Vauxhall"s corporate...

Vauxhall"s corporate face will continue to feature heavily, and the car draws inspiration from the latest Astra. It gets a new bonnet to house a three-slot grille, while the angular lights appear to flow into the front wing.

At the rear, the tail has smoother lines, while the boot will be bigger than that of the outgoing car - which should help the Signum compete against rivals" models in the practicality stakes. A larger back screen lightens the interior and provides better all-round visibility than the existing machine.

Inside, the cabin has the Vauxhall styling cues used by its contemporaries, although the new model"s central information unit is flanked by two square air vents. Modern-looking carbon fibre trim features extensively, giving the car an upmarket finish. If you look closely at our picture of the interior, it reveals how the cruise control and audio functions have been incorporated into the four-spoke steering wheel.

Auto Express has also learned that Vauxhall is going ahead with plans to use the new Vectra"s engine line-up in the Signum models. That means the 1.8 Twinport unit and the 2.8-litre turbo are both likely to make their debut in the upmarket range. The current 2.0-litre DTI diesel powerplant is certain to be axed in favour of the new 1.9-litre CDTI oil-burner.

The revised model will be tweaked to deliver a better driving experience, with refined performance and sharper handling. These changes are designed to lure buyers out of more expensive German rivals. A six-speed manual gearbox is likely to be fitted to the 1.8-litre model, which will make for more relaxed motorway cruising and give improved economy. The current entry-level variant makes do with five ratios. Vauxhall"s refreshed Signum will be launched in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and is due to arrive at UK dealers before the end of the year.