The only part of the...
The only part of the test car which remains disguised is the headlamps. Underneath the stickers, new lights and a reshaped bonnet - as we revealed in issue 840 - bring the Vectra"s shape up to date. Completing the sharper-looking nose is a new bumper, a sporty front airdam and foglamps. At the rear, the changes are more subtle, but include smoked tail-lamp lenses.
The interior is also getting a makeover. Higher-quality plastics now feature, as do new seat trims and a redesigned instrument cluster. But the fresh look isn"t the only revision meant to help boost the Vectra"s appeal - the driving dynamics have been revamped, too.
Vauxhall"s engineers have worked on the car"s suspension settings in a bid to provide a sportier feel on twisty roads, but without compromising the Vectra"s excellent motorway ride.
Under the bonnet, the 1.8-litre engine which powers entry-level models will be replaced by a new 1.8 Twinport unit. The maker claims this offers greater mid-range punch and lower emissions. In addition, the current 210bhp 3.2-litre V6 powerplant will be dropped in favour of a new turbocharged 2.8-litre engine. It will be available in two versions; either a low-pressure turbo with 220bhp, which will be mated to an automatic gearbox, or a high-power 250bhp variant, which will appear in range-topping VXR trim, due in 2006. Insiders say the hot model will be capable of 160mph.
The Vectra"s diesel line-up will be enhanced, too. The current entry-level 2.0 DTI is set to be replaced by a low-powered version of the firm"s efficient 1.9-litre common-rail CDTI oil-burner. Amazingly for such an important car, the revised Vectra will not appear on the Vauxhall stand at next month"s Geneva Motor Show. Instead, the star will be the all-new Zafira compact people carrier. The Vectra is set to be officially launched later in the spring, with the first right-hand-drive models arriving in UK showrooms by September.
The family saloon will be closely followed by a facelifted version of the company"s Signum executive model, which is based on the same platform.