Vauxhall Insignia

Insignia show star hits the road...

Best spy shots yet of the Vectra-replacing Insignia out on test.

Auto Express Car Reviews

Text: Ross Pinnock / Photos: Automedia

07th February 2008

The countdown is on for the British Motor Show! But while manufacturers are preparing for the biggest motoring event in the UK calendar, Auto Express can already bring you exclusive, undisguised shots of the show’s star car – six months early!

Our spy photographers snapped these pictures of the Vauxhall Insignia undergoing on-road testing. They reveal exactly what to expect from the new Vectra replacement that’s set to take centre stage at the show, which opens at ExCeL in London’s Docklands at the end of July.

We even managed to get a picture of the cabin, which provides the best look yet at the hotly anticipated car’s interior. The stylish new layout has a host of sporty details, including a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel and swooping centre console.

Look closely and you can just make out the screen for the integrated sat-nav. Also visible are its classy Alfa Romeo-inspired instruments, with each of the four dials set in its very own chrome cowling.

This automatic model clearly features a useful Tiptronic setting for manual control of the gearbox. And there’s a traditional handbrake on the centre console, rather than an electronic parking brake, like the one featured in the Volkswagen Passat.

Dropping the Vectra name is a deliberate attempt to distance the new motor from its predecessor, while its sleek styling is inspired by the firm’s GTC concept, which debuted at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. At the front there’s a large V-shaped grille and a pair of slanted headlamps. Simple flanks provide a clean look, and the rear lights neatly blend in with the surrounding bodywork.

As with its Ford Mondeo arch rival, Vauxhall’s next family car will be far more spacious than its predecessor, thanks to a brand new platform. To meet the challenge from its blue oval rival head-on, Vauxhall is promising the Insignia will have sharp handling as well as sleek, fresh looks.

Engines are likely to be carried over from the existing Vectra line-up, and performance fans will be catered for by a hot VXR version. With a 296bhp 2.8-litre V6 turbo and four-wheel drive, it should offer stunning acceleration and will have uprated brakes. Specially tuned suspension, featuring electronic adaptive dampers, will also ensure it has handling to match its performance.

Top-of-the-range models will get Vauxhall’s new Traffic Assist safety system, too. It uses radar and video cameras to scan the road ahead for obstacles, and can automatically apply the brakes in an emergency.

An estate version is said to be in the pipeline, but fans of the old Calibra will be disappointed, as bosses have put development of a sporty GTC-style coupé on hold.

The Insignia will hit the UK in September, when it’s set to go head-to-head with its key family class rivals. Prices are yet to be announced, but entry-level models are expected to start at around £15,000, which is similar to the current Vectra range.