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Vauxhall Insignia

Vauxhall Insignia makes its world debut
Vauxhall Insignia makes its world debut - News image
The new Vauxhall Insignia will go up against the Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Mazda 6

The 2008 British Motor Show has kicked off with the global debut of the Vauxhall Insignia family saloon.

Replacing the outgoing Vectra, the Vauxhall Insignia will be going up against the likes of the popular Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Mazda 6 and is expected to be popular among fleet sales with prices starting from £15,995.

The Vauxhall Insignia will be available with seven engines (with a six speed manual or automatic gearbox) including a 2.8-litre V6 which produces 260bhp and also features all-wheel drive for the first time on a Vauxhall saloon since the Cavalier in the mid-Nineties.

View images of the Vauxhall Insignia at the 2008 British motor show

But the big selling cars in the range are expected to be the three 2-litre diesel models (offering 110bhp, 130bhp and 160bhp respectively) which will offer lower emissions and increased fuel efficiency over the petrol counterparts.

There will also be an ecoFLEX model based on the 160bhp diesel which will be the Insignia’s signature green car rivalling the Mondeo Econetic.

Carbon emissions weren’t available but we were informed by General Motors that the Insignia ‘would be towards the top of the ladder’.

First impressions on the Vauxhall Insignia were of its more ambitious design. The Vauxhall Vectra is only out-sold by the BMW 3 Series in its market sector, but it has never really won over plaudits for its design or driving dynamics with the bulk of sales going as company cars.

But the Insignia is sleeker looking and has a more premium feel.

Inside, Vauxhall has particularly gone to work, creating a quality-looking interior which is a much nicer place to sit than the Vectra.

Vauxhall’s technical wizards have also been hard at work, with the Insignia boasting a function which will de-ice the car’s windscreen, similar to the ‘Quick clear’ system which Ford pioneered.

Buyers will also get the option of having Vauxhall’s ‘Advanced Front Camera System’ which reads road signs and informs the driver if they’re speeding.

The Vauxhall Insignia goes on sale in December with prices starting from £15,995. We’ll be driving it before that date so don’t forget to come back to read our revie