centre console into screen in the Corsa, tends to make me think that engineers are now subservient to stylists at every stage in the design.

By electricblue on 22 March, 2011, 8:38am

Not Enough.

Yeah. A smaller Corsa is just not going to cut it.

By chickenfeed on 22 March, 2011, 10:18am

A1?

Is it just me or does this look like an Audi A1?

By bigtazni on 22 March, 2011, 12:20pm

Always the Bridesmaid

In every car test Opel (i say Opel because they are the Masters not VX) come second.
Second to the Modeo.
Second to the Focus.
Second to the Fiesta.
Concidering the range comes from the Country that gives the World Mercedes, Audi and BMW you have to ask yourselves , do they use the Engineers and stylists that the above companys reject!

By toycollector on 22 March, 2011, 5:57pm

Boring

Who would buy a smaller Astra?

By baris_purut on 22 March, 2011, 6:00pm

I hope they don't produce another carbon copy of the larger cars in the range. The new Astra and facelifted Corsa are OK to look at, but in this segment you need something funkier. Doesn't have to be retro either. Lets see what happens, and just ignore this AE image for now.

By Lostash on 22 March, 2011, 6:36pm

Vauxhall doesn't have the 'premium or Chic factor'.

Mmmm.... I think only certain makes can succeed in this niche market e.g. Alfa Romeo Mito, Citroen DS3, Lancia Ypsilon, Mini, Fiat 500 etc.....

By JTravolta77 on 23 March, 2011, 11:08pm

Compared to the Mini and Fiat 500, this looks boring,so Vauxhall has a lot to do styling wise before this makes production. Also, what happens now to the Corsa?Does it become the rep-mobile for over 70's?

By christophergeek on 24 March, 2011, 5:18pm